Senior Business Development Manager - Independents

Co-op Insurance; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 68,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading insurance company in the UK is seeking a Senior Business Development Manager to drive growth in the independent retail sector. This field-based role involves building strong relationships with clients, developing acquisition strategies, and managing a team. The ideal candidate will have deep sector knowledge, proven experience in strategy design, and excellent communication skills. Offered benefits include private healthcare, an annual bonus, and a pension scheme, creating a comprehensive employment package for motivated individuals.

Benefits

Private healthcare

Annual bonus

28 days holiday plus bank holidays

Pension with 10% contributions

30% discount on Co-op products

Early access to pay

Virtual healthcare support

24/7 colleague support

Career development support

Cycle-to-work scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in independent retail or similar sectors.
• Track record in implementing acquisition strategies.
• Strong negotiating capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead acquisition strategies for independent retailers.
• Manage two New Business Managers in the team.
• Collaborate across the business to drive growth.

Skills

Deep knowledge of the independent retail sector

Proven experience designing and delivering scalable acquisition strategies

Commercial know-how and strong negotiating skills

Good communication and relationship-building skills

Coaching and mentoring abilities

Job description

Senior Business Development Manager - Independents

Up to £80,000 plus great benefits, including an annual incentive scheme and private healthcare (Work Level 5). Location: This is a field-based role, with occasional travel to our Scunthorpe office for team meetings.

Co-op Wholesale is growing, and we’re looking for people who want to shape what comes next. As our Senior Business Development Manager for the independent retail sector, you’ll be at the heart of unlocking new business opportunities with independent retailers across the UK. You’ll play a key role in accelerating our market expansion and strengthening Nisa Retail’s presence nationwide.

This isn’t just about meeting targets. It’s about building strong, trusted relationships with local retailers and helping them make the most of everything our wholesale offer brings. If you’re ready to take on the challenge, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll do

• Own and lead acquisition strategies that drive our growth across the independent retail sector
• Lead the rollout of the Nisa Retail fascia, making sure it aligns with our brand and market ambitions
• Improve partner acquisition and onboarding processes
• Be the subject matter expert for independent retailer acquisition, sharing insights, tools, and knowledge across our new business team
• Collaborate with colleagues across the business to unlock opportunities and deliver joined-up results
• Line manage two of our New Business Managers for independent retail

What you’ll bring

• Deep knowledge of the independent retail sector
• Proven experience designing and delivering scalable acquisition strategies
• Commercial know-how and strong negotiating skills
• Good communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence and challenge inclusively
• The ability to coach, mentor, and line manage others

Why Co-op?

At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

• Private healthcare
• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• 24/7 colleague support service
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle-to-work scheme

A place you’ll belong

We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.

We’re proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’ll support you.

Learn more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion

As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes up to 50 minutes. If you're a current Co-op colleague, this does not need to be completed.