Business Development Manager - Aviation

Leeds Bradford Airport; Leeds; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Leeds Bradford Airport seeks a Business Development Manager to enhance airline partnerships and grow its route network. The ideal candidate will drive strategic growth initiatives through data analysis and relationship management, ensuring customer needs are met while contributing to the airport’s ambitious future plans.

Benefits

Annual Bonus Scheme

Free onsite parking

Electric Vehicle Scheme

Pension scheme

Life Assurance

Cycle to work scheme

Free lounge access

Onsite discounts

Employee Assistance programme

Genuine career opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a commercial/business development role in aviation.
• Strong understanding of airline network planning and aviation market dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Manage relationships with current airline partners and identify new business opportunities.
• Translate complex data sets into business cases for new routes.

Skills

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Relationship Management

Education

Degree in Aviation Management or related field

Job description

Business Development Manager - Aviation

Location: Leeds Bradford Airport
Job Type: Full time
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: Competitive

Leeds Bradford Airport is one of the fastest growing regional airports in the UK, welcoming over4 million passengers through our doors every year. We are committed to employing high quality people who are ambitious to succeed and support our exciting plans for the future, whilst delivering an outstanding service for our customers.

We understand that our employees are our most important asset when it comes to providing the best service possible to our customers. We therefore operate with a ONE TEAM mentality, to enable us to DO THE RIGHT THING and ultimately BE THE BEST in what we do.

The Role:

Turn Data into Destinations –

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) is looking for a commercially driven, analytically minded professional to join our Aviation Development team. You’ll be the key interface between LBA and its airline partners, managing relationships with current carriers while identifying and landing new business opportunities. This is your chance to shape the airport’s route network and be a central figure in growing our airline partnerships.

Bring Strategy to Life with Insight and Influence

In this role, you’ll translate complex data sets into compelling business cases for new routes and airline growth, working closely with our Aviation Analyst. From tracking load factors to capacity trends, your insights will influence decision-making and drive strategic focus. You’ll also lead the development of marketing collateral and promotional strategies to support route growth—working cross-functionally with internal teams, tourism boards, and regional stakeholders.

Lead Growth from the Ground Up

Whether you're representing LBA at major industry events like Routes Europe or coordinating with marketing on passenger campaigns, you’ll be at the heart of our growth strategy. You'll help define aeronautical charges, keep the airport’s flying schedule up to date and current, and make sure our route development efforts are visible, data-backed, and commercially sound. If you thrive on turning opportunity into action, this is the role for you.

The Person:

• Proven experience in a commercial or business development role within the aviation or transport industry would be highly desirable.
• Track record of successfully managing commercial relationships, including account management and contract negotiation.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and develop new route opportunities through data-driven analysis and strategic engagement.
• Strong understanding of airline network planning, load factors, yield management, and aviation market dynamics would be advantageous.
• Experience developing marketing and investment materials to support commercial proposals or route development cases.
• Knowledge of schedule coordination, slot management, and seasonal planning.
• Comfortable acting as the customer interface with airlines and partners at all levels.

Skills & Abilities

• Strong analytical skills – able to interpret complex aviation data sets (e.g. passenger traffic, load factors, route performance) to identify trends and business opportunities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills – confident creating and presenting business cases and marketing collateral.
• High-level interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships, influence stakeholders, and represent the airport professionally in external settings.
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally, especially with marketing, finance, and external stakeholders.

Personal Attributes

• Commercially focused, with a proactive mindset.
• Strategic thinker with attention to both detail and long-term impact.
• Persuasive, credible, and professional – with the presence to engage senior airline executives and industry stakeholders.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities, schedules, and deliverables under time pressure.
• Flexible and willing to travel for industry events, airline meetings, and promotional activity.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience working at or with an airport in a commercial or aviation development capacity.
• Understanding of aviation regulatory frameworks, slot coordination, and route subsidies/incentive schemes.
• Degree in Aviation Management, Business, Economics, Marketing or a related field.
• Familiarity with government or regional economic development stakeholders and funding models.

What we will give you in return:

• Exciting development opportunities
• Lots of opportunities to travel
• Annual Bonus Scheme (non-contractual)
• Free onsite parking
• Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Pension scheme
• Life Assurance
• Brand new shiny, top of the range office
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free lounge access
• Onsite discounts
• Friendly work environment
• Employee Assistance programme
• Genuine career opportunities

This is an extremely varied and exciting role working a Monday to Friday working pattern. Applicants must have a 5-year checkable work history and will be required to complete a basic DBS check; in addition, further checks may apply.

You may also have experience in the following: Commercial Business Development, Business Development Manager, Business Development Management, Business Development, BDM, Business Development Executive, Field Sales Executive, Field Sales Advisor, Sales Manager, Sales Executive, Account Manager, Account Management, Key Account Manager, Territory Sales, Aviation, Aviation Development, Commercial aviation Development, etc.

REF-221 752