Business Development Manager
The Missing Bean Company
About Us
Missing Bean is an independent Specialty Coffee Roasters with Cafés across Oxfordshire, and our own Roastery & Bakery in East Oxford. We’re a friendly, growing team who care about great coffee, good food, and creating places people want to come back to. As well as our own Cafés, we supply our coffee to a large range of wholesale clients across the country.
Role Overview
We are seeking a driven and commercially minded Sales Officer / Business Development Manager to support our next phase of growth. This role will focus on expanding our wholesale coffee business, while leading the rollout of our new chocolate range into independent retailers and, longer term, larger national accounts.
This is a relationship-led sales role combining new business development with hands-on account management and customer support. The successful candidate will play a key role in growing existing partnerships, developing new opportunities, and ensuring customers receive an exceptional experience with The Missing Bean brand.
This will be a hybrid role based out of our HQ in Oxford, with regular national travel and field-based work.
Key Responsibilities
Business Development & Sales
- Identify, target, and secure new wholesale coffee clients including cafés, hotels, golf courses, hospitality venues, offices, retailers, and other commercial partners
- Develop and manage a pipeline of prospective clients across the UK
- Arrange and attend meetings with potential customers to present products, discuss requirements, and build new business relationships
- Prepare and deliver proposals, pricing, presentations, and commercial pitches tailored to individual customer needs
- Negotiate commercial agreements and support onboarding of new accounts
- Represent the company at meetings, networking events, trade shows and industry functions
- Work towards agreed sales targets and growth objectives across both coffee and chocolate categories
Chocolate Range Expansion
- Lead the introduction of our chocolate range to independent retailers across Oxfordshire and the wider country
- Build strong relationships with local stockists and ensure successful product placement
- Gather feedback from retailers and customers to inform product and sales strategy
- Support the strategic goal of securing listings with larger retailers within the next 18 months
Account Management
- Build and maintain strong long-term relationships with new and existing wholesale customers
- Act as a key point of contact for customer support, product queries, and ongoing account development
- Carry out regular customer visits and check-ins to ensure satisfaction, strengthen relationships, and identify opportunities for growth
- Deliver coffee tastings, product demonstrations, and sampling sessions for both prospective and existing clients
- Provide barista training and ongoing coffee education to wholesale partners to help maintain quality and consistency
- Support customers with coffee setup, brew guidance, quality control, and general operational support where appropriate
- Work closely with customers to help them maximise product performance, customer engagement, and overall experience
- Monitor customer performance and proactively identify opportunities to expand product range, increase order volume, or introduce additional services
- Respond promptly and professionally to customer issues and feedback, ensuring high levels of service and retention
- Coordinate with internal teams including production, logistics, operations, and marketing to ensure a seamless customer experience
- Maintain organised customer records, visit notes, and account updates within the CRM system
Market Insight & Strategy
- Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and new opportunities
- Provide weekly sales reports, forecasts, and insights
- Maintain accurate CRM records and sales pipeline reporting.
- Contribute to the development of sales strategies and growth plans
About You
- Proven experience in sales, business development, or account management (ideally in food & beverage, hospitality, and similar sectors)
- Strong track record of winning new business and meeting sales targets
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills
- Self-motivated, proactive, and comfortable working independently in a field-based role
- Highly organised with strong time management skills
- Passion for quality products and customer experience
- Full, clean UK driving licence and willingness to travel regularly
Desirable
- Experience in coffee, hospitality, or artisan food sectors
- Understanding of wholesale supply chains
- Existing network within hotels, golf courses, restaurants, and the wider hospitality and retail sector.
- Experience using CRM sytems.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary + performance-based commission/bonus
- Company Car provided
- Travel expenses covered
- Opportunity to play a key role in a growing, ambitious business
- Scope to shape and grow a new product category within the company
- A flexible working environment
- Great coffee every day (HQ)
- Free/discounted food
- Staff discount across our retail range
- Casual Dress
- Sick pay above Statutory Minimum
Start date: ASAP
Pay: £40,000 with competitive Gross Profit Commission Structure, based on achieving agreed sales targets
Pay: £40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company car
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Sick pay
Application question(s):
- This role requires building relationships with hospitality and retail businesses. Can you give an example of how you've developed and grown a customer relationship that led to increased sales over time?
- This role involves regular travel and working independently across the UK. How have you organised your time, territory, or sales pipeline in previous roles to maximise your effectiveness?
- Tell us about a sales target you were responsible for. What was the target, how did you track your progress, and did you achieve it?
Experience:
- B2B sales and/or F&B sales: 1 year (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Oxford OX4 1RE
