Business Development- Category Lead (General Building Materials)
17 hours ago
Exeter
Business Development Manager – Category Lead (General Building Products) Location: Exeter Role Type: Senior commercial/category leadership Role Summary This role leads the commercial growth and strategic development of the General Building Products division. This is a broad, high-volume category supporting multiple phases of construction, from structural works through to internal fit-out and finishing. The ideal candidate combines strong knowledge of general building materials with well-established relationships across merchants, contractors, and manufacturers, and can build a competitive range that delivers both commercial value and reliability of supply. Required Sector Experience (Essential) Candidates must have demonstrable experience in at least several of the following product areas: • Cement, lime, sand, aggregates, • Bricks, blocks, and masonry units, • Mortars, renders, and plaster, • Plasterboard, drywall, and partition systems, • Fixings, fasteners, and building sundries, • Thermal and acoustic insulation materials, • Timber, sheet materials (plywood, MDF, OSB), and structural ancillaries, • Fire protection boards and associated products Experience working with: • General builders’ merchants, • Specialist distributors (drylining, insulation, timber), • Housebuilders, main contractors, or fit-out contractors, • Manufacturers of building materials or structural components Key Responsibilities Commercial Growth & New Business • Identify and win new customer accounts across builders, developers, main contractors, interior fit-out specialists, and general construction firms., • Develop a robust pipeline across housebuilding, refurbishment, commercial construction, and public-sector projects. Supplier Ecosystem Development • Build strong relationships with manufacturers and distributors of cementitious products, masonry materials, plasterboard systems, insulation, timber, and structural products., • Conduct supplier site visits to review production capability, quality standards, stockholding, and logistics reliability., • Negotiate pricing structures, rebates, terms, and exclusivity opportunities. Category Development • Develop a scalable and commercially competitive product range aligned to demand across structural works, internal partitions, drylining, insulation, timber, and general building essentials., • Identify missing ranges and recommend new products based on margin potential, compliance gaps, and customer demand., • Monitor trends such as off-site construction, new insulation technologies, and fire safety regulation changes. Market Intelligence • Gather insights on availability issues (e.g., cement shortages, plasterboard supply), competitor pricing, seasonal peaks, and emerging building regulations., • Provide structured data and feedback to inform purchasing, pricing, and category expansion. Field Representation • Represent the General Building Products category at trade shows, supplier open days, merchant events, and contractor visits., • Engage directly with installers and site managers to understand usage patterns, challenges, and opportunities to simplify procurement. Attributes & Skills • Deep credibility in general building materials and construction supply chains., • Strong hunter mindset with a track record of securing significant new business., • Able to interpret building product specifications, fire ratings, insulation values, fixings requirements, and installation methods., • Commercially sharp, negotiation-focused, and margin-aware., • Comfortable managing a wide product portfolio covering both heavy and light building materials., • Field-driven, proactive, and confident travelling UK-wide to develop supplier and customer relationships. Sound interesting? Apply today.