Senior Business Development Manager

Description

Open doors. Mobilise the best of Willis. Win complex, high-value corporate relationships.

This is a senior, 100% new-business role for an accomplished corporate hunter. You will originate and convert large corporate opportunities, engaging C-suite buyers on their most important risk and business priorities.

You will combine your own networking and origination capability with the benefit of Willis prospect engagement and lead-generation programmes, supported by marketing campaigns, thought leadership, client training and events. Success also requires strategic sales leadership: navigating a complex global organisation and assembling the right specialists, insight and solutions from across Willis to create a compelling reason for clients to change.

You will own the full new-business cycle, from prospect prioritisation and first access through to pursuit, negotiation and close. You will combine your own networks and origination skills with Willis prospect-engagement and lead-generation programmes, Marketing campaigns, thought leadership, training and events.

You will also benefit from access and opportunities created through Global Networks, Industry teams, Specialty businesses, Private Equity relationships and wider centres of influence. There is no inherited client portfolio or ongoing account-management responsibility.

The Role

• Hunt and originate: Build and activate a high-quality pipeline of net-new large corporate opportunities through your own targeted prospecting and senior networks, alongside Willis-generated leads, market intelligence, referrals and centres of influence.

• Create C-suite relevance: Engage senior executives and buying groups in commercially valuable conversations that connect risk, people and capital priorities to their corporate strategy.

• Develop account-winning strategies: Create rigorous prospect plans, stakeholder maps, value hypotheses and pursuit strategies for a concentrated number of high-potential organisations.

• Mobilise Willis: Work across Global Networks, Industry teams, Specialty businesses, Private Equity relationships, geographies and specialist disciplines to turn the firm’s relationships and capabilities into coordinated prospect access and compelling client propositions.

• Create market engagement: Work closely with Marketing and subject-matter experts to convert campaigns, thought leadership, training programmes, events and insight into relevant conversations with priority prospects.

• Lead the pursuit: Take ownership of the full sales cycle, including qualification, discovery, solution design, competitive positioning, bid strategy, presentations, negotiation and close.

• Shape differentiated propositions: Translate complex client needs into a clear executive narrative, measurable value case and compelling reason to appoint Willis.

• Navigate complex buying environments: Build consensus across multiple stakeholders, understand decision dynamics, maintain access to power and manage long, non-linear sales cycles.

• Drive commercial discipline: Maintain accurate CRM, pipeline, next-step and forecast information; qualify opportunities thoughtfully; and focus resources where Willis has a credible path to win.

• Protect quality and reputation: Operate in line with regulatory requirements, internal policies and the highest standards of professional conduct.

Qualifications

What you’ll bring

• A proven hunter: A sustained record of personally originating and winning significant new corporate clients, complemented by the ability to make the most of firm-generated leads and relationships.

• C-suite credibility: The presence, curiosity and commercial judgement to earn the attention of senior executives and challenge their thinking constructively.

• Strategic sales capability: Experience of complex, consultative or solution-led selling involving multiple decision-makers, long sales cycles and high-value outcomes.

• Enterprise orchestration: The ability to work across a broad matrix organisation, align senior internal stakeholders and turn diverse technical capabilities into a coherent client proposition.

• Executive storytelling: The ability to simplify complexity, frame a strong value case and lead persuasive meetings, workshops, proposals and pitches.

• Commercial resilience: Energy, pace and persistence, coupled with the judgement to qualify out, change approach or escalate when required.

• Market perspective: Strong knowledge of the UK large corporate environment. Experience may have been built in insurance, risk, a major advisory firm, banking, professional services or another complex B2B market. What matters most is your ability to access senior decision-makers, create relevant strategic conversations and convert relationships into new business.

• Sales discipline: Confidence using CRM, structured qualification, account planning, pipeline management and forecast processes.

We are deliberately open-minded about where the right person may have built their career. The common thread will be a strong record of opening senior-level conversations, creating commercial opportunities and earning the confidence of large corporate decision-makers:

• Major advisory and professional services leaders: Individuals from major advisory, consulting, accounting, legal or other professional services firms who have developed trusted C-suite relationships and enjoy turning those relationships into strategic opportunities.

• Senior banking and financial services professionals: People who have worked with large corporate clients in banking, transaction services, corporate finance or related fields and bring strong networks across boards, executive teams and senior decision-makers.

• Established corporate networkers: Commercial leaders from insurance, risk, industry, technology or other complex B2B markets who are known for opening doors, building credibility quickly and connecting client needs with a broad range of capabilities.

• Experienced leaders seeking a fresh challenge: Professionals with significant career experience who want to apply their relationships, judgement and commercial energy in a new setting, while continuing to build, originate and win rather than moving into a purely advisory or portfolio role.

Why join us

• Lead high-profile pursuits and make a direct contribution to the growth of our Corporate Risk and Broking business.

• Combine the autonomy of a senior hunter with established lead-generation support, market relationships and world-leading expertise across people, risk and capital.

• Work with Marketing, Global Networks, Industry and Specialty teams, Private Equity colleagues and other talented specialists to create access, solve complex client challenges and build distinctive, insight-led propositions.

• Join a high-performing, inclusive team with a strong culture of support, development and shared success.

• Benefit from flexible working arrangements shaped around client and team needs.

What we offer

Enjoy a generous benefits package designed to help you thrive, both professionally and personally. You'll receive 25 days of annual leave plus an extra WTW day to relax and recharge. Our comprehensive health and wellbeing offering includes private healthcare, life insurance, group income protection, and regular health assessments, all giving you peace of mind. Secure your future with our defined contribution pension scheme, featuring matched contributions up to 10% from the company.

We support your growth and balance with hybrid working options, paid professional memberships, access to an employee assistance programme, and a fully paid volunteer day to make a difference in your community. On top of these, you can opt into a variety of additional perks including an electric vehicle car scheme, share scheme, cycle-to-work programme, dental and optical cover, critical illness protection, and much more. Start making the most of your career and wellbeing with a range of benefits tailored for you.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We’re committed to equal employment opportunity and provide application, interview and workplace adjustments and accommodations to all applicants. If you foresee any barriers, from the application process through to joining WTW, please email candidatehelpdesk@wtwco.com