Business Development Executive

The role

We are seeking a dynamic, results-driven Business Development Executive to join our team.

Blue Yonder’s sustained growth to date has been based on existing client relationships and referrals. The business is now developed and ready to more proactively introduce our amazing team and R&D specialised research offering to new clients, on a global scale.

The right person will drive this effort on a day-to-day basis.

The ideal candidate will learn the Blue Yonder tool kit, create connections with the clients for whom it is most relevant, and then identify specific opportunities to be passed on to the relevant Blue Yonder expert who will finalise the right approach.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with a grounding in market research sales who is ambitious and ready to grow further in the industry.

Blue Yonder will educate you on what makes the industry tick and what it takes to win the trust of clients. Success will then depend on your entrepreneurial mindset, your ability to create a network of people who value your viewpoint, your empathy and understanding, and ability to help create the right solutions for their challenges.

The role is measurable in terms of revenue growth, and opportunities created. The more that is achieved, the greater the rewards available.

Key responsibilities

1. Establish and Nurture a Network (Lead generation)
   
   • Work with Marketing Director to identify the right potential clients (sectors, companies, individuals). Reach out and build a valuable network.
   • Dedicate significant time daily to building, engaging nurturing your network by listening and sharing relevant insights and value (using Blue Yonder’s bank of material to start with and later creating your own viewpoints)
   • Take a methodical, process driven approach to lead generation and development. Make full use of online tools such as Endole, LinkedIn, directories, competitor lists etc.
   • Think strategically and creatively to develop engagement plans for individual clients based on their needs
   • Create ideas and tactics to maintain Blue Yonder’s awareness and stimulate people to get in touch and discuss their needs with you
   • Ensure internal CRM databases are updated as you progress

2. Sales Conversations
   • Able to manage initial conversations with potential clients, listening to their needs and understanding the brief to the point where the right expert can be brought in to support you
   • Confident in presenting the top-level Blue Yonder credentials, able to answer questions and provide additional background on the business
   • Able to stay close to proposals until conversion. Proactive in following up individually with potential clients, understanding any questions or issues to be resolved on the route to conversion
3. Respond to Signals
   • Passionate and proactive to watch carefully the individual response to Blue Yonder promotional activities on a daily basis.
   • Use Blue Yonder’s sales tools to identify engaged clients and begin valuable conversations
4. Collaboration & Reporting
   • Work closely with the marketing director to ensure approaches and messages remain on strategy
   • Feedback to the leadership team on trends and insights from your conversations with clients to help direct company marketing direction
   • Prepare and present regular sales and business development reports to management

Qualifications & skills

• Education: Ideal but not essential: Bachelor’s degree in Sales, Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field
• Skills:
  • Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills
  • Process-oriented and methodical
  • Passionate about people and learning about their needs
  • Proficiency in CRM software and MS Office Suite
• Attributes:
• Self-motivated, proactive, and goal-oriented
• Ability to work independently whilst staying true to broader strategy
• Willingness to travel as needed

Blue Yonder is committed to flexible working. For this role, it is ideal if you can be in our Leeds office several times a month to engage with the team and leadership. However, for the right person we are prepared to consider different scenarios.

What we offer:

We don’t do unnecessary fluff but we do offer a competitive salary, company profit share, a bonus holiday for your birthday, regular socials, a bonus day for charity work, DE&I and wellbeing initiatives and lots of structured training throughout the year. We have a flexible working environment and if there’s something that’s important to you – be it a day you need to pick the kids up, or a specific charity you want to support – let’s talk!

We’re always looking for great people, so if this isn‘t quite the right role for you, get in touch anyway – as we grow, we’ll have more vacancies across our teams. Sometimes we even create a brand-new role for the right person, so if you like the sound of Blue Yonder, get in touch and let’s see what we can do!

Authenticity is one of our core values, and at Blue Yonder we’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic team with equal opportunities. We want to attract, develop, and promote the very best people from all walks of life, so we actively encourage applications from a range of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, as well as others who are underrepresented in our sector, such as disabled or neurodiverse applicants.

Please note successful applicants must have the right to work in the UK and will need to bring proof to the interview e.g. a passport or work permit.

Should you be successful in the recruitment process, and if you require any reasonable adjustments to be made to accommodate your interview, let us know in confidence.

Job details:

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: £30,000 to 32,000, plus bonus

Education: Bachelor’s degree or similar (preferred)

Experience: 2+ years relevant work experience

Schedule: 40 hours per week (Monday – Friday)

Location: Hybrid role with an expectation to be able to work at Head Office in Leeds several times a month to engage with the team and leadership

Vacancy benefits:

• Career development & promotion opportunities
• Annual profit share
• Pay reviews twice a year
• 24 days holiday (plus public holidays), increasing each year up to a maximum of 27 days
• Option to buy 5 additional days of holiday
• Your birthday off work (no-one wants to work on their birthday!)
• Extra day of leave for volunteering
• Company events, including regular paid-for company and team socials
• Company pension scheme
• Hybrid and flexible working as standard
• Recently refurbished office in Leeds, specifically designed for hybrid working
• Market-leading maternity and paternity benefits for an agency of our size
• Regular training – both internal and with external trainers
• Long service rewards at 5, 10 and 15 years
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Quarterly innovation prizes