Business Development Manager
JOB VACANCY: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Industry: Food Production, Bakery, Confectionery & Retail
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Employment Type: Full-Time
Department: Business Development / Sales & Marketing
Recruitment Partner: Employ Africa
Monthly Gross Salary: 450,000
About the Organisation
Our client is a growing organisation in Nigeria's food production, bakery, confectionery and retail industry, committed to delivering high-quality products and exceptional customer experiences.
As part of its business growth and expansion strategy, the organisation seeks to recruit an experienced, commercially driven and results-oriented Business Development Manager to identify new business opportunities, expand its customer base, establish strategic partnerships and drive sustainable revenue growth.
Job Summary
The Business Development Manager will be responsible for developing and executing strategies to increase revenue, acquire new customers, strengthen existing business relationships and expand the organisation's market presence.
The successful candidate will identify and secure corporate accounts, institutional customers, event partnerships, wholesale opportunities and other profitable business channels.
The role requires strong commercial awareness, excellent negotiation skills, relationship management capabilities and a good understanding of the food production, hospitality, retail or FMCG industry.
Key Responsibilities1. Business Development and Revenue Growth
- Develop and implement business development strategies aligned with organisational growth objectives.
- Identify new markets, customer segments and revenue-generating opportunities.
- Generate qualified leads and convert prospects into paying customers.
- Drive sales growth across retail, corporate, wholesale and institutional channels.
- Identify opportunities for recurring orders, bulk purchases and long-term supply agreements.
- Prepare and execute sales plans to achieve agreed revenue targets.
- Monitor sales performance and recommend initiatives to improve profitability.
- Corporate Sales and Strategic Partnerships
- Identify and establish relationships with corporate organisations, hotels, restaurants, event planners, schools and other institutional customers.
- Secure corporate gifting contracts, staff celebration packages, event orders and bulk supply agreements.
- Develop strategic partnerships with event management companies, wedding planners, hospitality businesses and distributors.
- Negotiate commercial terms, pricing and service agreements with prospective clients.
- Maintain strong relationships with key accounts to encourage repeat business and referrals.
- Identify opportunities for cross-selling and upselling products.
- Market Expansion and Business Opportunities
- Conduct market research to identify customer needs, industry trends and competitor activities.
- Evaluate opportunities for geographic expansion and new distribution channels.
- Support business expansion initiatives, including new outlets, distribution partnerships and market entry strategies.
- Identify opportunities to introduce existing products to new customer segments.
- Collaborate with Management on strategies to strengthen the organisation's competitive position.
- Sales Pipeline and Customer Relationship Management
- Develop and maintain a structured sales pipeline.
- Track leads, prospects, proposals, negotiations and closed deals.
- Establish and maintain a database of corporate clients and prospective business partners.
- Conduct regular follow-ups with prospects and existing customers.
- Collaborate with relevant departments to resolve customer concerns promptly.
- Implement customer retention strategies to increase repeat purchases and customer lifetime value.
- Maintain accurate records of business development activities and customer interactions.
- Sales Strategy, Pricing and Profitability
- Collaborate with Finance and Production teams to develop commercially viable proposals and pricing structures.
- Evaluate the profitability of prospective business opportunities and customer contracts.
- Negotiate competitive pricing while protecting organisational profit margins.
- Identify opportunities to improve revenue generation and reduce customer acquisition costs.
- Monitor market pricing and recommend appropriate commercial strategies.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Production, Operations, Marketing, Finance and Logistics teams to ensure successful order fulfilment.
- Coordinate with internal teams to ensure that customer requirements, delivery timelines and quality expectations are met.
- Support the development of promotional campaigns, product launches and customer acquisition initiatives.
- Communicate customer feedback and market insights to relevant departments.
- Ensure business development commitments align with production capacity and operational capabilities.
- Business Development Reporting
- Prepare weekly and monthly business development reports.
- Track sales opportunities, revenue performance, customer acquisition and partnership activities.
- Provide Management with updates on market opportunities, commercial challenges and business growth initiatives.
- Maintain accurate records of contracts, proposals and business negotiations.
- Recommend strategies to improve business development effectiveness.
Qualifications and Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Sales, Economics or a related discipline.
- Minimum of 5–7 years of relevant experience in business development, corporate sales or commercial management.
- At least 2–3 years of experience in a supervisory or managerial capacity is preferred.
- Proven track record of generating revenue, acquiring corporate clients and securing strategic partnerships.
- Experience in food production, bakery, confectionery, hospitality, FMCG or retail is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated ability to manage corporate accounts, negotiate contracts and close high-value business deals.
- Strong understanding of sales pipeline management, customer acquisition and business expansion strategies.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and CRM software.
- Professional qualifications in Sales, Marketing or Business Development will be an added advantage.
Required Skills and Competencies
- Strong business development and sales management capabilities.
- Excellent negotiation, persuasion and relationship management skills.
- Strong commercial awareness and strategic thinking.
- Excellent communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to identify and convert profitable business opportunities.
- Strong networking and corporate client acquisition skills.
- Good understanding of pricing, profitability and revenue management.
- Excellent planning, organisation and time management skills.
- Ability to work independently and achieve business targets.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
- High level of professionalism, accountability and integrity.
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