Business Development Manager

Business Development Manager - Time-Critical Logistics
Location: Coventry

Salary: £45,000-£60,000 per year, depending on experience
Additional package: £6,000 annual car allowance plus performance-related commission
Help businesses solve the problems that cannot wait until tomorrow
This Time-Critical Logistics business acts as a second emergency service for its customers.

When an aircraft is grounded, an automotive production line is at risk or a critical component must be delivered without delay, our customers rely on us to respond immediately.
Operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, they provide urgent, time-critical transport throughout the UK, Europe and worldwide. We support airlines, automotive manufacturers, motorsport businesses, freight forwarders and other organisations where delays can quickly result in serious operational and financial consequences.
This is not about selling ordinary transport. It is about building trusted relationships with customers who need an experienced logistics partner capable of responding when every minute matters.

Our client are looking for an ambitious and commercially driven Business Development Manager who can identify those customers, understand their operational pressures and demonstrate how our client can keep their aircraft flying, production lines moving and supply chains operating.

The opportunity :
This is a hands-on new-business role offering genuine autonomy and the opportunity to make a visible contribution to the continued growth of an established, independent logistics business.
You will take ownership of identifying opportunities, opening doors and developing profitable,long-term customer relationships.

The role is based at our Coventry office and will involve regular travel for customer meetings, site visits and relevant industry events.

We welcome applications from established Business Development Managers and experienced logistics Sales Executives who are ready to take the next step in their careers.

Key responsibilities
You will be responsible for:
- Identifying and targeting prospective customers across relevant industries
- Generating your own leads and maintaining a strong, qualified sales pipeline
- Contacting potential customers and arranging face-to-face or online meetings
- Building strategic relationships with operational contacts, procurement teams and senior decision-makers
- Understanding each customer's logistics requirements and operational challenges
- Presenting tailored time-critical and freight solutions
- Preparing professional quotations, proposals, tenders and presentations
- Negotiating commercial terms and closing profitable new business
- Developing newly won accounts into valuable, long-term customer relationships
- Working closely with our operations, pricing and customer service teams to ensure proposed solutions are practical, competitive and profitable
- Ensuring a seamless handover of new customers to the operations team
- Using our CRM system to record activity, manage opportunities and forecast performance
- Reporting on pipeline development, new revenue and gross-profit performance
- Contributing ideas to strengthen our sales strategy, market presence and customer offering
- Representing our client professionally at customer meetings and industry events

Our services
You will represent a comprehensive range of urgent and specialist logistics solutions, including:
- Time-critical dedicated vehicle transport across the UK and Europe
- AOG and urgent aviation parts logistics
- Worldwide On-Board Courier and hand-carry services
- Next Flight Out, air freight and dedicated air charter
- International express parcels and pallet distribution
- Multimodal freight forwarding and general haulage
- Customs clearance

About you
We are looking for someone who combines strong commercial ability with the confidence and determination to create new opportunities.
The successful candidate will ideally have:
- A proven record of winning new B2B customers and generating profitable revenue
- Experience within time-critical logistics, same-day courier, freight forwarding, road transport, aviation logistics or a related sector
- A strong understanding of the complete new-business sales cycle
- Consultative selling skills and the ability to understand complex customer requirements
- The confidence to engage and build credibility with stakeholders at every level
- Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation and relationship-management skills
- Experience preparing professional proposals, tenders and commercial documentation
- Confidence using CRM and sales-reporting systems to manage pipelines and forecast performance
- A proactive, entrepreneurial and self-motivated approach
- The ability to manage your own diary, priorities, opportunities and deadlines
- A sound commercial understanding of pricing, margins and profitable growth
- A collaborative approach to working with operations and service-delivery teams
- A full UK driving licence and access to a suitable vehicle
- Willingness to travel for customer meetings, conferences and site visits when required

Experience or established relationships within aviation, automotive, motorsport, manufacturing or freight forwarding would be a significant advantage.
Practical industry experience and a proven sales record are more important to us than formal academic qualifications.

What we offer
- £45,000-£60,000 basic salary, depending on experience
- £6,000 annual car allowance, paid as £500 per month
- Attractive performance-related commission based on profitable new business
- Company mobile phone and laptop
- 22 days' annual holiday
- Direct access to the company's leadership team
- Freedom to develop new markets and influence our commercial strategy
- Support from an experienced and responsive operations team
- Genuine long-term progression as our commercial function grows

Why join our client ?
- You will not be restricted by a heavily scripted corporate sales process.
- You will have the freedom to pursue the right opportunities, the support of an experienced operational team and a strong portfolio of services capable of solving genuinely urgent customer problems.
- This is an opportunity for someone who wants to build something, make an impact and be directly rewarded for the profitable business they generate.

If you understand logistics, enjoy opening doors and can demonstrate your ability to convert opportunities into lasting customer relationships, we would like to hear from you.
Please apply with your CV and a brief summary of the types of new business you have previously developed.