Job Description
About the role
We are currently looking for an experienced Head of Business Development to join our high performing team; focussed wholly on the development of new Print service opportunities in the UK Public and Private Sectors. This is an exciting opportunity to join a close-knit community of high performers, to lead business development activity and deliver world-class winning pitches that support the growth aspirations of the agency and enhance the show-stopping, signature work that CDS is known for across the UK.
The team responsible for winning, growing and retaining clients is recognised as a leading source of best practice across our business. Currently our valued public sector clients represents the most significant revenue profile for CDS. However, we have already forged some high profile wins within the private sector and to continue this theme is very much part of our future strategic plans. The Head of Business Development is therefore a senior position, a resident subject matter expert in the agency for both Print Services and insights to the needs, ambitions, and trends across UK business. The role requires a close collaboration with CDS operational leads, and our critical framework partners including Crown Commercial Service, to drive the continued development of our Public Sector value proposition, whilst growing our footprint within the private sector. The role should orchestrate the perfect blend of skills, resources, competency and technology from across the business to produce world-class Print solutions and award-winning pitches we can be proud of.
As a natural self-starter, the Head of Business Development identifies, generates and develops strategic relationships with potential new clients and partners across the core sub-segments of Public Sector including central government, local government, higher education, NHS, and private run public services. In addition, the individual should also drive new revenue streams into the print services division from the broad spectrum of private sector and commercial clients we can serve. You will design and direct business development initiatives, guiding them completely from opportunity inception through to contract and beyond; supporting the transition to successful account management and further development.
About CDS
CDS is an agency that enables strategic change in organisations. We help clients create, develop and deliver better services to meet the evolving needs of customers, employees and citizens.
Our experts specialise in technical enablement, operational transformation, experience transformation and business process outsourcing. We improve outcomes by resolving complex insight, digital, data, technology and print challenges.
Consequently, many of the largest, most complex organisations trust CDS to provide solutions that improve health, wealth and safety in the UK. For example:
- Digitally transforming the ability to report crime online for UK police forces.
- Building a new digital platform for the regulator Social Work England.
- Providing behavioural analysis and insight to drive EE’s evolving digital and customer service offering and delivering marketing and operational print management services to the Ministry of Defence
Together with our parent company, Bailie Group, CDS is positioned as a leader in enabling change. We are a multi-award-winning agency recognised by the industries we serve and our peers for our innovations and contributions that truly make a positive difference.
Responsibilities
The role will include developing campaigns, proposal and pitch materials, contributing to the development of marketing materials, public speaking, networking and maintaining a strategic collaborative position with prospective clients and in our partner community. An ability to multi-task and prioritise both time and resource is critical to the success of this role as the role will frequently collaborate with senior management and leadership across the business to produce concepts, solutions, proposals and pitches.
The Head of Business Development owns and leads the pitch process from start-to-finish, including deep qualification of opportunities, collaborating with key internal and external stakeholders on solution design, proposal writing and pitch deliverables, challenging prospective clients and their briefs, and creating excellent written content. They work closely with the Marketing and Creative teams at CDS to develop content, including concepts, that accurately respond to prospective clients’ business challenges, strategic objectives, and aspirations with measurement of our societal impact at the core.
With no two days the same, you’ll be involved in a variety of activities, but primarily we’d like you to:
- Drive business development opportunities for the agency within with a balanced approach to both Public and Private sector
- Lead the development of winning Print service propositions and solutions that exceed client expectations and deliver measurable business improvement
- Produce industry leading content from written proposals and bids to client presentations, pitches, marketing collateral and thought leadership
- Own the commercial targets for the role demonstrating accountability and best practice across all systems, business processes, sales data and forecasting
Requirements
- A minimum of 5 years business development experience
- Previous demonstrable experience in a Print, Design, Transactional and/or Communications business
- Previous demonstrable experience of working with Crown Commercial Service
- Demonstrable experience of meeting and exceeding commercial targets in a sales-led environment – P60’s should be available at request
- Demonstrable tenure / success as a Business Development Manager / Director
- Demonstrable experience of building relationships at C-suite CDO, CCO, CIO and CMO
- Demonstrable experience of leading and winning complex bids >£1m per annum
- Demonstrable experience of shaping and developing a value proposition within a defined sector
- A team player with excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the competence to network effectively both internally and externally
- Empathetic and able to articulate a complex / sensitive sales pitch to a diverse stakeholder audience
- Good at information gathering and information management
- Exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail
- Self-motivated, autonomous, creative and able to work to deadlines
- Evidence of excellent written skills; leading on the production of tender documents, proposals, quotes, marketing collateral and presentations that meet the expectations of c-suite audiences within both UK Public and Private Sector
- Knowledge of CRM systems – ideally with HubSpot
- Naturally inquisitive, adventurous and a desire to challenge the status quo
- Ambitious and keen to be successful
The ideal candidate will possess an inherent drive for results, motivation and acute attention to detail. They can work independently, use their own initiative and cope with complex competing demands on agency time and resources.
Hybrid & Homeworking
To ensure the health, safety & wellbeing of our employees we have minimum standards for homeworking environments which must be maintained. Further details available on request.
Vetting
Due to the nature of this role and the business, you will need to either currently hold UK Government clearance to a minimum of SC level or be able to undergo and maintain this level of clearance.
In return
- Attractive base salary
- 25 days holiday + public holidays
- Company pension and life assurance scheme
- Medicash health plan – online GP access, support services & discounted gym membership
- Complimentary fruit, coffee, tea, and Friday drinks at the office
- Wellbeing events/services in Leeds office
- Cycle to work scheme
- Season pass loan for rail & bus travel
- A business focused on professional development and personal growth opportunities
- Smart, engaged co-workers and a culture of inclusion, innovation, and opportunity