Business Development Manager at Ralds & Agate

Mission / Purpose of the Job

• The Business Development Manager is responsible for driving sustainable growth for the company’s Integrated Services by identifying, developing, and converting opportunities across the company’s integrated service offerings, with a particular focus on the trade of petroleum products and bunkering.
• The role focuses on consultative business development, strategic partnerships, client relationship management, and market expansion across public and private sector organizations.
• The role goes beyond traditional sales and requires the ability to understand client challenges, co-create solutions with internal teams, and position the company as a trusted partner in strategy, operations, people, and transformation initiatives.
• The ideal candidate will have prior exposure to the petroleum trading and/or bunker markets, with a strong understanding of market dynamics and an established network that can be leveraged to originate and advance business opportunities.

Job Responsibilities
Business Development Strategy & Planning:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive business development and growth strategy aligned with the company’s overall business objectives.
• Build and maintain a robust opportunity pipeline across the company’s integrated service lines.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to define commercial targets, growth priorities, and market focus areas.
• Conduct ongoing market intelligence, competitor analysis, and sector scanning to identify emerging opportunities.
• Contribute to the refinement of the company’s value propositions and service offerings based on market needs.

Client Development & Relationship Management:

• Build and sustain strong, long-term relationships with key decision-makers across public and private sector organizations.
• Position the company as a trusted advisor by deeply understanding client challenges and strategic priorities.
• Lead client engagement activities, including meetings, presentations, workshops, and proposal discussions.
• Maintain an accurate and up-to-date client and opportunity database.
• Establish structured feedback mechanisms to capture client insights and improve service delivery.

Sales and Marketing Function Leadership:

• Lead the development and maturation of the company’s sales and marketing function, ensuring a clear commercial strategy, defined priorities, and aligned execution across business lines.
• Translate the company’s growth strategy into actionable sales and marketing plans, targets, and initiatives.
• Provide leadership and direction to sales, marketing, and business development resources, including role clarity, coordination, and performance management.
• Establish clear sales processes, account ownership models, and pipeline management disciplines to drive consistent execution.
• Monitor team performance against agreed targets and KPIs, providing guidance, coaching, and corrective action where required.
• Ensure effective coordination between business development, delivery teams, and senior leadership to support winning and executing work.

Opportunity Identification & Solution Shaping:

• Identify and qualify new business opportunities across the company’s integrated services portfolio.
• Work closely with internal consulting and delivery teams to co-create tailored solutions that address client needs.
• Lead the development of proposals, expressions of interest, and commercial submissions.
• Support pricing, contract negotiations, and commercial structuring in collaboration with Finance and Legal.

Partnerships, Brand & Market Positioning:

• Identify, develop, and manage strategic partnerships that support the company’s growth and service delivery objectives.
• Support the company’s thought leadership efforts through industry engagement, events, and market-facing initiatives.
• Enhance the company’s brand visibility and positioning through targeted business development and relationship-building activities.

Sales Process & Performance Management:

• Manage and continuously improve the end-to-end business development process from lead generation to contract award.
• Track, analyze, and report on business development performance against agreed KPIs.
• Ensure compliance with internal governance, commercial approval processes, and ethical standards.
• Contribute to the development of BD tools, templates, and best practices.

Minimum & Preferred Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Management, or related discipline.
• A postgraduate qualification (MBA or relevant master’s degree) is an advantage
• Membership of relevant professional or industry bodies is desirable

Work Experience:

• 8–12 years post-graduation experience, with significant exposure to business development, consulting, or professional services.
• At least 3 years’ experience in management or a senior business development role.
• Proven track record of winning and managing complex, consultative engagements.
• Experience working across multiple sectors is an advantage

Competencies, Skills & Attributes:
Knowledge:

• Business development strategy and pipeline management.
• Petroleum trading and bunkering market dynamics.
• Commercial structuring and pricing principles.
• Market analysis and competitive positioning.

Skills:

• Strategic thinking and business planning
• Consultative selling and solution development
• Client relationship and stakeholder management
• Commercial negotiation and deal structuring
• Proposal development and presentation
• Networking and partnership building
• Financial and commercial analysis
• Revenue growth and opportunity management
• Strong communication and influencing skills
• Cross-functional collaboration and leadership

Behavioral Attributes:

• Results-driven and growth-focused
• High commercial acumen
• Strategic and forward-thinking
• Strong leadership presence
• Relationship-oriented and persuasive
• Resilient and adaptable
• Ethical and governance-conscious
• Proactive and execution-focused