Senior Business Development Manager - Manchester

Legends Global; Manchester; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading sports and entertainment company in Manchester is seeking a Senior Business Development Manager to drive growth in its Food & Beverage division. The role requires strong business development skills, a deep understanding of the hospitality landscape, and the ability to build relationships with senior stakeholders. The successful candidate will develop strategic plans and engage with partners across Europe to secure new opportunities and proposals. This position offers a dynamic environment within a forward-thinking organization.

Benefits

Discounted tickets

25 days annual leave

Life Assurance policy

% Pension contribution

Healthshield support

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Eye care vouchers

Cycle to Work scheme

Employee Referral Scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in business development, especially in sports and hospitality sectors.
• Understanding of large-scale food & beverage delivery dynamics.
• Proficiency in English; a second language is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Identify and qualify new business opportunities in Food & Beverage.
• Develop the new business plan aligned with strategic objectives.
• Cultivate relationships with key decision-makers in the industry.
• Prepare proposals and presentations for potential clients.
• Maintain knowledge of market trends and competitor movements.
• Ensure consistent brand positioning and support for the sales pipeline.

Skills

Business development

Client engagement

Hospitality

Communication

Relationship-building

Education

Hospitality, Business and/or Marketing qualifications

Job description

About Legends Global

Legends Global is redefining excellence in sport, entertainment and live events. With unrivalled expertise and international reach, we provide end-to-end solutions - from venue development and event programming to revenue strategy and hospitality.

We take a 360‑degree, data‑driven approach across Partnerships, Hospitality, Merchandise and Attractions, working with leading clients to deliver outstanding experiences that resonate worldwide.

Our organisation is committed to fostering an inclusive and forward‑thinking environment where diversity drives innovation and collaboration. Guided by our values of Align, Scale, Connect, Team and Win… we create a culture where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

About the Role

The Senior Business Development Manager will play a pivotal role in shaping and executing the new business strategy for Legends’ rapidly expanding Food & Beverage division across Europe.

Reporting to the Business Development leadership team, the successful candidate will collaborate closely with all business divisions including close engagement across Food & Beverage, Hospitality, and Marketing to identify, target, and secure new partnership and operating opportunities. This role will be instrumental in driving growth by positioning Legends’ white‑label, data‑driven F&B model to clubs, venues, federations and property owners.

This is a senior commercial role requiring a strong understanding of the stadium, arena and major event hospitality landscape, coupled with the ability to build relationships at C‑suite level and translate insights into winning proposals.

What we can offer

Hosting events is what we do best, and we want our People to experience that too – enjoy access to discounted tickets to unleash your superfan for all your favourites.

You will work hard at Legends Global, but you will be rewarded with lots of time to relax and rest with 25 days annual leave.

We understand that you have a life outside of work and want to ensure that your loved ones will always be taken care of whilst you’re contributing to our success with our Life Assurance policy.

A healthy contribution of % Pension so that your golden years are spent ticking off the items on your bucket list.

Got a dental bill? Need to book a counselling session? Or even help with Physio costs? With the support of Healthshield; Legends Global will support with these unexpected costs. For you and any children.

We understand that from time to time you might need a bit of support to get you back to feeling your best, so we have teamed up with AXA Health to provide our people with an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support mental health in the workplace.

We are visionaries: both physically and metaphorically! When you join Legends Global you will be entitled to eye care vouchers and a contribution towards any glasses you require.

Pedal your way to a greener, healthier commute – join our Cycle to Work scheme and turn every ride into a win for you and the planet.

Great people know great people! Refer a friend through our Employee Referral Scheme and get rewarded for helping us build an amazing team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead identification, qualification and prioritisation of opportunities – including RFPs, direct approaches and partnership models – ensuring a balanced and achievable pipeline.
• Develop and execute the new business plan for Food & Beverage across the UK and Europe, aligned with Legends’ broader strategic objectives.
• Cultivate relationships with key decision makers across clubs, venues, federations and investors to position Legends as the preferred F&B partner.
• Lead and coordinate the preparation of proposals, presentations and tender submissions, working collaboratively with the F&B operations, design, finance and marketing teams.
• Maintain a detailed understanding of market trends, competitor movements and emerging technologies within the sports and hospitality sectors to inform strategy.
• Work with the business to ensure consistent brand positioning, case‑study development and communications to support the sales pipeline.
• Partner with internal finance and analytics teams to develop commercial models and projections that support business cases and client proposals.
• Represent Legends at industry events, conferences and networking forums, acting as a brand ambassador for the organisation’s F&B capabilities and culture.

We are looking for someone with:

• Formal qualifications in Hospitality, Business and/or Marketing are strongly preferred.
• Experience in business development, client engagement, hospitality or food & beverage – ideally within sports, entertainment, venue management or event catering sectors.
• Proven success in developing and winning new business opportunities, particularly in complex, competitive environments.
• Understanding of the operational and commercial dynamics of large‑scale food & beverage delivery in stadia, arenas or major event environments.
• Proven ability to manage early‑stage business development activity, from initial enquiry to structured opportunity analysis.
• Strong communication, interpersonal and relationship‑building skills, with confidence in engaging senior stakeholders and clients.
• Experience working in a fast‑paced, international and client‑facing environment.
• High proficiency in English is required with a second language looked upon favourably.
• Familiarity with business environments and a willingness to travel across the UK and continental Europe preferred.

Recruitment Process Outlined:

• 1st Stage – Call with the Head of Talent Acquisition
• 2nd Stage – Interview with the SVP with Business Development

Inclusive Workplace

At Legends Global, we are committed to leading the entertainment industry towards a greener, faster and more innovative digital future. There’s never been a better time to join our team. We aim to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make a significant impact from day one.

We are committed to active inclusion, diversity and equal opportunities. This commitment begins with our recruitment and selection process. We welcome discussions about flexible working arrangements.

If you need reasonable adjustments at any stage of our recruitment process, please let us know in your application. We are dedicated to providing a fair and transparent assessment process and will do our utmost to accommodate your needs.

If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to ensure it is considered. We will continue to review applications on a rolling basis and may close the advert before the closing date.