Business Development Executive

Darlington, Co Durham, North East

Salary is £28,500 to £38,000 basic (OTE £42,000 to £54,000) Full Time Permanent 4.5 day week starting in July 2025

This organisation is dedicated to fostering a thriving work environment and has been recognised as a "Sunday Times Top 100 Best Places to Work" 2024. Look at what they offer:

* Career Development: Excellent opportunities for advancement with clear career paths, comprehensive training, ongoing support, and personalised professional development investments (including public speaking and presentation skills coaching).

* Culture & Work-Life Balance: A positive and supportive atmosphere with regular social events, a 4.5-day working week with an early Friday finish, a generous holiday allowance (starting at 25 days and increasing with service), no weekend or Bank Holiday work, full office closure over the Christmas and New Year period, an additional annual "Life Event Day," and a holiday buy/sell scheme.

* Health & Wellbeing: Free, confidential mental health support, access to wellbeing initiatives (including sessions with specialists), discounted local gym memberships, and enhanced maternity and paternity leave (after a qualifying period).

* Recognition & Engagement: A reward scheme for excellent work, regular team breakfasts, competitions, engagement days, and an annual Volunteer Day (Volunteer for a charity/cause you care about)

Our Darlington based "Outstanding" Training Provider are looking for driven individuals to join their sales team as Business Development Executives (various levels). This office-based role offers the possibility of hybrid working after probationary period.

The company champions professional development through work-based learning programmes. Whether you are focused on building client relationships or leading complex sales strategies, they provide a supportive pathway for your career growth at both the Business Development Executive and Senior Business Development Executive levels. Across both levels, your focus will be on driving employer engagement, generating high quality opportunities and promoting our clients digital apprenticeships as strategic workforce solutions. As you progress, you will take on greater ownership of your pipeline, improve commercial decision making and influence wider sales strategy.

Do you have a background/experience in consultative sales, business development, recruitment, b2b sales and now looking for a career move into the exciting world of apprenticeships and training?

The Role:

You will be instrumental in driving engagement with businesses, generating valuable opportunities, and promoting their digitally-focused training solutions as key workforce development tools. Responsibilities will grow with experience, encompassing greater ownership of the sales pipeline, enhanced commercial decision-making, and the opportunity to influence broader sales strategies.

Business Development Executive:

* Develop foundational sales skills and establish a strong client portfolio within the small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) market.

* Aim to secure 3 programme placements per month.

* Convert leads provided by the internal lead generation team into successful client partnerships.

* Proactively generate at least 1 self-sourced meeting and successfully convert 1 inbound lead each month.

* Adhere to a structured sales process and utilise CRM systems to effectively manage your pipeline.

* Employ the company's technology suite (including specific platforms) to manage and nurture potential clients.

* Utilise social media and personal branding to cultivate trust and credibility within your target market.

* Present tailored proposals using pre-qualified lead information.

* Learn and consistently apply effective consultative selling techniques.

* Develop comprehensive product knowledge to articulate the benefits of their programmes.

* Enhance your commercial acumen by actively seeking and applying feedback to achieve improvement goals.

Senior Business Development Executive:

* Manage intricate sales processes, effectively influence key stakeholders, and independently build a robust sales pipeline.

* Target 4 programme placements per month.

* Secure at least 2 self-sourced meetings and successfully convert 2 inbound leads each month.

* Independently identify and pursue new business opportunities.

* Personalise and lead end-to-end sales conversations with decision-making personnel.

* Essential Skills and Experience:

* A strong passion for customer-focused consultative sales.

* Excellent verbal and written communication skills with clarity and confidence.

* Proven ability to follow established sales processes and constructively respond to feedback.

* Strong organisational and time management capabilities.

* Confidence in presenting to and negotiating with business stakeholders.

his is an exciting opportunity to join a people-centric organisation with ambitious growth plans. If you are looking for a meaningful career with significant opportunities for development, apply now to be part of their journey.

To apply for the role of Business Development Executive, Darlington, please email your cv to

Tina Lacey Recruitment is a specialist recruitment agency dedicated to the skills, training and employability sector nationwide. We are committed to giving full free pre-interview advice and guidance right throughout the interview process