Business Development Manager

Company - Leading Freight and Logistics Company

Job Title - Business Development Manager

Location - Kent

Salary - Negotiable

On behalf of our client, we are currently recruiting for driven Business Development Manager to join a leading Freight and Logistics company in the Kent area.

The successful candidate will have a minimum of two years’ experience working in a similar role and be familiar for the Freight Industry.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive New Business Acquisition: Proactively identify, target, and secure new regular-trading and profitable customers across road, sea, air, and courier freight sectors. Expand business opportunities by targeting clients with warehousing and/or customs service needs.
• Hunt for Growth Opportunities: Take full ownership of the new business development lifecycle—from lead generation and cold outreach to pitch, negotiation, and conversion. Constantly seek untapped markets, sectors, and customer segments to increase the company’s market share.
• Strategic Prospecting: Build and maintain a strong pipeline of qualified prospects through market research, networking, referrals, and industry events. Use a consultative sales approach to understand prospects' logistics needs and align solutions accordingly.
• Commercial Focus: Ensure all new accounts and jobs meet or exceed company profitability expectations. Negotiate rates and terms that secure healthy margins, and continuously seek ways to maximise gross profit (GP) per account.
• KPI & Target Achievement: Consistently meet or exceed personal and company KPIs including number of new accounts, revenue targets, GP, and sales activity levels (calls, meetings, proposals).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with the operations team to ensure seamless onboarding of new clients and high service standards. Provide insights to help tailor delivery to customer needs and support ongoing account success.
• Client Retention & Expansion: While focused on new business, maintain involvement in key customer relationships post-sale to ensure satisfaction, help identify upsell/cross-sell opportunities, and secure repeat business. Conduct joint visits with account managers when needed (for example quarterly reviews)
• Client Engagement & Travel: Attend face-to-face meetings with potential and existing clients to build rapport, present the companies capabilities, gather feedback, and strengthen relationships. Travel regularly as part of your sales strategy.

Key Requirements

• Minimum 2 years proven cross channel road freight sales success with demonstrated experience in a new business sales role within freight forwarding or logistics environment, and a strong track record of winning new business (min 90% FTL road freight and 10% air and sea)
• Industry expertise with a solid understanding of global transport, logistics processes, and the challenges and opportunities within international supply chains
• A hunter mentality with a proactive, self-starting approach and the drive to seek out new business relentlessly and convert cold leads into loyal, profit making customers
• Resilience and tenacity with a strong, positive mindset and the ability to stay motivated and maintain momentum in the face of rejection or market challenges
• Exceptional communication and influence with strong interpersonal and negotiation skills, the ability to build rapport quickly, present with confidence, and close deals both over the phone and face to face
• Relationship-building skills with a personable and professional approach that enables the development of lasting relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders
• A team-oriented attitude with a collaborative mindset and willingness to work closely with operations and account management teams to ensure the seamless onboarding and new client retention
• Results-focused and accountable with a commercial mindset and strong sense of ownership for achieving sales targets, meeting KPIs, and driving business growth
• High attention to detail and strong organisational skills in all areas of work, from proposals and pricing to CRM updates and client communication
• Analytical and ambitious with the ability to interpret data, spot trends, and use insights to guide strategic sales decisions, while striving for personal and professional growth
• High level of IT literacy including experience with CRM systems, Microsoft Office, and digital sales tools