Business Development Manager

Kühne + Nagel; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days annual leave

Pension scheme

Route 2 Rewards programme

Armed Forces Covenant Award

Job summary

Kuehne+Nagel in Milton Keynes is seeking a strategic business development leader to drive market development, win new business, and expand strategic partnerships within contract logistics.

You will collaborate across teams, influence at board level, and shape offerings to remain market-leading while delivering measurable growth.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to win and grow business in contract logistics.
• Strong understanding of supply chain dynamics and stakeholder decision-making.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills to engage at executive level.

Responsibilities

• Shape market position by identifying USPs and differentiators.
• Support development and delivery of market development strategy.
• Champion a business development mindset with internal/external stakeholders.
• Monitor industry trends, competitors, and product developments.
• Identify opportunities through market analysis and customer insight.
• Lead innovation and growth while protecting existing services.
• Collaborate with BU Director, operations, and bid teams to deliver wins.

Skills

Contract logistics sales

Supply chain expertise

Board level engagement

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Negotiation

Presentation skills

Relationship building

Job description

This is an exceptional opportunity to lead business development within a highly specialised and complex supply chain sector, shaping growth strategies that deliver measurable commercial success. Partnering with the Business Unit Director, you will drive the development and execution of forward-thinking business development and marketing initiatives designed to win new business, expand strategic customer partnerships, and enhance the company's market presence.

How you create impact

• Shape our market position by identifying and developing compelling USPs and key differentiators.
• Drive growth initiatives by supporting the development and delivery of our market development strategy.
• Champion a business development mindset, working with internal and external stakeholders to create accountability for winning new business and growing existing accounts.
• Stay ahead of the market by monitoring industry trends, competitors, best practice and emerging product developments.
• Spot new opportunities through market analysis, customer insight and the creation of innovative service offerings.
• Lead innovation and growth, prioritising new business opportunities while ensuring established services remain market-leading.
• Collaborate across teams, partnering with the Business Unit Director, operational teams and bid specialists to secure and deliver new business wins.

• Demonstrated success in contract logistics sales, with a proven ability to win and grow business within the sector.
• Strong supply chain expertise, with a clear understanding of stakeholder roles and decision-making processes.
• Customer-centric approach, able to identify client needs and translate them into tailored solutions.
• Well-networked within the industry, with insight into key decision-makers and influencers.
• Skilled collaborator, capable of leading cross-functional teams to deliver compelling customer solutions.
• Confident engaging at board level, delivering impactful presentations and persuasive business proposals.
• Exceptional relationship building and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent communicator, both written and verbal, with the ability to convey ideas clearly and confidently.
• Highly organised and results driven, with the proven ability to manage competing priorities effectively.
• Adaptable and resilient, thriving in a fast paced and evolving business environment.

It's more than a job

As part of the Contract Logistics team at Kuehne+Nagel, you will play a key role in designing, managing, and optimizing solutions that keep goods moving efficiently. Whether you're leading a team, engineering processes, or driving projects, your work ensures that our customers' products are stored, handled, and delivered with precision. From everyday essentials to seasonal items, what we do in Contract Logistics impacts businesses and communities around the world. At Kuehne+Nagel, your contribution goes far beyond the warehouse-it helps shape the flow of global trade.

Logistics shapes everyday life - from the goods we consume to the healthcare we rely on. At Kuehne+Nagel, your work goes beyond logistics; it enables both ordinary and special moments in the lives of people around the world.

As a global leader with a strong heritage and a vision to move the world forward, we offer a safe, stable environment where your career can make a real difference. Whether we help deliver life‑saving medicines, develop sustainable transportation solutions or support our local communities, your career will contribute to more than you can imagine.

Join Kuehne+Nagel and build your future with us.

• In return, you'll enjoy a competitive benefits package, including 26 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, with the opportunity to earn additional leave through length of service.
• You'll also have access to our contributory Kuehne+Nagel pension scheme and our Route 2 Rewards programme, offering employee discounts, recognition initiatives, wellbeing resources and a dedicated wellbeing centre to support you both professionally and personally.
• As a proud holder of the Gold Armed Forces Covenant Award, we are committed to being a forces friendly employer and actively welcome applications from service leavers, reservists and veterans. We recognise the valuable skills, experience and perspectives they bring to our business and are proud to support their transition into civilian careers.

Please be aware that by applying for this role, you are agreeing to participate in the employment screening process. This process will include criminal record checking and identity validation. This means that KN will ask successful applicants to provide certain information and documentation to enable these checks to be conducted. Any appointment will then be strictly conditional upon, and subject to, the receipt of satisfactory results of these checks