Business Development Lead

Untapped; South Africa; Remote; ZAR 312,000 - 446,000; Full time

Job summary

Untapped, a recruitment partner with a global footprint, is hiring a front-office BD Consultant. Remote from South Africa, you will own a defined market patch across UK and US, and possibly the Netherlands, Germany, Nordics, and Portugal.

You will win new work through outbound calls, LinkedIn, and referrals, shaping revenue growth with delivery support in place. You will manage targets, develop long-term client relationships, and leverage an existing network or build one from scratch.

Qualifications

• Proven BD billing history in data, analytics, or tech recruitment.
• Experience selling to UK or US markets and building trust remotely.
• Comfortable with cold outreach and business development strategies.
• Self-managing with target-driven mindset.

Responsibilities

• Map and build a cold client base within defined data verticals (AI/ML, Data Engineering, Data Science, or Full-Stack SE).
• Identify and prospect hiring managers, department heads, and TA leaders across UK and US markets.
• Win new business through outbound calling, LinkedIn, and referrals with a phone-first approach.
• Brief the delivery team so placements are executed efficiently with minimal handoffs.
• Maintain pipeline visibility and report progress, closings, and stalls.

Skills

BD billing

Data/Analytics recruitment

UK/US market experience

Cold outreach

Tools

LinkedIn Recruiter

Sourcewhale

Job description

Market: UK and US (Primary), Netherlands, Germany, Nordics, and Portugal (Secondary)

Location: Remote from South Africa

Salary: R28,000 – R40,000 per month + Commission

The Opportunity

Our client has spent over 20 years building one of the most respected specialist recruitment brands in Data & Analytics, placing talent across AI, Machine Learning, Data Engineering, Data Science, and Full-Stack Software Engineering with clients across the UK, Europe, and a growing US market. The business is founder-led, lean by design, and actively rebuilding, with a dedicated delivery function already in place and a clear mandate to accelerate new client revenue.

They are now rebuilding and growing. This is a front-office BD Consultant role with genuine commercial autonomy. You will own a defined market patch, develop long-term client relationships, and directly shape the next chapter of the business. Delivery support is already in place. Your job is to win the work.

We will also consider candidates who operate as a 360 recruiter (combining BD and delivery) where they bring a credible existing network across one of our core markets. In that case, the role can flex to accommodate a broader remit.

If you are coming from a business where commission is gated, your desk is crowded, or your best relationships are already owned by someone else, this is the opposite of that.

What You'll Do

• Map and build a cold client base within a defined data vertical (AI/ML, Data Engineering, Data Science, or Full-Stack SE)
• Identify and prospect hiring managers, department heads, and TA leaders across UK and US markets
• Win new business through outbound calling, LinkedIn, and referrals, using a phone-first approach
• Brief the delivery team thoroughly so placements are executed without your involvement
• Maintain pipeline visibility and report commercially on what is in progress, what is close, and what is stalled

What We're Looking For

• Proven BD billing history in data, analytics, or tech recruitment. You can name your deals and separate your numbers from the team's.
• UK or US recruitment market experience. You understand how clients buy, what fees look like, and how to build trust at senior level remotely.
• Comfortable on the phone. Cold outreach is a core part of how you work, not a last resort.
• Self-managing. You set your own targets, structure your own week, and don't wait to be told what to do next.

Advantageous

• An existing client or candidate network in any of the clients core verticals
• Experience placing permanent talent at mid-to-senior level
• Familiarity with LinkedIn Recruiter, Sourcewhale, or similar outreach tooling

The Ideal Candidate

The person:

• Proven BD biller in data, analytics, or tech recruitment, with demonstrable personal fee history
• UK or US market experience (Essential)
• Commission-driven, with clear income goals and external financial motivation
• Salary: R28,000 to R40,000 per month via Untapped EOR
• Commission: 5% on placements up to GBP 12k | 7% on GBP 12k to 20k | 10% above GBP 20k
• Working hours: 9:30am to 6:30pm SAST (remote, South Africa-based)