Business Development Manager

Business Development Manager3+ years experience (in a Creative Agency)£40k basic (exp depending, open to conversations)+ Uncapped Commission _(% of work brought in)_Manchester | Hybrid _(3 days in-studio, 2 days WFH)_9.30 – 5.30

We’re Persona.Studio, a purpose-driven design studio working across outdoor, luxury retail, hospitality, and the arts. We believe in thoughtful, impactful design and a collaborative, supportive work culture.

Who We’re Looking For

A proactive and commercially driven Business Development Manager to help grow our client base and identify new opportunities and clients to work with. This role is ideal for someone with proven experience generating leads, nurturing relationships, and converting opportunities within a creative, marketing, or design-agency environment.

What We Offer

A flexible, fair, and inclusive workplace

A commitment to sustainability and ethical design

A team that values diverse perspectives and fresh ideas

We welcome applications from all backgrounds if you feel you’d be a great fit, we’d love to hear from you.

Responsibilities

• Identify, research, and pursue new business opportunities across target sectors.
• Build and maintain relationships with prospective clients through outreach, networking, and follow-up.
• Qualify leads and manage a structured new-business pipeline using CRM tools.
• Prepare and deliver compelling credentials, proposals, and pitches with the support of the creative team.
• Collaborate with internal teams to understand capabilities and shape solutions that meet client needs.
• Track performance against monthly/quarterly new-business targets.
• Represent the agency at industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities.
• Provide regular reporting on pipeline health, outreach activity, and revenue forecasts.

Expectations

• 3+ years experience in business development or sales within a creative, marketing, or design based environment.
• A strong understanding of design/branding services and how they solve business challenges.
• Confident communicator with excellent presentation and storytelling skills.
• Comfortable managing a pipeline end to end from prospecting to closing deals.
• Self-motivated, organised, and able to work independently while collaborating closely with the team.
• Able to meet or exceed revenue targets and KPIs.
• A positive, resilient approach to new-business activity, including outreach and follow-up.
• Familiarity with CRM systems and structured sales processes.