Business Development Manager - Consumer and Services

About Faculty

Faculty transforms organisational performance through safe, impactful and human-led AI. 

We are Europe’s leading applied AI company, and saw its potential a decade ago - long before the current hype cycle.

We were founded in 2014 with our Fellowship programme, training academics to become commercial data scientists. 

Today, we provide over 300 global customers with industry-leading software, and bespoke AI consultancy for retail, healthcare, energy, and governmental organisations, as well as our award winning Fellowship. 

Our expertise and safety credentials are such that OpenAI asked us to be their first technical partner, helping customers deploy cutting-edge generative AI safely.

Our high-impact work has saved lives through forecasting NHS demand during covid, produced green energy by routing boats towards the wind, slashed marketing spend by predicting customer spending habits, and kept children safe online. 

AI is an epoch-defining technology. We want people to join us who can help our customers reap its enormous benefits safely.

About the role:

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Business Development Manager to lead our efforts in the Consumer and Services and Financial services sectors. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in selling complex software and services, with a deep understanding of retail, e-commerce, supply chain, manufacturing, or B2B professional services. You will be responsible for driving growth by developing and executing commercial strategies, building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, and leading the sales process from pipeline generation to deal closure.

Key Responsibilities:

Sales & Business Development:

• Develop and execute commercial strategies to drive growth across multiple sectors, focusing on retail, e-commerce, Financial services, supply chain, manufacturing, and B2B professional services
• Generate and qualify new leads, build trusted relationships with prospects, and navigate complex procurement processes
• Lead the entire business development lifecycle, from pipeline generation to deal closure, ensuring that all opportunities are maximised
• Meet and exceed stated qualified lead quotas

  Client Engagement & Relationship Management:

• Understand our technology and service offerings deeply and communicate their benefits persuasively to customers
• Tailor proposition packs for initial meetings, and support the conversion of interest into sales through the development of scoping documents, proposals, and workshops
• Develop high-quality sales collateral, including slide decks that address client challenges, Faculty services, key differentiators, and case studies

  Market Research & Competitor Analysis:

• Conduct market mapping, competitor analysis, and assessment of Faculty differentiators to inform commercial strategies
• Use analytical skills to translate technical concepts into practical solutions for novel client problems

  Collaboration & Process Improvement:

• Work closely with the Marketing team to generate inbound interest and collaborate with other Sales team members to improve and streamline internal sales processes
• Engage with technical teams to ensure that client requirements are fully understood and addressed

  Project Management:

• Manage deal processes with attention to detail, balancing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Collaborate with diverse teams to ensure timely and successful delivery of projects.

Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in business development roles, with a strong background in selling software and services to large commercial organisations.
• Proven sector experience in retail, e-commerce, supply chain, Financial, manufacturing, or B2B professional services.

  Skills & Competencies:

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to a diverse audience
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills in market and commercial research
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and proactively identify and implement solutions
• Familiarity with business development tools such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator and HubSpot
• Technical aptitude to collaborate effectively with technical teams and discuss technical solutions

  Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field

Why Join Us:

• Autonomy: You'll be given a high degree of autonomy to build a portfolio of business in your own image
• Growth: Be part of a rapidly growing company with the opportunity to shape its future
• Impact: Work on complex and meaningful projects that drive real business outcomes for our clients

What we can offer you:

The Faculty team is diverse and distinctive, and we all come from different personal, professional and organisational backgrounds. We all have one thing in common: we are driven by a deep intellectual curiosity that powers us forward each day.

Faculty is the professional challenge of a lifetime. You’ll be surrounded by an impressive group of brilliant minds working to achieve our collective goals. Our consultants, product developers, business development specialists, operations professionals and more all bring something unique to Faculty, and you’ll learn something new from everyone you meet. You’ll also have the opportunity to make your mark on a high-growth start-up now poised to expand internationally.