Business Development Manager (£40,000 4 days per week)
Immediate is home to some of the biggest and most loved consumer brands in the UK, including Radio Times, Good Food and BBC Gardeners World magazine. Our trusted, quality content reaches millions of people a month across digital, print, video, podcasts, apps and live events.
We’re the destination for people looking to get more from the things they love. We’re here to inspire, fuel, encourage and educate.
Whether it’s the big things, or the little things; from reaching fitness goals to savouring good food, cultivating outdoor spaces, or enjoying the latest TV sensation – we help bring our audiences joy!
About the role
As a BDM, IMDirect you are responsible and accountable for driving advertising revenue across our market leading brand BBC Gardeners’ World and where relevant our other titles including Good Food, Olive, History Extra, MadeForMums and Radio Times. You will work to a set target and be focused on driving triple digit digital growth across your patch, selling cross-platform solutions to your clients including digital display, native, email, video, audio and print.
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You will focus on new business, uncovering and converting leads into repeat customers through a consultative approach and best-in-class account management. You will target SME clients and where relevant PR agencies. BDMs focus on deeply understanding the businesses and challenges of the clients within their patch, both core and non-core, identifying and pitching relevant, winning solutions.
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You will be a key part of our award winning IMDirect team, a supportive and ambitious team with a combined purpose of driving digital growth across all our brands, whilst maximising print opportunities. The team is focused on growing average deal sizes and repeat business aswell as a very strong focus on generating new business to hit stretching digital targets.
- You will work hand in hand with the Client leads and editors within the Gardening Group to grow your sector expertise, take on larger scale SME clients and develop your digital knowledge, sales ability and approach. You will work in close partnership with our delivery teams to ensure campaigns are fully optimised and deliver the best results, with the aim of securing high renewal rates.
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You will be fully aware of our whole portfolio, products and services and seek out incremental opportunities to sell across all our brands and products where relevant.
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You will report into the Head of Clients, Gardening, and work closely with them to develop your client strategy and plan for success not only for your brand and portfolio but the wider IMDirect team too.
You’ll love this role if;
You are a pro-active self-starter, who is consultative, competitive and ambitious – ambitious to learn and develop as well as to win. If you are a collaborative team player who will push themselves and others, who embraces challenging targets, change and progress and fully enjoys the ride along the way then please get in touch.
As a BDM, IMDirect you will;
- Develop and implement a strategy to achieve and exceed set budgets, updating and sharing quarterly
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Produce high quality proposals that reflect an understanding of an advertisers KPI’s and utilise the most effective solutions from our range of platforms and products
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Ensure that all competitor leads across print and digital are always understood, chased, followed up and transparently reported on
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Ensure all renewals are effectively managed, working closely with our delivery teams
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Work to a minimum agreed level of meetings, calls and activities each week and attend relevant industry events, conferences and social events
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Ensure that all bookings, proposals and contact reports are entered on our CRMwith accurate IOs and all invoice queries are dealt with in a timely manner and ensure all other admin systems are always fully updated
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Maintain a transparent and healthy pipeline, sharing all information with key stakeholders and produce accurate weekly forecasts
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Act as an ambassador for your team internally and on behalf of Immediate externally
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Pick up the reporting and responsibilities in the absence of the Head of Clients, Gardening
Requirements
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You will need to meet these requirements to be considered for the role:
- Client direct digital sales experience, with a proven ability to generate new business
- Experience of a multi-platform sell environment, preferably to SMEs and including video, audio, print
- Experience of dealing with independent PR agencies preferable, with relevant contacts a benefit
- Proven capability of succeeding in a high volume, high pressure, competitive, new business focused sales environment
- Incredibly pro-active and resilient, with the ability to remain positive and optimistic despite challenging market conditions
- An understanding of our vertical categories with a continuous desire to learn and develop
- Strong numeracy and negotiation skills
- Exceptional communication and relationship building skills
- Consistently demonstrate a deeply collaborative approach across all teams
- Proven ability to pro-actively deal with challenging situations and demonstrate a positive mindset towards problem solving
- Exceptional ability to excite and engage clients with relevant or new ideas
- Pro-active approach with a drive for results and strong desire to win
- Exceptional presentation skills
- Team player with a fun and hardworking attitude
- Ability to test and learn at pace and adapt quickly and positively to change
- Understanding of the SME and media landscape including current market pressures and trends that are likely to affect SME businesses
- Able to manage relationships with multiple stakeholders
- Proven ability to deliver against stretching financial targets
Evidence of the ability to think strategically, of being able to plan and execute an effective go to market strategy and of putting in place the processes to support this.
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Benefits
- A relaxed working environment with regular socials including a summer festival
- Supportive well-being initiatives and benefits, talks & workshops, and Mental Health First aiders & Champions
- 25 days holiday plus a day for your birthday. Our offices will be closed between Christmas and New Year’s which are in addition to your annual entitlement
- Tailored training and development through both our inhouse learning platform and LinkedIn Learning
- A progressive and transparent culture focused on your development
- Flexible / hybrid working plus early finish Fridays
- Cycle to work scheme
- Enhanced Family Policies including paternity, adoption and surrogacy leave. We also provide a pregnancy loss, fertility, and carers policy
- Competitive pension plans and Life Assurance
- A newly renovated modern office with lots of collaborative spaces
At Immediate, we pride ourselves on our open, collaborative, and dynamic culture that empowers our people to thrive and give their best. We care deeply about our people, environment, and impact. Our active Diversity & Inclusion network, comprehensive well-being programs, and clear sustainability strategies reflect this commitment.
People are at the heart of our business and creating a diverse and inclusive working environment is extremely important to us. Immediate is an equal opportunities employer. We’ll never treat anyone less favourably because of their sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marital/civil partnerships, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, age, religion or belief or disability. We’re also committed to supporting applications from those who are returning to work following a career break, maternity leave or caring responsibilities.
Immediate is a place where you can grow, be supported, and make a difference
