Business Development Manager

ETAB-Recruits; Leeds; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational catering company based in Leeds seeks a Business Development Manager to lead the sales process in the education sector. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in education catering sales or operations, with the ability to manage tenders and build relationships with schools. This full-time position demands strong communication skills and a passion for promoting high-quality food solutions for children. Join a dedicated team and make a positive impact on the education catering landscape.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in education catering sales or contract catering sales within schools.
• Strong education catering operations experience with exposure to tenders.
• Confident communicator to engage with school leaders and procurement professionals.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full sales process for education catering.
• Build and manage a pipeline of opportunities including schools.
• Oversee the creation of sales materials and coordinate site visits.

Skills

Education catering sales experience

Public sector procurement knowledge

Strong communication skills

Proficiency in Microsoft Office

Relationship management

Job description

Business Development Manager – Education Catering

Leeds, England, United Kingdom

We’re looking for an energetic and commercially minded Business Development Manager to help grow our education catering portfolio across the UK. This is a fantastic opportunity to work with passionate teams in operations, bids, and marketing, supporting schools and education settings with high-quality, values‑led food solutions.

As Business Development Manager, you’ll lead the full sales process — from identifying opportunities and managing tenders to securing new contracts and building long‑term partnerships with education clients.

What you’ll be doing

• Represent our values, educational approach, and commitment to quality, nutrition, and social impact
• Build and manage a strong pipeline of opportunities, including schools, MATs, and local authorities
• Lead the end‑to‑end tender and sales process, working closely with operations and bid teams on compliant, compelling submissions
• Oversee the creation of sales materials including PQQs, tenders, presentations, and promotional content
• Coordinate and attend school site visits, presentations, and stakeholder meetings
• Build trusted relationships with consultants, headteachers, business managers, and procurement leads
• Support and host education‑focused events for clients, prospects, and consultants

What we’re looking for

• Proven experience in education catering sales or contract catering sales within schools, MATs, or higher education
• Alternatively, strong education catering operations experience with exposure to tenders and bid processes
• Understanding of public sector procurement and education tendering frameworks
• Existing relationships with education consultants or procurement professionals (advantageous)
• A genuine passion for children’s food, nutrition, and positive social impact
• Confident communicator, able to engage effectively with school leaders, governors, and operational teams
• Resilient, organised, and comfortable working in a target‑driven environment
• Excellent written skills with strong attention to detail
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (experience with databases or Adobe Suite is a plus)

About you

• Self‑motivated, proactive, and collaborative
• Commercially aware with a structured, compliant approach to winning education contracts
• Comfortable managing multiple tenders and deadlines

Seniority level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Sales, Project Management, and Product Management

Industries

Hospitality