Senior Principal Business Development - Payments

GCS; Farnborough; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading business consultancy is looking for a Senior Principal Business Development expert for a hybrid 12-month contract in Farnborough. The role focuses on building and managing a pipeline in the payments industry, requiring strong stakeholder management and commercial negotiation skills. Ideal candidates will have a track record in enterprise sales across Retail and Hospitality sectors. You'll engage with C-level stakeholders and drive the sales cycle from prospecting to closing high-value opportunities.

Qualifications

• Experience in card schemes, merchant acquiring, or enterprise merchant solutions.
• Track record in enterprise sales within Retail, Hospitality, Hotels, or F&B sectors.
• Strong network with relevant merchants and partners.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage a strong pipeline of merchant opportunities.
• Drive the full enterprise sales cycle, from prospecting to closing.
• Prepare business cases for C-level stakeholders and lead negotiations.

Skills

Payments industry experience

Stakeholder management

Commercial negotiation

Presentation skills

Self-driven opportunity generation

Job description

Senior Principal Business Development - Payments | 12-Month Contract | Inside IR35 | Hybrid (Farnborough, 3 Days Onsite)

We are recruiting for multiple Senior Principal Business Development contractors to help drive acceptance growth across the Retail & Hospitality sector (Hotels, Food & Beverage). This is a senior, enterprise-level sales position focused on direct-to-merchant acquisition, pipeline development, and closing high-value commercial opportunities.

This role is ideal for candidates with a deep background in payments and a strong existing network across merchants, partners, and the wider payments ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

• Build, qualify, and manage a strong pipeline of new merchant opportunities across Retail & Hospitality.
• Drive the full enterprise sales cycle from prospecting and engagement through to negotiation, close, and activation.
• Develop prospecting strategies and work with internal teams (marketing, product, business development) to strengthen pipeline generation.
• Prepare high-quality presentations, proposals, and business cases for C-level stakeholders.
• Lead commercial conversations, negotiate complex deals, and work to mutual action plans.
• Act as the central point of contact for merchants and internal stakeholders throughout the sales process.
• Self-generate opportunities and leverage partner and referral networks to expand reach.
• Consistently deliver against acceptance and new-business KPIs.

Requirements

• Must have experience within the payments industry (card schemes, merchant acquiring, PSPs, payment processing, or enterprise merchant solutions).
• Proven track record of delivering enterprise sales within Retail, Hospitality, Hotels, or F&B sectors.
• Strong network of relevant merchants and partners.
• Excellent stakeholder management and ability to engage at C-suite level.
• Strong commercial negotiation and presentation skills.
• Highly driven, proactive, and able to create new opportunities independently.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, target-driven sales environment.

Contract Details

• 12-month contract
• Inside IR35
• Hybrid working (3 days onsite in Farnborough)
• Immediate interviews

GCS is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.