Head of Business Development

The Crowd; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Collaborative culture

Job summary

The Crowd, a multidisciplinary international architecture and design studio, is seeking a commercially minded Head of Business Development to join their London office and lead UK and international growth.

Reporting to the Co-Founder, you will shape bids, build client relationships, identify opportunities, and establish structured processes to enhance bid performance as the practice expands.

Qualifications

• Around 10 years’ experience in business development or bids within the built environment.
• Proven track record of developing successful proposals and contributing to business growth.
• Excellent knowledge of the UK market, with the ability to identify opportunities and build client relationships.
• Experience leading bids from identification through to submission and influencing pursuit priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead business development, bids and strategic pursuits internationally, with initial focus on growing the UK market.
• Identify prospective clients, develop relationships and proactively generate new opportunities.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to prioritise pursuits aligned with the practice’s ambitions.
• Oversee preparation and delivery of high‑quality, compelling bids and proposals.
• Develop bid processes, systems and reporting to improve consistency and success rates.
• Manage and mentor an existing Senior Bid Manager and help grow the function as the business expands.
• Coordinate with marketing and design teams to deliver strong credentials and case studies.
• Monitor the pipeline and use insights to inform future BD strategy.

Skills

Strategy

Bid management

Client relationships

Stakeholder management

Proposal writing

Communication

Tools

InDesign

CRM systems

Bid management software

Job description

The Crowd is proud to partner with a progressive, multidisciplinary international architecture and design studio that is entering an exciting phase of expansion. They are seeking a commercially and strategically minded Head of Business Development to join their London office, to work alongside the senior management to spearhead their UK and international growth and expansion efforts.

This is a pivotal role within the business, focused on identifying and winning new business opportunities across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Initially, the priority will be to strengthen the practice’s presence in the UK market, with a view to expanding its reach across international markets.

Reporting to the Co-Founder and working closely with the Head of Marketing & PR, alongside a talented team spanning marketing, graphics and PR, you’ll take on a varied, hands‑on position combining strategic business development with the leadership of bids and proposals. You’ll be instrumental in developing client relationships, pursuing new opportunities and positioning the practice to secure projects across its diverse, multidisciplinary portfolio. You’ll also lead the development of consistent processes, strengthen bid performance and establish a more structured, proactive approach to business development.

This is a role that offers career development, an opportunity to put your stamp on something and make your mark within a business. Our client offers a team focused and collaborative working culture, hybrid/flexible working and much more!

Key Responsibilities

• Leading business development, bids and strategic pursuits internationally, with a focus on growing the UK market initially
• Identifying prospective clients, developing relationships and proactively generating new opportunities
• Working closely with senior leadership to identify and prioritise pursuits that align with the practice’s ambitions
• Overseeing the preparation and delivery of high‑quality, compelling bids and proposals
• Developing effective bid processes, systems and reporting to improve consistency, efficiency and success rates
• Managing and mentoring an existing Senior Bid Manager, while helping develop the wider function as the business grows
• Collaborating with marketing and design teams to deliver strong proposals, credentials, case studies and supporting materials
• Monitoring the pipeline, evaluating bid performance and using insights to inform future business development strategy

Key Skills/Requirements:

• Around 10 years’ experience in business development, bids or pursuits within the built environment, ideally gained within an architectural or multidisciplinary design practice
• A strong track record of developing successful proposals and contributing to business growth
• Excellent knowledge of the UK market, with the ability to identify opportunities and build meaningful client relationships
• Experience managing bids from initial opportunity identification through to submission, alongside a broader strategic understanding of business development
• The confidence to work closely with senior stakeholders and influence decisions around pipeline and pursuit priorities
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing deadlines in a fast‑paced environment
• Excellent written communication and presentation skills, with proficiency in InDesign
• Familiarity with CRM, bid management and asset management systems
• A consultative approach and an articulate communicator

The Crowd is an equal opportunities employer and agency.