Business Development Manager

We are working with a rapidly growing SaaS innovator in the Insurance sector, expanding across both the UK and US markets. Their product focuses on flood forecasting, prevention, and flood modelling. We're currently seeking a Business Development Manager to spearhead growth within the UK.

This role combines driving new business acquisition, growing key accounts, and forging strategic partnerships.

Role:

You will be responsible for finding and developing new opportunities as well as managing and growing existing accounts within the insurance space, both directly and through partners and partnerships. You will research and evaluate market trends, competitors, potential customers and partners, and establish contact and rapport with them. You will pitch and, together with clients, define value propositions and benefits of the service, negotiating and closing deals while managing and nurturing the relationship throughout its entire lifecycle. You will collaborate closely with internal teams such as project management and customer success to ensure a seamless client experience and long-term satisfaction.

Key Tasks:

Industry Leadership & Business Development:

• Own the complete sales cycle, from identifying and qualifying leads to pitching, RFP production, value proposition definition, negotiation, and closing.
• Own the definition and implementation of targeted sales playbooks and strategies for the Insurance industry (insurers, brokers, MGAs, TPAs etc.), that guide the approach to engaging clients, tailoring messaging, and presenting use-cases relevant to the sector.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams—including marketing, product development, and customer success—to develop comprehensive plans for market penetration and growth within these industries.

Partnership Development & Sales Channel Expansion:

• Identify and develop key partnerships with other businesses, leveraging these relationships to drive sales through indirect channels and collaborative go-to-market strategies.
• Cultivate relationships with partners, ensuring alignment of flood forecasting solutions with their offerings, and jointly promoting the benefits to their customer base.
• Work closely with partners to drive mutual success, ensuring that both new business development and ongoing sales initiatives are effectively executed through these channels.

Sales Support Collaboration:

• Collaborate with the project manager and customer success manager to ensure smooth transitions from sales to project implementation, ensuring client satisfaction and retention.
• Demonstrate flexibility in adapting to changing priorities and business needs, offering support to colleagues across various functions as required.
• Be proactive in sharing insights, knowledge, and best practices with team members, fostering a supportive environment that encourages mutual success.

Target Achievement and Growth:

• Attain predefined performance targets, focusing on key metrics such as sales conversion, sales cycle, client ARR growth, revenue growth, and expansion within strategic accounts.
• Identify opportunities to upsell additional services, features, and solutions that align with strategic clients' evolving needs.
• Maintaining 100% accuracy of the sales pipeline.

UK Market Focus & Global Support:

• Primarily focus on sales efforts within the UK market, targeting the insurance sector, to drive business development and growth.
• While the main responsibility is based in the UK, be prepared to support global sales initiatives, particularly for insurance sector businesses, by contributing to bids, proposals, and strategic efforts as needed.

Required skills and qualifications:

• Proven 5+ years working experience as a business development manager or sales executive, preferably in a SaaS startup environment.
• Proven track record of independently selling services/solutions to large enterprises within the insurance sector, from lead generation to discovery, qualification and negotiation.
• Experience with consultative selling and successfully leading partnership sales is desirable.
• Ability to independently drive the development of new industries from scratch, identifying growth opportunities, analysing market trends, and adapting strategies accordingly.
• Ability to build rapport with senior stakeholders.
• Strong preparation, time management, and organisational skills.
• Strong analytical and organisational skills with a curiosity for better understanding clients and their issues.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, along with the ability to craft compelling presentations and case studies.
• Numerical abilities and problem-solving attitude.
• Proficiency in MS Office and CRM software (Hubspot)
• Proficiency in English and the right to work in the UK.