More than you expected

Grant Thornton UK LLP is part of a global network of independent audit, tax and advisory firms, made up of some 58,000 people in over 135 countries. We're a team of independent thinkers who put quality, inclusion and integrity first. All around the world we bring a different experience to our clients. A better experience. One that delivers the expertise they need in a way that goes beyond. Personal, proactive, and agile. That's Grant Thornton.

Job Description:

NEW GROUND WON’T BREAK ITSELF.  

Every day our teams help people in businesses and communities to do what is right and achieve their goals. 

Within our firm we have a national go-to-market approach around industries and sectors. This role will be focused on driving business development activity in the Business Support Services (BSS) sector, specifically focused on people services including Recruitment, Education and Skills & Training, which is one of our most active and growing sector areas. You will work closely with the Head of Business Support Services, sub-sector leads and the wider Deals & Business Consulting team and play a key part in driving the go-to-market approach with agreed clients, targets, and intermediaries within the industry.  

This will involve working closely across multiple service lines within Deals & Business Consulting, supporting internal stakeholders to have broad commercial conversations, sharing insights, and building relationships with a variety of external contacts across key clients across the sector. It’s an exciting opportunity for an ambitious junior manager to work in a fast-paced, dynamic team to generate opportunities and wins for the sector team. 

You will develop and maintain your own relationships and be responsible for new revenue creation by being out in the marketplace and identifying opportunities and ensuring a consistent cross line of service (XLOS) approach to the market. 

This role will report into the BSS Business Development Associate Director, who will be focused on the non-people-related Business Services, such as Facilities Management, Security and Energy Transition companies. Together you will work to ensure there is a joined-up, coordinated approach to business development across the sector team. 

We’re happy to talk flexible working and consider reduced hours and job shares, we will support you to balance your work and life. The location of this role is flexible, but with an expectation to be in the London office 2-3 times a week.

A look into the role  

As a Business Support Services (BSS) Business Development Manager, you will:  

• Build your network and relationships with key individuals in the sector team. 

• Proactively develop relationships with corporates in the Recruitment, Education and Skills & Training sectors to generate opportunities. 

• Play an active role in the BSS Industry team calls – with a focus on Recruitment, Education and Training – encouraging internal collaboration to enable successful market outcomes. Capture the insights and actions and circulate these round post-meeting 

• Support the business in account managing key targets and clients to enable measurable account growth. 

• Work with the Meeting Origination team to schedule relevant outreach campaigns and support with follow-up, in core sub-sectors as well as new and emerging ones. 

• Proactively develop and manage a personal network of corporate, intermediary, and other business introducer contacts in the market.  

• Attend client, target, and intermediary events, ensuring effective follow up on these events and work in partnership with the Head of BSS and Marketing Team to ensure that the firm’s insight, thought leadership and marketing campaigns are targeted, driven and deliver return on investment. 

• Support with generating ideas for sector thought leadership, and creating Sector brochures for external use 

• Develop target lists and sales pipeline / orderbook 

• Working closely with the BSS team to create and update a batch of useful sector slides to be used as templates in pitch decks on a quarterly basis. Alongside this, collate BSS UK and international creds and tombstones to be used in proposal documents. 

• Help to increase Sector social media activity and impact. 

• Share and contribute ideas and best practice/insights to the wider BD and Markets & Clients community, and the business.  

The minimum criteria 

• Business development experience 

• Excellent communication skills  

• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to engage with and influence key decision makers at a senior level, to identify new business opportunities with both new prospects and existing clients 

• Good organisational skills 

• A proactive, can-do attitude 

Skills to set you apart 

Here are a few more skills we are looking for. Don’t worry if you don’t tick every box. It’s important for us to support you in your role and help you to develop along the way. 

• A strong interest in the Business Services sector 

• A thorough understanding and application of lead generation, sales and or client management activity 

• A proven track record of working to a revenue target 

• Experience within a professional services business development role  

Knowing we’re right for you 

Embracing uniqueness, the culture at Grant Thornton thrives on the contributions of all our people, we never settle for what is easy, we look beyond to deliver the right thing, for everyone. Building an inclusive culture, where we value difference and respect our colleagues helps our people to perform at the best of their ability and realise their potential. 

Our open and accessible culture means you’ll interact with leaders who are interested in you and everything you bring to our firm. The things that set you apart, we value them. That’s why we give you the freedom to bring your whole self to work and pursue your passions inside and outside of work.  

Beyond the job   

Life is more than work. The things you do, and the people you’re with outside of work matter, that’s why we’re happy to look at flexible working options for all our roles, and we’ll always do our best to keep your work and life in balance. 

The impact you can make here will go far beyond your day job. From secondments, to fundraising for local charities, or investing in entrepreneurs in the developing world, you’ll be giving back to society. It’s that drive to do the right thing that runs through our every move, grounded in our CLEARR values – Collaboration, Leadership, Excellence, Agility, Respect and Responsibility.  

We’re looking for people who want to contribute, spark fresh ideas, and go beyond expectations. People who want to be able to proudly do what’s right, for the firm, our clients, our people, and themselves. It’s how it should be. 

#LI-KS