Business Development & Solutions Executive | Johannesburg / London | Full-time

Edge Executive Search Group; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Edge Executive Search Group is recruiting a Business Development & Solutions Executive to lead new-business development in Johannesburg (and London) with a focus on translating client challenges into rapid, prototype-driven solutions. You will manage outbound campaigns, CRM, and cross-functional bids with executive leadership.

You will use AI-assisted prototyping to showcase solutions, drive RFP/RFI responses, and collaborate with marketing and delivery teams to close opportunities and grow

Qualifications

• Approximately 6–9 years of experience in technology sales, business development, pre-sales, bid management, consulting or related field.
• Demonstrated ability to generate new business through outbound prospecting and contribute to pipeline growth.
• Experience running or contributing to competitive RFP/RFI responses and structured proposal processes.
• Hands-on capability with AI-assisted prototyping and development tools to demonstrate practical applications.
• Strong written communication skills in proposal development and concise prospect correspondence.
• Ability to conduct discovery conversations and translate client needs into credible solutions.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage a consistent new-business pipeline through researched, personalised outbound campaigns and targeted prospect engagement.
• Collaborate with marketing to maintain a credible LinkedIn presence and initiate meaningful commercial conversations.
• Drive conference-led business development by identifying target organisations and converting meetings into opportunities.
• Lead initial discovery conversations, assess business needs and qualify opportunities for fit.
• Use AI-assisted tools to build rapid prototypes that visualise potential solutions.
• Partner with consulting and delivery teams on complex proofs of concept requiring validation.
• Own RFP/RFI responses and bid processes including planning, positioning and submissions.
• Develop persuasive proposals and communications that articulate business value.
• Maintain CRM records and report on pipeline health and progression.
• Work with the CEO to set targets and improve new-business processes.

Skills

Technology sales

Business development

Pre-sales

Bid management

AI prototyping

CRM management

Proposal writing

Stakeholder engagement

Tools

CRM software

Proposal tools

Job description

Business Development & Solutions Executive | Johannesburg / London | Full-time

The way technology consulting firms win new business is changing, and the ability to turn a prospect's business challenge into a working prototype can make the difference between winning and losing an opportunity. We are seeking a commercially driven, technically credible Business Development & Solutions Executive who can combine disciplined prospecting, compelling solution development and strong bid management to build a sustainable new-business pipeline.

Reporting directly to the CEO, you will take ownership of the new-business process from initial outreach and opportunity qualification through to prototyping, proposals, competitive bids and closing conversations. This is a hands-on role for someone who can engage confidently with technical and business stakeholders, understand complex client challenges, and translate them into clear, persuasive solutions that demonstrate tangible value.

A key part of the role is using AI-assisted development tools to bring ideas to life quickly. Rather than relying exclusively on presentations and sales decks, you will help prospects experience what a solution could look like through rapid, interactive prototypes. You will also manage the structured commercial activities that turn initial interest into qualified opportunities, including personalised outbound campaigns, conference-led engagement, CRM discipline and competitive RFP/RFI responses.

Our client is an established technology consulting firm that helps organisations address complex business challenges through tailored technology solutions. With a focus on meaningful client engagement and a practical, solutions-led approach, the business is looking for someone who can strengthen its new-business engine while working closely with leadership, marketing and delivery teams.

What You'll Do

• Build and manage a consistent new-business pipeline through researched, personalised outbound email campaigns and targeted prospect engagement.

• Collaborate with marketing to maintain a credible LinkedIn presence, engage relevant networks and initiate meaningful commercial conversations.

• Drive conference-led business development by identifying target organisations, arranging meetings before events and following up promptly to convert conversations into qualified opportunities.

• Lead initial discovery conversations, assess business needs, qualify opportunities and determine whether there is a credible commercial and technical fit.

• Use AI-assisted development tools such as Claude, Cursor, v0 or comparable platforms to build rapid prototypes that help prospects visualise potential solutions.

• Partner with the consulting and delivery teams on more complex proof-of-concepts requiring deeper technical validation.

• Own competitive RFP/RFI responses and bid processes, including response planning, solution positioning, commercial modelling, internal coordination, demo rehearsals, presentations and submission deadlines.

• Develop clear, persuasive proposals and prospect communications that articulate the client's problem, the proposed solution and the business value.

• Maintain accurate CRM records, manage follow-up activities and report consistently on pipeline health, opportunity progression and business development performance.

• Work directly with the CEO to establish realistic performance targets and continuously improve the effectiveness of the new-business process.

What You Bring

• Approximately 6–9 years of experience in technology sales, business development, pre-sales, bid management, consulting or a related field with meaningful commercial exposure.

• Demonstrated ability to generate new business through outbound prospecting and explain your contribution to pipeline creation and business growth.

• Experience running or materially contributing to competitive RFP/RFI responses and structured proposal processes.

• Hands-on capability with AI-assisted prototyping and development tools, with the ability to demonstrate practical application rather than theoretical familiarity.

• Strong written communication skills, particularly in proposal development, bid responses and concise, persuasive prospect correspondence.

• Confidence conducting discovery conversations, assessing client needs and explaining technical solutions without overstating capabilities.

• Experience coordinating demonstrations, engaging technical stakeholders and translating business requirements into credible solution concepts.

• Familiarity with conferences and industry events as business development channels, including advance meeting coordination and post-event conversion.

• Disciplined CRM management and a willingness to be measured against agreed pipeline and activity metrics.

• Strong organisational skills, commercial judgment, persistence and the ability to manage several opportunities and competing deadlines.

• A collaborative approach to working with executive leadership, marketing and consulting delivery teams.

Experience in capital markets, structured finance, commercial real estate or financial services technology would be advantageous.

The role is suited to candidates from several backgrounds, including technically minded consultants or developers moving into commercial work, experienced sales engineers or pre-sales consultants seeking broader ownership, and business developers who combine proven outbound skills with genuine technical fluency.

What Success Looks Like

• A repeatable outbound process generating a steady flow of qualified first meetings.

• Discovery conversations independently managed, documented and progressed without routine senior involvement.

• Competitive bids delivered efficiently, with strong proposals, coordinated internal contributions and consistent deadline management.

• Measurable improvement in the conversion of opportunities supported by working prototypes compared with traditional presentation-led approaches.

• Conference activity tracked from advance meeting bookings through to qualified pipeline and commercial outcomes.

• Accurate CRM records and reliable pipeline reporting maintained on an agreed schedule.

• Clear evidence of contribution to new-business development, with targets for meetings, sourced qualified pipeline, bid participation and win rates established jointly during the first month.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to take meaningful ownership of new-business development in a technology consulting environment where commercial execution and technical credibility matter equally. You will work closely with the CEO, influence how opportunities are developed and pursued, and help shape a sales approach that increasingly combines structured business development with practical, AI-assisted solution demonstrations.

The role is full-time, with opportunities based in South Africa or London. International travel will take place in concentrated periods several times a year, including client visits and travel weighted towards the United States. Compensation comprises a market-benchmarked base salary, to be discussed, and performance-based commission linked to qualified pipeline you source and progress.

Our client is an equal opportunity employer that values curiosity, sound judgment and follow-through. If you can understand a client's problem, communicate a credible solution, build something tangible and consistently move opportunities forward, this role offers the scope to make a measurable commercial impact.