Today, Foundervine stands as one of the largest and most active accelerator ecosystems in the UK. Our track record includes collaboration with prestigious clients such as Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, Sainsbury's, Amazon, and the UK Government. In joining Foundervine, you will be welcomed into a small, dynamic organisation at a pivotal moment in our mission to remove the social and economic barriers to innovation. We value integrity, impact, courage, inclusion, and action orientation — creating a warm and open environment for all team members to share their thoughts and contribute to our collective growth. Our results-driven culture encourages you to make impactful decisions, communicate openly and build a great career with us.
The Opportunity
As the Senior Business Development Manager at Foundervine, you will play a pivotal role in our company's expansion during a period of significant growth. Your primary focus will be to drive business development activities as we continue to secure large contracts with major companies and government entities.
This role is not just a job; it's a named opportunity to shape and elevate Foundervine's market presence. Your expertise will be instrumental in securing sponsorships for flagship events, representing Foundervine at high-profile gatherings, and forging impactful relationships.
Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), you will work collaboratively with our CEO, Marketing and Programs teams to help scale up our business model while exploring new markets.
The ideal candidate should also be an analytical thinker with a client-centric approach, innovative, adaptable, and able to demonstrate excellent leadership qualities. If you embody these soft skills and are ready to shape our business development landscape, we invite you to apply for this exciting opportunity.
Key Responsibilities
Client Acquisition & Relationship Management: Source and engage new clients, manage initial communications, and generate leads. Build and maintain relationships with large organisations, focusing on senior stakeholders. Regularly update business development pipelines in HubSpot
Event Sponsorship & Networking: Gain sponsorships for flagship events like Founderfest and Changemaker Awards. Represent Foundervine at various events and conferences to forge new relationships
Research & Analysis: Perform in-depth market research to identify new clients and emerging market trends. Continuously refine Foundervine’s value proposition based on market data
Sales Strategy & Execution: Lead the implementation of revenue operation strategies, developing plans to achieve revenue targets. Collaborate with Marketing and Programs teams to align with company sales objectives
Sales Funnel Management: Manage the entire sales process, from lead generation to closing deals. Implement effective sales funnels and continuously optimise them for maximum efficiency and conversion
Client Needs Assessment: Conduct thorough assessments of client needs and preferences to tailor sales approaches and offerings accordingly. Ensure a deep understanding of client expectations and deliverables
Proposal Development & Sales Enablement: Assist in crafting compelling client presentations and maintain a library of proposal templates. Regularly review and update Foundervine's public-facing assets
Administrative & Reporting Tasks: Keep meticulous records of all business dealings and negotiations. Provide detailed performance reports and key indicators to senior management
Grant Applications & Public Tenders: Actively search for and apply to relevant grants and public tenders
Continuous Improvement: Stay abreast of industry trends and sales best practices. Implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance the overall effectiveness of the sales function
Requirements
An Ideal Candidate will have
A minimum of 5 years of B2B sales experience, ideally with a history of selling to FTSE 100 companies
Experience working in a fast-paced start-up environment
Demonstrable sales achievements and a track record of meeting targets
A commitment to purpose-driven work balanced with a drive for achievement
Proficiency in HubSpot and a thorough understanding of the start-up ecosystem and accelerators
A Bachelor’s degree in Business or a related field is (desirable)
Benefits
What We Offer
A lucrative sales bonus with an OTE of up to £42,000
Other Standard benefits
30 Days of Annual Leave + your Birthday off!
A strong commitment to personal and professional development – with an individual annual training budget
Flexible working arrangements
3% match contribution to the NEST pension scheme
Between 1-3% bonus subject to performance rating
Peer Recognition Scheme & Team Socials
Cycle to work scheme
Discounted technology scheme
Optical Benefits
WFH Office equipment allowance
Lunch allowance on last Wednesday of the month and Office Snacks
Book and Resource Allowance
Company discounts via benefit scheme
Access to dozens of events and training sessions delivered by some of the world's leading experts
The opportunity to gain valuable expertise and advance your career and have a substantial influence on the broader community
International engagement opportunities – particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa
Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Sales
Industries
Technology, Information and Internet
Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Foundervine by 2x