Business Development / Sales Manager

Ford & Stanley Talentwise; West Midlands, Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Company car or car allowance

Pension scheme

Annual salary review

Progression opportunities

Job summary

Ford & Stanley TalentWise is seeking a commercially driven Business Development Manager to open conversations, develop new customer relationships, and progress opportunities across the UK rail sector, including Midlands, London, and Yorkshire. You will work with internal technical specialists to position solutions that deliver real value, driving growth and visibility for the business.

The role is hybrid/field-based with travel across the UK, and offers progression opportunities within a growing

Qualifications

• Demonstrable success in winning new business and building pipelines.
• Ability to establish trusted relationships leading to long-term opportunities.
• Interest in engineering/technology and ability to learn technical offerings.
• Rail industry experience desirable; other sectors encouraged.
• Identify opportunities and develop growth strategies.
• Persistent and resilient in lengthy sales cycles.
• Excellent interpersonal communication across levels.

Responsibilities

• New Business Generation: identifying, pursuing, and securing new customers.
• Opportunity Development: progressing existing prospects and tenders.
• Relationship Management across procurement, commercial, engineering.
• Market Intelligence: understanding projects, challenges, and future requirements.
• Solution Selling: collaborating with internal technical teams to tailor offerings.
• Stakeholder Engagement: representing the business at meetings and events.
• Sales Pipeline Management: maintaining records and delivering against objectives.

Skills

BD experience

Relationship building

Technical interest

Rail industry knowledge

Commercial awareness

Persistence

Communication skills

Team oriented

Job description

Business Development Manager | Hybrid / Field-Based | £60,000-£65,000 | Permanent

The Opportunity

If you're the type of person who thrives on opening doors, creating opportunities, and building relationships that turn into long-term business partnerships, this could be the role you've been looking for.

This is an opportunity to join a growing engineering and technology-focused business that has established relationships with some of the rail industry's biggest names, alongside several active tenders and commercial opportunities that require greater momentum and progression.

The business is seeking a commercially driven Business Development Manager to become the driving force behind new customer acquisition, market engagement, and opportunity development. You'll work alongside an experienced commercial team, taking ownership of developing new relationships, progressing existing opportunities, and increasing awareness of the specialist solutions the organisation can provide.

This is not a role for someone who simply waits for opportunities to appear. The successful individual will be proactive, energetic, and persistent, enjoying the challenge of opening conversations, identifying customer challenges, and positioning solutions that create genuine value.

You’ll spend much of your time engaging directly with customers across the UK, particularly throughout the Midlands, London, Yorkshire, and surrounding regions. Supported by internal technical specialists, you’ll have the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of the company's products and solutions while building a strong network across the rail sector and related industries.

For an ambitious individual with a passion for business development and relationship building, this represents a genuine opportunity to make a visible impact within a growing organisation where future career opportunities are substantial.

Business Development Manager Responsibilities

• New Business Generation: Identifying, pursuing, and securing new customers through proactive outbound business development activities, networking, and relationship building.
• Opportunity Development: Taking ownership of existing prospects, tenders, and commercial opportunities, ensuring momentum is maintained and progression is achieved.
• Relationship Management: Building and maintaining strong relationships across customer organisations, from procurement and commercial teams through to engineering and operational stakeholders.
• Market Intelligence: Developing a detailed understanding of customer projects, operational challenges, future requirements, and market developments to identify opportunities ahead of competitors.
• Solution Selling: Working closely with internal technical teams to understand customer requirements and present solutions that address operational and engineering challenges.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Representing the business professionally at customer meetings, industry events, and networking opportunities to increase market presence and awareness.
• Sales Pipeline Management: Maintaining accurate records of customer engagement, sales activity, and opportunity progression while delivering against commercial objectives.

Ideal Business Development Manager

• Business Development Experience: Demonstrable success in winning new business, developing customer relationships, and building commercial pipelines.
• Account Growth & Relationship Building: Proven ability to establish trusted relationships that lead to long-term business opportunities and successful account development.
• Technical Interest: Genuine interest in engineering, technology, systems, or technical solutions, with the ability to learn and effectively communicate complex offerings.
• Industry Background: Rail industry experience would be highly desirable, although applicants from industries such as utilities, marine, automotive, systems monitoring, engineering, manufacturing, or other related sectors are encouraged to apply.
• Commercial Awareness: Ability to identify opportunities, understand customer challenges, and develop strategies to support business growth.
• Persistence & Resilience: Comfortable operating within industries where sales cycles can be lengthy and opportunities require ongoing engagement.
• Communication Skills: Personable, confident, and capable of engaging with stakeholders at all levels of an organisation.
• Team-Oriented Approach: A collaborative mindset with an appreciation of the wider business impact of commercial success.

Location & Working Arrangements

Location: Field-based role covering the Midlands, London and wider UK rail network.

Office Requirement: Attendance at the company's Redditch based office approximately once or twice per fortnight.

Travel: Regular customer visits across the UK, primarily within the Midlands, London, Sheffield and Leeds regions.

Business Development Manager Salary

Salary: £60,000-£65,000 (negotiable for exceptional candidates)

Benefits

• 25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Annual salary review
• Company car or car allowance (negotiable)
• Pension scheme (5% employee / 3% employer contribution)
• Genuine progression opportunities within a growing business
• Extensive support from experienced technical and commercial teams

About Ford & Stanley Group

Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group are in the business of people and performance. Our mission is to create one million better workdays through facilitating great recruitment, leadership and occupational mental fitness. We support our clients in their most challenging business areas – recruiting, developing and retaining the best talent from shop floor to boardroom.

Ford & Stanley TalentWise– Business specialising in blue collar trade & technical services.

Ford & Stanley Recruitment– Business specialising in white collar spanning all company functions.

Ford & Stanley Executive Search– Business specialising in Executive Search & Executive Interim Solutions.

Ford & Stanley Genius Performance– Performance coaching, training, and mental fitness.

Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer that is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy.

Ref: Business Development Manager