At Managementors, our Business Development Executives play a pivotal role in shaping client relationships, opening doors to new sectors, and introducing organisations to the transformative work our consultants deliver. But what does the role really look like? Two of our team members, Joanna Woodgate and Georgia Francis, share their experiences and insights from life in the Business Development team.
Diverse Sectors, Constant Learning
Business development in a consultancy environment is fast-paced, dynamic, and rich with opportunities to learn. As Joanna Woodgate explains:
“When I first joined Managementors, I came from a background of business development and sales in the IT channel. Fast forward to present time, and I have been in my role just over a year now, and I am always learning new things about the sectors I cover.”
Exposure to such a wide range of industries is one of the elements that makes the role unique. Joanna continues:
“I gained totally new knowledge, booking meetings within Construction, Highways/Infrastructure, Defence, Logistics, Design Engineering, Financial Services and Nuclear/Energy for some leading tier 1 businesses. These are industries I now feel like I have a greater understanding about.”
The nature of the work also means that the world around you becomes more connected to your role:
“Some of our clients I notice more so now in everyday life which makes speaking to them even more relatable, be it a logistics lorry on the motorway, a highways contractor working on infrastructure, and my brother is in the army, so it’s been interesting to learn more about Defence which is his world!”
Building Relationships at Every Level
A key part of being a Business Development Executive is engaging with people, from operational leaders to the C-suite executives. Joanna notes:
“I have had the opportunity to join sales meetings with C-suite executives alongside our Practice Directors and attended Space Comm this year, a Defence and Aerospace event in London.”
For Georgia Francis, who joined from a background in recruitment and sales, the relationship-building aspect is one of the most rewarding parts of the job:
“Having previously worked in recruitment and sales, moving to Managementors has taught me a lot about different sectors I hadn’t worked with before. It’s been great to build my knowledge on these sectors and network with senior leaders of large, medium and smaller companies.”
She adds:
“Being the first point of contact with senior leaders and CEOs and building relationships while helping these companies to achieve their performance goals is very rewarding.”
A Supportive Environment and a Collaborative Culture
One of the standout aspects of the role at Managementors is the collaborative approach between teams. Joanna reflects on the support she receives from across the business:
“I also know I can ask my peers in the business their thoughts and gain mindshare from our consultants that have worked on our projects, someone can always share insight which helps me in my role when pitching.”
This culture of knowledge-sharing not only supports personal development but enhances the quality of conversations we have with clients.
A Role That Evolves Every Day
No two days are the same in business development, which is exactly what many of our team members thrive on. Joanna summarises it perfectly:
“Every day is different, and I always find I learn something new which is what I enjoy. I also love networking and speaking to people to understand their priorities and build relationships”.
