Business Development Manager Apprenticeship

Business Development Manager Apprenticeship

As a business development manager, you will identify new business opportunities to generate revenue, increase profitability, and help the firm expand.

Your job may include rigorous strategic planning and market positioning, as well as increasing the company’s operation, position, or reputation in some way.

In the organisation, you may have a single role or be in charge of a team of personnel. Your position will often have an impact on all elements of the business.

Responsibilities

Throughout your apprenticeship, you may help:

  • research organisations to find new customers
  • ‘cold call’ to arrange meetings at customers’ premises
  • find out what an organisation needs and plan proposals and pricing
  • sell products and services to new and existing customers
  • negotiate with customers and build positive relationships
  • attend events and conferences
  • write reports and make presentations to customers and senior management
  • identify new methods and opportunities for sales campaigns
  • forecast sales targets and make sure they’re met
  • run training for business developers and junior sales teams.

Salary

  • Your starting salary as an apprentice business development manager will be in the region of £24,000 to £26,000.
  • At mid-management level with several years’ experience, you can expect to earn between £30,000 and £60,000, depending on the region and sector you work in.
  • As a senior business development manager or business director, it’s possible to earn around £80,000.

Working hours

You’ll usually work a regular 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday week, though you may on occasion have to work longer to meet a project deadline or when attending an event or conference.

Working environment

You could work at a client’s business or in an office.

Qualifications

Qualifications you can achieve as an apprentice business development manager include:

  • Level 6 Business to business Sales ProfessionalEntry requirements for this level include 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship. This qualification will take 36 months to complete.

Skills

On a business development manager apprenticeship, you’ll learn:

  • the ability to sell products and services
  • business management skills
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • leadership skills
  • customer service skills
  • persuading skills
  • ambition and a desire to succeed
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently.

Employers

Business development managers work in a wide range of enterprises and organisations in public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Employers are often larger organisations that can invest time and money in expanding their business. However, in smaller organisations, business development is usually handled as a secondary function in broader responsibilities.

Common types of employers include:

  • banks and other financial institutions
  • education institutions
  • IT companies
  • pharmaceutical companies
  • telecommunications and technology firms
  • the NHS and other healthcare providers.

Professional development

Because business development is such a broad subject, there are several paths you may take to shape and expand your career, depending on your interests and goals.

Although you will get most of your training on the job, various relevant courses are available, including Level 2 and Level 3 courses in business principles, sales and marketing, and sales management.

The Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) provides information about various business, management, and leadership certifications and apprenticeships.

It is possible to switch employment and sectors, either specialising further or shifting to a larger organisation with a broader mission or worldwide connections.

Finally, your desires and objectives will determine your progress. Again, there is no established structure, but there are various ways to get greater responsibility and better pay.

Career prospects

Business management is practised in various sectors, towns, cities, and organisations. As a result, there are several prospects for promotion.

You may specialise in a single field, such as information technology or healthcare, or a specific area, such as sales or marketing.

You might progress to the senior business development manager position, in control of a bigger team or department with more ambitious goals. Then, with sufficient experience, you can progress to the director position.

Working for a multinational corporation permits you to go internationally. For example, you may travel and work in your company’s foreign divisions for brief periods, or you may be able to apply for a permanent abroad transfer or to a different firm.

There is also the possibility of going into consulting and advising a range of firms. You may even establish your own business development consultancy.

Updated on December 30, 2022

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