Business Development Manager Job at Guildford Full Time NEW

As our new Business Development Manager, you’ll play a pivotal role in delivering growth with highly effective business development, exploration of opportunities through our development business throughout the region and your own strategic leads in Kent, South London and East Sussex.

Reporting to the Regional Head of New Business, you will be responsible for business development in your area, focused on developing customer relationships and securing opportunities. Focus is on Accelerated procurement, ECI, 2 stage tendering, and Willmott Dixon Developments opportunities.

Your work will directly influence how we position ourselves via frameworks and the open market to build long-term relationships with our customers. You’ll engage closely with new and existing customers, understanding their needs and guiding them through early project stages to shape the right solutions. By nurturing meaningful relationships and applying a strategic mindset, you’ll help ensure we are known, trusted and well-placed to win repeat and new business opportunities across the South region.

Working collaboratively with colleagues in Preconstruction, Operations, Commercial and our Frameworks Team, you’ll ensure that opportunities align with regional priorities. You’ll also use your market insight to anticipate trends, support pipeline development and ensure our teams are equipped with the intelligence they need to succeed.

NB. This role covers South London, Kent and East Sussex region of England. We are flexible on the base location of the successful candidate which could be either Weybridge or Dartford offices; but due to the nature of the role, travel across the region will be required.

Key Responsibilities/Deliverables:

• Identify, create and secure work-winning opportunities with new and existing customers in South London, Kent and East Sussex.
• Build strong, trusted relationships with customers, consultants, framework providers and industry partners.
• Support early-stage engagement, shaping briefs and developing customer-focused solutions during feasibility and pre-positioning stages.
• Use Customer Account Management (CAMs) processes to maintain visibility of opportunities and strengthen the pipeline.
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure bids and proposals align with customer requirements, insight and regional strategy.
• Monitor market trends and provide insight to inform strategy, positioning and marketing content.
• Support and facilitate stakeholder events, presentations and workshops.
• Maintain accurate and timely management information across all accounts and frameworks.

Essential Skills:

• Proven business development experience with a track record of creating and converting opportunities.
• Experience managing or delivering within frameworks.
• Excellent communication, presentation and influencing skills.
• Ability to build and nurture strong internal and external relationships.
• Confident engaging with customers at all stages of the project lifecycle.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage reporting and pipeline information effectively.
• Understanding of construction markets, customer drivers and emerging sector trends.
• Collaborative approach, able to work with diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Full UK driving licence.

Desirable Skills:

• Degree-level education or equivalent.
• Experience within the construction or built environment sectors.
• Ability to shape compelling narratives and communicate complex information simply.

About Us:

With over 170 years of rich history, Willmott Dixon’s purpose is beyond profit; delivering brilliant buildings, transforming lives, strengthening communities and enhancing the environment so our world is fit for future generations. Ensuring that we add lasting value to the neighbourhoods we work in; our values, people, innovation, partnerships and focus on sustainability has allowed us to build a successful and solid privately owned business where our people can thrive.

Willmott Dixon was recognised by The Sunday Times as one of the Top 10 “Big” Companies to Work For in 2025, named among the Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality in 2024, and ranked in the Top Five of Europe’s 1,000 best workplaces by the Financial Times in 2025.

Willmott Dixon is also the first major contractor and developer to win a King’s Award for Enterprise in the category of sustainable development.