Business Development Manager
3 days ago
Dover
Job title: Business Development Manager \n Location: Dover \n Salary: up to £52,000 + discretionary bonus \n Hours: Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week \n The role: \n We are seeking a proactive, customer-focused Business Development Manager to join our client's growing team. The role will support the development of general cargo services and play a key part in driving new business opportunities. \n Benefits: \n\n • 5 weeks annual leave + bank holidays\n, • Birthday leave\n, • Free Parking\n, • Generous contributory pension scheme\n, • Private health care\n, • Life assurance\n, • Employee assistance programme\n, • Third party discounts\n, • Cycle to work scheme\n, • Benefits and reward platform\n, • Employee volunteering scheme\n\n Key responsibilities as the Business Development Manager would be: \n\n • Manage daily interactions with general cargo customers, ensuring high levels of service and timely responses\n, • Support customer onboarding and align operational requirements across internal teams.\n, • Maintain regular engagement to identify service improvements and upsell opportunities\n, • Produce and maintain account management plans.\n, • Identify and qualify new commercial leads through networking and market insights.\n, • Support the preparation of proposals, tenders and customer presentations.\n, • Gather operational and financial data to support business cases and forecasting.\n, • Contribute to sales pipeline updates and support negotiations.\n, • Work closely with other teams to ensure customer expectations are met.\n, • Monitor service performance, escalating any issues or improvement needs.\n, • Support rate and tariff updates through materials preparation and customer communication.\n, • Maintain accurate KPI tracking for general cargo accounts within the CRM.\n, • Attend industry and trade events, ensuring leads are captured and followed up.\n, • Gather and share market intelligence on competitors, cargo flows and opportunities.\n, • Maintain accurate CRM records and prepare routine reports on market activity and customer performance.\n, • Assist in developing internal and external presentations and documents.\n, • Ensure compliance with relevant quality, safety, security and sustainability standards.\n, • Support commercial project delivery by coordinating tasks and monitoring progress.\n, • Contribute to discussions on improving service quality and operational efficiency.\n, • Support strategic initiatives led by the Head of Business Development.\n\n What success would look like as a Business Development Manager: \n\n • Growth in general cargo revenue year-on-year.\n, • Strong customer retention and positive service feedback.\n, • Accurate, timely CRM updates and high-quality customer materials.\n, • Effective support across proposals, projects, events, and internal activities.\n, • Consistent delivery of key reports, insights, and commercial outputs.\n\n Experience and skills required: \n\n • Experience in account management or business development in Logistics, Supply Chain or Port operations.\n, • Strong customer relationship management skills across multiple accounts.\n, • Understanding of supply chain operations and basic financial principles.\n, • Competent user of Microsoft Office.\n, • Ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders.\n, • Passion for growth, innovation and developing new supply chain solutions.\n, • Confident public speaker and effective external representative.\n, • Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret market data\n, • Skilled in negotiation and constructive conflict management.\n, • Collaborates effectively with Marketing and cross-functional teams.\n, • Inclusive, adaptable and enthusiastic in a fast-paced setting.\n, • Strong written and verbal communication skills.\n, • Excellent planning, organisation, and attention to detail.\n, • Role model for integrity, respect and positive team culture.\n, • A full UK driving licence.\n\n Desirable: \n\n • Project management experience\n, • Knowledge of quality, security or food safety standards\n, • Understanding of regulatory frameworks\n\n Next steps: \n If this sounds like the ideal position for you and you have the experience outlined above, then please apply and you will be contacted by a member of our team if your CV matches our requirements.If you would like any further information before applying, then please call Ellie - Permanent Consultant on or email