BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Competent Candidates; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Competent Candidates is seeking a Business Development Manager for a well‑established financial services group in Pretoria. You will combine strong commercial and strategic thinking with analytical, data‑driven decision making, and you will influence, negotiate and manage senior stakeholders to grow revenue.

You will lead advisor relationships, recruit selectively, translate growth objectives into practical plans and work cross‑functionally with marketing, product, technology and subsidiaries to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Marketing, Business Administration or related.
• Postgraduate CFP certification and RE1/RE5 are advantageous.
• Experience in financial services sales and advisor management.

Responsibilities

• Manage revenue growth and a portfolio of ~45 advisors with growth plans.
• Identify cross-selling and lead conversion opportunities to increase revenue.
• Embed technologies to improve productivity and client engagement.
• Monitor revenue, performance gaps and take corrective actions.
• Collaborate with subsidiaries and internal teams to remove barriers.
• Recruit at least three advisors annually and onboard them over two years.
• Translate growth objectives into practical BD plans and market analysis.
• Build trusted advisor relationships and provide tailored support.
• Coach advisors on pipeline management and disciplined execution.
• Represent the Group at events and gather market intelligence.

Skills

Commercial mindset

Strategic thinking

Analytical skills

Data-driven decisions

Communication

Influencing

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Marketing/Business Admin/Sales

CFP® certification (advantageous)

RE1/RE5 (advantageous)

Tools

CRM systems

Data analytics platforms

Digital platforms

Job description

Our client, a well‑established group of companies, is looking for a Business Development Manager with strong commercial and strategic thinking, supported by analytical and data-driven decision-making skills and excellent communication, influencing, negotiation and stakeholder-management skills. This is the ideal position for someone who wants to build their career by working for a company with an excellent reputation.

Education:

• A relevant bachelor’s degree in Finance, Marketing, Business Administration, Sales or a related discipline.
• A postgraduate diploma in financial planning and/or CFP® certification (advantageous).
• RE1 and RE5 (advantageous).

Experience Required:

• Minimum of five years’ relevant experience in financial services sales, business development, distribution or advisor management.
• Proven success in growing revenue, meeting commercial targets and managing senior stakeholder relationships.
• Experience working with financial advisors and using CRM, data and digital platforms to improve performance.
• Strong investment‑industry knowledge and working knowledge of life and short‑term insurance.

Duties:

Revenue Growth

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 45 advisors and agree clear annual growth plans, priorities and targets for each advisor.
• Identify and execute growth opportunities through cross‑selling, AUA conversion, GC improvement, lead conversion and wider use of Group products and services.
• Embed approved technologies to improve productivity, financial planning and client engagement.
• Monitor advisor revenue and sales activity, identify performance gaps and agree practical corrective actions.
• Collaborate with Group subsidiaries and internal teams to unlock opportunities and remove implementation barriers.

Recruitment

• Execute the approved advisor recruitment strategy with the Corporate Finance Manager and Wealth Management, targeting candidates who meet the agreed profile.
• Recruit at least three advisors annually, each with an average annual commission base of approximately R750 000.
• Coordinate the two-year onboarding and integration of recruited advisors, including training, milestone tracking and access to appropriate Group support.
• Work with Group management to review progress and determine the appropriate advisor allocation after the initial development period.

Strategic Planning and Market Analysis

• Translate Group growth objectives into practical business‑development, portfolio and recruitment plans.
• Analyse market developments, competitor activity, advisor performance and client needs to identify opportunities, risks and required actions.
• Partner with marketing, product, technology and subsidiary teams to align campaigns and propositions with market and advisor needs.

Advisor Relationship Management

• Build trusted, commercially focused advisor relationships and maintain accountability for agreed growth plans and outcomes.
• Understand each advisor’s practice, client base, growth constraints and opportunities, and provide tailored support that strengthens client satisfaction and retention.
• Help advisors convert leads and identified opportunities into sustainable revenue and long‑term Group relationships.

Training and Development

• Identify advisor capability gaps and provide or coordinate relevant training, tools and support.
• Facilitate practical workshops on relevant Group offerings.
• Coach advisors on practice growth, pipeline management, opportunity conversion and disciplined execution.

Event Participation and Networking

• Represent the Group professionally at selected industry events, conferences and networking opportunities.
• Use events to develop relationships, originate opportunities, gather market intelligence and ensure disciplined follow‑up.

Performance Measurement

• Maintain accurate CRM, pipeline, activity and revenue information, and analyse performance data to identify trends and refine priorities.
• Report against agreed KPIs, evaluate the impact of Group initiatives and technology adoption, and recommend corrective actions or enhancements.