Head of Business Development

PKF FRANCIS CLARK; Taunton; Hybrid; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

An independent accounting firm is seeking a Business Development Manager to shape strategies for growth and relationship building. The role involves managing a team, overseeing client portfolios, and collaborating with various professionals to identify opportunities. The ideal candidate will have strong business development experience and leadership skills. This position offers a flexible work environment and a variety of core benefits including private medical insurance, a pension plan, and wellness support.

Benefits

Private medical insurance

Pension

Health cash plan

Flexible working options

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Considerable experience in business development within the professional services industry.
• Ability to manage and develop people effectively.
• Strong capability to connect quickly and influence teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement business development processes.
• Drive relationship-building strategies.
• Manage the business development pipeline and qualify leads.
• Oversee a portfolio of key clients.

Skills

Business development experience

Exceptional communication skills

Leadership skills

Networking ability

Ability to work under pressure

Job description

Overview

In a nutshell

Step into a transformative role where you can leave your mark by shaping and building the firm's business development expertise from the ground up. Take charge of relationship-building strategies and directly contribute to driving growth and success.

Be part of a dynamic, commercially driven team that celebrates strategic thinking and impactful achievements. Collaborate closely with senior management, gaining invaluable exposure and influence.

This is your chance to embrace an exciting career move that promises both personal and professional rewards.

What you'll be doing day to day

• Shape and build: develop and implement BD processes and systems
• Influence and impact: drive relationship-building strategies and make a significant impact on new and existing opportunities
• Collaborate and connect: work with audit, business advisory, tax and corporate finance experts to identify new opportunities
• Manage pipeline: oversee the business development pipeline and qualify leads
• Run campaigns: execute BD and sector campaigns to secure meetings with prospects
• Client stewardship: oversee a portfolio of key clients, ensuring their needs are met and relationships are strong
• Train and mentor: develop individual career paths within your team of four BD/marketing executives, fostering professional growth and advancement. Provide training, coaching and mentorship to enhance colleagues' skills
• Craft proposals: develop compelling proposals and impactful pitch presentations. Influence pricing and propositions
• CRM management : use the CRM system to update contact details, track activities and report successes
• Chair meetings: lead business development meetings with multidisciplinary teams
• Network: attend external events and represent the firm

About you

• You’ll have considerable experience in business development with a portion of time spent in the professional services industry
• Possess exceptional communication and influencing skills
• Have the ability to connect quickly, coach teams and network effectively
• Possess strong leadership skills with experience in managing and developing people
• Be confident in building relationships
• Have the ability to juggle multiple tasks and perform well under pressure
• Be keen to work in a collaborative environment
• Have a full driving licence and own transport

Why work at PKF Francis Clark

As the largest firm of independent chartered accountants and business advisers in South West England, PKF Francis Clark offers a breadth of opportunities to develop your career in the way that’s right for you.

Established in 1919, we’ve grown to a team of nearly 1,000 people, based across our offices in Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Poole, Salisbury, Southampton, Taunton, Torquay and Truro. This means we’re big enough to do challenging work for exciting clients, but small enough to maintain our friendly and supportive culture.

We work hard to ensure you can belong, be yourself and be brilliant as part of a forward-thinking team. This includes a flexible approach to hybrid working. And our focus on wellbeing and learning and development has been recognised nationally.

For the past three years, PKF Francis Clark has been certified as a Great Place to Work and ranked among the UK’s Best Workplaces. In 2025, we climbed four places to 20 out of 100 large organisations on this prestigious list.

We’re also in the UK’s top 10 Best Workplaces for Women (6 out of 100 large organisations), as well as being ranked among the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing (35 out of 100), Best Workplaces for Development (24 out of 100) and Best Workplaces in Consulting and Professional Services.

All these lists are compiled by workplace culture experts Great Place to Work. Our rankings are a direct result of feedback from our people in a confidential, independent annual survey.

The success rates of our trainees mean we’re also ranked 33rd in The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2025.

While we’re proudly independent, we collaborate with colleagues around the world to enable our clients to succeed. PKF Francis Clark is a member of the PKF Global family of firms – together we’re the 12th largest provider of accountancy services in the UK. Being part of this international network provides opportunities to connect with like-minded accountants and business advisers in 150 countries.

Your core benefits

Financial benefits:

• Pension
• Group life assurance - up to four times your core salary
• Group income protection
• Health cash plan to help cover the costs of everyday healthcare

Health & Wellbeing benefits:

• Private medical insurance
• Option to buy 5 extra days holiday*
• Counselling and support for you and your immediate family
• Virtual GP for you and your immediate family
• Cycle to work*

Other benefits:

• Medicash Extras providing you with shopping and gym discounts
• Gifts for career and family milestones
• One volunteering day per year to support local organisations
• Emergency funding from the Francis Clark Charitable Foundation
• Electric vehicle lease scheme*

Please note

* These benefits are provided via a salary exchange and are subject to employee’s post exchange hourly rate remaining above the national minimum wage.