Senior Business Development Manager

The William Reed Group; London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Senior Business Development Manager to join their dynamic Lumina Intelligence team. This role involves building strategic client relationships, managing contract negotiations, and driving sales growth in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate will possess strong B2B sales experience, exceptional communication skills, and a proactive approach to identifying growth opportunities. With a commitment to employee development and a supportive work culture, this innovative firm offers a unique chance to make a significant impact in the food and drink consultancy sector. Join a team where your contributions will help shape the future of the industry!

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Cultural celebration day

Volunteer day

Contributory Pension

Life Assurance Scheme

Group Income Protection

Enhanced family-friendly leave

Wellbeing benefits

Cycle to Work Scheme

Electric Car Scheme

Qualifications

• Strong experience in B2B sales, preferably in insights or consultancy.
• Proven track record of building high-value client relationships.

Responsibilities

• Manage and secure contract renewals with strategic clients.
• Generate and close new business sales leads across product portfolio.

Skills

B2B Sales Experience

Client Relationship Management

Commercial Acumen

Consultative Sales Techniques

Communication Skills

Networking Skills

Strategic Mindset

Presentation Skills

Proactive Approach

Tools

CRM Systems

Job description

We are a global media group delivering exceptional content through events, digital, data & insight.

From agribusiness, ingredients and food processing, to retail, hospitality & fine dining – we provide the inspiration, insight and connections to power our customers’ success.

We have offices in Gatwick, Brighton and London, UK; Montpellier, France; Singapore and Chicago, US. In line with the Company’s current Agile Working Policy, the successful candidate would be eligible to work part of the week from our London office and to work remotely for the rest of the week.

Position

Position: Full time – permanent (35 hours per week)

Location: London / Hybrid

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Business Development Manager to join our Lumina Intelligence team. The Senior Business Development Manager is responsible for building strategic relationships with clients, prospects and business partners. They are accountable for their individual performance, their team and make a significant contribution towards the company meeting the total sales target. They ensure that customer service and relationships are maintained to a first-class standard.

Lumina Intelligence are a highly ambitious, London-based, food & drink consultancy on a mission to inspire our customers with expert insight and world-class data powered by analytical thinking, outstanding expertise, and leading technology. We are part of a global media group, William Reed, who have been leaders in the food and drink sector for over 160 years.

What you’ll be doing:

• Managing, negotiating, and securing contract renewals with strategic Lumina Intelligence clients.
• Conducting 3/6/9-month check-ins with clients and keeping them informed of the latest Lumina updates.
• Delivering against an individual upsell target aligned to clients within your portfolio.
• Generating, nurturing, and closing new business sales leads across the Lumina Intelligence product portfolio.
• Proactively identifying opportunities for ad hoc projects within existing and prospective client accounts.
• Developing and maintaining a robust sales pipeline across new business and existing clients.
• Understanding prospect and client insight/data needs and aligning them with their business strategy.
• Writing detailed commercial proposals—from client brief to pitch—incorporating costs and timelines.
• Attending conferences and networking events to build relationships and uncover new sales leads.
• Demonstrating in-depth product knowledge and articulating Lumina’s value to client business goals.
• Delivering compelling demos of Lumina Subscription Products that showcase their benefits and impact.
• Collaborating with the wider Lumina Intelligence team and William Reed group to identify prospects and support product development.
• Maintaining accurate and up-to-date records in CRM systems.
• Re-engaging with lapsed clients to explore renewed opportunities.
• Communicating directly with clients and prospects about Lumina webinars and product tours.

Requirements

What you’ll need:

• Strong experience in a B2B environment is essential, preferably within insights, data, or consultancy services, though specific sector experience is not essential.
• A proven track record of building, nurturing, and expanding high-value client relationships, with strong networking skills and a natural ability to influence and engage senior stakeholders.
• Strong commercial acumen and a strategic mindset, with the ability to identify growth opportunities, develop tailored solutions, and confidently close complex deals.
• Deep understanding of consultative sales techniques, with the ability to match product capabilities to client business needs and clearly articulate value propositions.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to simplify complex insights and present with clarity and confidence.
• A proactive approach, demonstrating high levels of initiative, drive and determination in a fast-paced, target-driven environment.
• A collaborative mindset and the ability to work cross-functionally, contributing to both individual and team success.

Other information

Company Benefits Include:

• 25 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays – increasing by one additional day after 6 years, up to a maximum of 30 days.
• An additional day of leave for you to take on a cultural celebration day or on your birthday if you like. A day for you! At William Reed, we call this our “MeDay”.
• A volunteer day to take for supporting a chosen charity and giving back to the community.
• Contributory Pension
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Group Income Protection
• Enhanced family-friendly leave pay entitlements
• Wellbeing benefits, including: A health care cash plan, Employee assistance programme, Virtual GP service and Access to health & wellbeing resources and tools.
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme

Why work for us:

We provide a supportive work environment and are committed to maintaining a healthy work/life balance for all of our employees. Working for William Reed means that you will be joining a stable organisation that is committed to developing its employees and brands.

We warmly welcome and encourage applications from talented individuals of all backgrounds and characteristics.

If you need any support in accessing this opportunity, please do not hesitate to discuss this with us.