Graduate Business Development Manager

Balfour Beatty plc; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Permanent contract from day one

Structured training & coaching

Graduate networking events

Duke of Edinburgh's Award involvement

Job summary

Balfour Beatty plc is offering a Graduate - Business Development Manager position as part of the 2027 Early Careers programme. Based in Derby, you’ll gain hands‑on experience across the full work‑winning lifecycle and work with experienced colleagues to build commercial awareness and relationships with customers.

You’ll start with real responsibility, supported by a structured training path and a strong graduate network, with opportunities to progress and gain industry accreditation.

Qualifications

• Graduates with a degree in Business or a related subject and a 2:2 honours by start date.
• Strong communication and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and build relationships.

Responsibilities

• Identify and pursue new business opportunities to support growth.
• Assist in market research and analysis to identify potential customers and trends.
• Support tender and proposal development through written content and materials.
• Maintain CRM data, track leads and opportunities, and support client engagements.
• Collaborate with work‑winning, marketing and operations teams to drive initiatives.

Skills

Business-related degree

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or related field

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

About the role

We are Balfour Beatty. You may not know us by name, but you’ll recognise what we do. We’re a leading international infrastructure group, building, maintaining and improving infrastructure that supports communities for generations to come.

As a Graduate - Business Development Manager, you'll join our 2027 Early Careers programme and gain hands‑on experience while contributing to some of the UK's most significant infrastructure projects. From day one, you'll take on real responsibility, develop technical and professional skills, and work alongside experienced colleagues who will support your growth. You'll also be part of a supportive graduate community, building the skills, experience and industry‑recognised accreditations needed for a successful career.

In this role, you’ll join one of ourBalfour Beatty Power T&D teams as a Graduate - Business Development Manager, based in Derby

What you'll be doing

As a Graduate - Business Development Manager you’llplay a key role in supporting the growth of the business by identifying and pursuing new opportunities. You’ll work closely with experienced colleagues to help strengthen relationships with existing customers while also supporting the development of new work and partnerships.

You’ll gain exposure to the full work‑winning lifecycle, from early opportunity identification through to tender and proposal development. This role will help you build your commercial awareness, communication skills, and understanding of how strategic decisions drive business success.

You’ll support with:

• Assisting Business Development Managers in identifying and developing new business opportunities.
• Contributing to market research and analysis to identify potential customers, opportunities, and trends.
• Preparing and reviewing written content for bids, proposals, and presentations.
• Supporting the development of high‑quality, compelling submissions for tenders and client engagements.
• Gathering, organising, and maintaining business and project information to support work‑winning activities.
• Assisting in maintaining and updating CRM systems, tracking leads, opportunities, and project pipelines.
• Collaborating with work‑winning, marketing, and operational teams to support business development initiatives.
• Supporting the preparation of presentations and materials for client meetings and interviews.
• Maintaining strong internal relationships to enable effective knowledge sharing across teams.
• Supporting the capture and sharing of project success stories, innovation, and best practice.
• Contributing to the organisation of client engagement activities and events.
• Developing your understanding of business strategy, customer relationships, and commercial decision‑making.

Who we're looking for

We value your potential over past experience and are looking for graduates with a degree in Business or a related subject and a genuine interest in our industry. To be eligible, you’ll need to achieve a minimum 2:2 honours degree by the time you start.

We’d love to receive your application if you:

• Are curious, proactive and motivated to develop professionally.
• Enjoy solving problems and finding practical solutions.
• Work well with others and build positive relationships.
• Communicate clearly and confidently with different people.
• Take ownership, adapt to challenges and are committed to achieving results.

Why work for us as a Graduate

• Work on high‑profile projects that make a real difference, while building your career with one of the UK’s leading infrastructure groups.
• Be part of a supportive early careers network, with structured training and with structured training and coaching from experienced industry professionals.
• Take part in unique development experiences, including residential trips in the Lake District and personal development delivered by our external partners.
• Take ownership of your ongoing professional development, with support towards professional membership and chartership or professional registration where relevant to your career path.

What we can offer you

• Competitive salary and flexible benefits, giving you the freedom to shape a rewards package that works for you.
• 25 days' holiday, with the option to buy or sell additional days.
• A permanent contract from day one, reflecting our commitment to your long‑term career.
• Clear progression opportunities, with bi‑annual performance and pay reviews throughout your programme.
• Opportunities to connect with fellow graduates through networking events, development activities and our Early Careers Showcase.
• Opportunities to get involved in wider business initiatives, community projects and programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

About us

The power sector is one of the fastest‑growing areas in infrastructure, helping to keep homes, businesses and communities connected. It plays a vital role in supporting the UK's transition to a low‑carbon future by strengthening electricity networks and enabling the integration of renewable energy sources.

At Balfour Beatty, our Power Transmission & Distribution teams work with regional, national and international electricity network owners and operators to deliver engineering solutions across the electricity grid, including overhead lines, cabling, substations and distribution networks.

From early‑stage planning and design through to construction and maintenance, our teams help deliver some of the UK's most ambitious power projects, improving network resilience and supporting a more sustainable energy future.

At Balfour Beatty we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential components of any successful, happy workplace. Through our Value Everyone Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan, we are growing our diverse workforce and developing our inclusive culture where everyone is able to thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of their identity or background. To find out how we are making this a reality, visit www.balfourbeatty.com/diversityandinclusion

To help and support us with our desired commitment to create an inclusive culture we are members of WISE, enei, Business Disability Forum and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE). In 2020, we signed the Audeliss and Involve Open Letter to demonstrate our commitment to taking key long term and sustainable actions on Black Inclusion. Balfour Beatty is also a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence 'Employer Recognition Scheme' and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans and reservists.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to working with people who have disabilities and long‑term health conditions to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. For more info, visit: https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/

We're committed to making our recruitment process as inclusive as possible. If you need any adjustments, please let us know at any stage of the process.