Business Development Manager (Category Lead- Flooring and Finishes)

Tribus People Recruitment; Exeter; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is looking for a Business Development Manager – Category Lead (Flooring & Finishes) to oversee strategic growth in the flooring sector. This position involves generating new business opportunities, managing supplier relationships, and representing the product category at industry events. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience with flooring products, a strong grasp of compliance documentation, and the ability to understand market trends. This is a full-time, mid-senior level role based in Exeter, UK.

Qualifications

• Experience in laminate, engineered timber flooring, and solid wood.
• Knowledge of carpet, carpet tiles, and flooring adhesives.
• Background in commercial flooring solutions and decorative boards.

Responsibilities

• Identify and secure new customer accounts within the flooring sector.
• Develop pipelines for residential and commercial flooring projects.
• Manage strategic partnerships with flooring manufacturers.

Skills

New business generation

Strong understanding of installation sequencing

Experience with flooring manufacturers

Negotiation skills

Job description

Business Development Manager – Category Lead (Flooring & Finishes)

This role leads the commercial expansion and strategic development of the Flooring & Finishes division. The postholder will balance proactive new business generation with building a strong supply chain across flooring manufacturers, distributors, and specialist installation networks. The goal is to develop a technically credible, commercially competitive, and margin-strong product category used across residential, commercial, industrial, and public sector environments.

Required Sector Experience (Essential)

• Laminate, engineered timber flooring, solid wood
• Carpet and carpet tiles
• Flooring adhesives, grouts, fixing systems
• Screeds, levelling compounds, smoothing systems

Specialist Flooring

• Industrial/commercial-grade flooring solutions
• Decorative boards or wall-panel finishes

Finishing Components

• Floor trims, thresholds, expansion profiles

Experience should include working with:

• Flooring manufacturers, distributors, or merchants
• Commercial flooring contractors, fit-out specialists, or installation companies
• Technical teams specifying flooring build-ups, acoustic performance, slip ratings, or resin systems

Strong understanding of installation sequencing, subfloor preparation, performance ratings, and compliance documentation (e.g., slip resistance, fire performance) is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities

New Business Development

• Identify and secure new customer accounts across flooring contractors, fit-out contractors, developers, main contractors, and interior design/specification teams.
• Develop pipelines across residential developments, office refurbishments, retail fit-out, industrial flooring upgrades, and public-sector interiors.
• Build and manage strategic partnerships with manufacturers of tiles, LVT, vinyl, timber flooring, carpets, adhesives, screeds, resin systems, and finishing components.
• Conduct supplier assessments, negotiate pricing structures, rebates, and potential exclusivity opportunities.
• Evaluate product ranges for technical suitability and compliance.

Category Strategy & Portfolio Development

• Develop a competitive, scalable category spanning decorative and structural flooring systems.
• Identify gaps in product offering—acoustic flooring solutions, moisture management systems, rapid-setting compounds, specialist trims, or resin products.
• Provide insights into interior design trends, flooring innovations, and demand shifts across commercial and residential markets.

Field Representation

• Represent the Flooring & Finishes category at trade shows, supplier demonstrations, CPD events, and contractor visits.
• Attend project sites to understand installation practices, contractor challenges, and real-world performance of flooring systems.

Sound interesting? Apply today.

Seniority level

Mid-Senior level

Employment type

Full-time