Business Development Manager

Business Development Manager
Territory: Wider East Midlands Region
Salary: Up to £55,000 (dependent on experience) + bonus/commission (potential to earn 100% of salary) + company car/allowance & flexible benefits package, including hybrid working, up to 27 days holiday (plus additional leave purchasing scheme)
Sector: Packaging solutions & distribution
Protecting What Matters, Together
At Macfarlane Packaging, we are dedicated to protecting what matters most—our people, our customers, communities, and the environment. Our commitment to customer satisfaction, sustainability, and continual improvement creates a collaborative, supportive, and friendly workplace where you can build a rewarding career.
With over 75 years of history, we offer stability, ongoing growth, and the opportunity for personal and professional development. Our fast-paced, results-driven environment will challenge you but also give you the satisfaction of directly contributing to our success.
We offer competitive pay, personalised incentives, and adaptable benefits to make your rewards package go further. We also prioritise work-life balance and flexibility, empowering you to manage what’s most important. If you value commitment, teamwork, adaptability, and learning, join us to drive change and enable businesses to plan for a better future.
The Business Development Manager Role
Reporting to the Regional Business Manager and using a consultative sales approach, you will develop a sales pipeline and convert new customers across the allocated territory.
This is a client acquisition-focused role, where you will identify, onboard, and develop new accounts, meeting stretching but achievable new business sales targets. You’ll spend most of your time in the field, attending meetings, generating leads through networking, cold-calling, and following up on marketing activities. You’ll conduct customer packaging audits, make recommendations, prepare proposals/quotations, and close deals to ensure smooth onboarding of new clients.
Collaborating with regional sales teams and national sites, you’ll support colleagues while also driving your own initiatives. This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated sales professional who thrives on securing new business and becoming a leading product specialist.
Business Development Key Responsibilities
* Develop and implement a sales plan for the allocated territory.
* Negotiate commercial terms to maximise profitability.
* Execute customer acquisition strategies to expand the customer base without compromising margins.
* Assess and prioritise sales opportunities based on market potential, client needs, and margin targets.
* Optimise sales and profit, considering the implications of selling stock versus non-stock products.
* Develop best practices for acquiring, retaining, and nurturing accounts.
* Collaborate with National Accounts to capitalise on sales opportunities.
* Maintain exceptional standards of customer service.
* Foster relationships with key decision-makers to identify cross-selling and upselling opportunities.
* Work with internal sales teams to ensure customer satisfaction and resolve issues.
* Lead solution development efforts to address customer needs, coordinating with colleagues for seamless delivery.
* Maintain high standards of sales administration.
* Utilise CRM systems to follow up on leads and quotations.
* Showcase additional products and solutions within the group.
Do You Have the Right Profile?
The successful candidate will ideally meet with the following criteria…
Essential:
* At least two years’ experience in a client acquisition-focused field sales role, with a compelling track record of success in securing new business.
* Proven success in B2B product sales through a solutions-based approach, with the ability to tailor solutions to client needs.
* Strong negotiation skills combined with strategic thinking to effectively solve customer problems.
* Proficiency in planning and executing sales campaigns, including cold-calling, networking, and obtaining referrals, with robust sales closing skills.
* Highly self-motivated with strong perseverance, energy, and resilience.
* Experience in margin control and optimising profit margins while negotiating terms.
* Proven success in meeting or exceeding new business sales targets.
* Excellent presentation skills and the ability to convey information clearly in both client interactions and written communication.
* Ability to quickly understand customers’ needs and deliver tailored solutions.
* Strong commercial acumen with the ability to handle situations with discretion and integrity.
* Ability to work remotely, manage your own diary, and effectively prioritise workload.
* Possession of a valid UK driving licence and willingness to travel.
* Must reside ‘on patch’ in relation to the allocated sales territory
* IT literate with competency in Microsoft Office.
Desirable:
* Understanding of packaging design and application.
* Experience using CRM systems like Microsoft Dynamics.
Our Benefits
We offer a competitive salary, with rewarding bonus/incentive schemes, and flexible benefits including:
25 days annual leave (rising to 27 days with service) plus all public/bank holidays
Additional Holiday purchasing scheme (run annually)
Contributory pension scheme
Geographical salary weighting available at certain specific locations
Free parking at most of our site locations
Annual (company paid) volunteering day
Range of company cars or cash allowance (including hybrid/electric) for qualifying job roles
Employee assistance program to support & advise with well-being & any issues
Extensive range of training/development & potential progression opportunities
Employee discount scheme (discounts on several major retail/leisure brands)
Simply Health/Dental Cover option or BUPA cover for qualifying roles
Enhanced HR policies relating to various employee rights & entitlements
Long service awards (5-40 years)
Charitable giving options
Financial support with eye-tests/purchasing glasses (DSE users only)
O2 Mobile discount scheme (up to 25% off)
Candidate referral scheme (awards £750 for referring successful applicants to Macfarlane job vacancies)
Your Future with Us
At Macfarlane Group, you can shape your own future. With a focus on internal promotion and mobility, we offer tailored career plans, structured training, and development pathways, including management and leadership programs through partnerships with accredited bodies like the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) and the Institute of Sales Professionals (ISP).
How to Apply
We are working swiftly to find the best applicants and hope to fill this role ASAP. Hybrid working is supported, and initial interviews may be conducted via video. Please click ‘apply’ to submit your up-to-date CV.
All applications will be acknowledged. If you haven’t heard from us within 2-3 weeks, please assume your application was unsuccessful.
We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds irrespective of your age, gender, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, gender expression, religion or sexual orientation. Should you require any specific support or adjustments during the recruitment process, please email our recruitment team directly.
NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES PLEASE