The Senior Business Development Executive is responsible for driving revenue growth across a defined portfolio of Tier 2–4 commercial accounts within the UK and Ireland through the proactive management and development of existing customer relationships and the identification of new business opportunities.
Working across a range of commercial sectors, the role focuses on developing qualified sales opportunities, growing existing accounts and positioning SANS as a trusted partner for cyber security training, certifications and workforce development. The Senior Business Development Executive will work closely with the wider UK & Ireland Sales Team to deliver exceptional customer experiences, generate pipeline and contribute to the achievement of regional sales targets and strategic objectives.
Account Management (Tier 2 – 4 Accounts)
- Develop and manage a portfolio of Tier 2–4 commercial accounts across the UK and Ireland.
- Conduct regular customer account reviews to identify opportunities for growth and strengthen customer relationships.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with existing, former and prospective customers through regular engagement.
- Develop an understanding of customer business priorities and position SANS solutions to support their cyber security capability and workforce development objectives.
- Deliver an exceptional customer experience throughout the sales lifecycle.
Business Development (Tier 2 – 4 Accounts)
- Convert qualified inbound leads into sales opportunities across assigned accounts.
- Proactively identify and develop new business opportunities within existing and prospective customers.
- Execute outbound business development campaigns using telephone, email, LinkedIn and other sales channels.
- Promote the full SANS portfolio of training, certifications and cyber security solutions.
- Develop and maintain a robust sales pipeline through Salesforce.
- Prepare accurate monthly sales forecasts in line with agreed business processes.
- Follow market trends and emerging cyber security developments to identify new commercial opportunities and translate these into customer-focused solutions.
Customer Engagement & Event Support
- Promote SANS training events, webinars and initiatives to customers across the UK and Ireland.
- Invite key customers and prospects to relevant SANS events and executive briefings.
- Conduct follow-up activity with delegates following events to identify new sales opportunities.
- Maintain regular contact with previous delegates to encourage continued engagement with SANS programmes.
- Support SANS events and industry conferences where required, representing the organisation professionally.
Sales Execution & Commercial Administration
- Manage sales opportunities through the CRM system (Salesforce), ensuring customer and pipeline data remains accurate and up to date.
- Prepare quotations, proposals and supporting commercial documentation.
- Support tender responses, framework submissions and customer procurement activities where appropriate.
- Monitor invoice queries and support timely resolution of outstanding customer payments in collaboration with Finance.
- Produce sales reports and pipeline updates for the UK & Ireland Sales Leadership Team.
- Continuously identify opportunities to improve sales processes and customer engagement.
Performance & Contribution
- Deliver agreed sales targets, KPIs and business objectives.
- Maintain high levels of commercial professionalism and customer service.
- Collaborate effectively with Business Development Managers, Customer Success, Marketing and other internal stakeholders.
- Promote the SANS brand, mission and values in all customer interactions.
- Undertake additional responsibilities appropriate to the role.
Essential
Experience
- Proven experience in business development, inside sales, account management or customer success.
- Demonstrable experience of developing customer relationships and generating sales opportunities.
- Experience working in a target-driven commercial environment.
- Experience managing customer information using CRM platforms (Salesforce preferred).
- Experience preparing quotations, proposals or commercial documentation.
Knowledge
- Understanding of consultative selling and account management principles.
- Knowledge of sales processes and pipeline management.
- Understanding of customer relationship management best practice.
Skills
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to build and maintain effective client relationships.
- Strong relationship-building and customer engagement skills.
- Excellent planning, organisation and sales forecasting skills.
- Commercial awareness and negotiation ability.
- Strong organisational and time management skills.
- High level of attention to detail and administrative accuracy.
- Strong objection handling and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage multiple opportunities simultaneously.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.
- Ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively within a team.
Personal Attributes
- Customer-focused, with a commitment to delivering outstanding service.
- Self-motivated and results driven.
- Professional, confident and credible.
- Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced sales environment.
- Collaborative and supportive team player.
- Proactive with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
- Flexible and willing to travel throughout the UK and Ireland to attend customer meetings and SANS events.
Education/Qualifications
-
Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
Desirable
Experience
- Experience selling technology, cyber security, professional services or learning solutions.
- Experience managing commercial customer accounts.
- Experience supporting marketing campaigns, customer events or lead generation activities.
Knowledge
- Knowledge of the Cyber Security sector, including current market trends and customer challenges.
- Knowledge of the UK and Ireland commercial market.
Skills
-
Proficient in Salesforce and Tableau.
SANS Institute (SANS) launched in 1989 as a cooperative for information security thought leadership, it is SANS’ ongoing mission to empower cyber security professionals with the practical skills and knowledge they need to make our world a safer place. We fuel this effort with high quality training, certifications, scholarship academies, degree programs, cyber ranges, and resources to meet the needs of every cyber professional. Our data, research, and the top minds in cybersecurity collectively ensure that individuals and organizations have the actionable education and support they need.
Join the SANS Team
At SANS, our culture is defined by Mission, Brand, People. Our goal is to hire people who understand the importance of continuing to fight against the cyber security threats (Mission) while delivering the highest quality training (Brand) to our students. We want employees whose personal values align well with our culture of fairness, honesty, customer focus, and pragmatic approach (People).
