Regional Business Development Manager

Materials Handling

Location: Northampton & Leicester

Salary: Circa £30,000 + Commission + Benefits

Hours: Full-Time (40 hours per week, Monday–Friday)

About the Role

We are recruiting for a Regional Business Development Manager to join a growing materials handling business covering the Northampton and Leicester area.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to build a career in sales, with a clear progression path into an Area Sales Manager role.

You’ll be responsible for getting out into the local market, identifying new customers, starting conversations, and creating new business opportunities across the region. You’ll be meeting businesses face-to-face, understanding their requirements, and introducing them to a range of forklift and materials handling solutions.

You don’t need previous forklift or materials handling experience for this role. We’re more interested in someone who is driven, confident, resilient, and hungry to succeed in sales.

Smaller opportunities will be progressed directly, whilst larger sales and hire opportunities will be qualified and passed across to the Area Sales Managers to develop and close.

This is a field-based role with plenty of autonomy, customer interaction, and the opportunity to develop your sales skills within an established and growing business.

Key Responsibilities

• Generate new business through proactive prospecting and face-to-face customer visits
• Identify and approach potential new customers across the territory
• Door knock, network, generate referrals, and carry out local market research
• Build relationships with new and existing customers
• Understand customer requirements and identify opportunities for forklift hire, sales, service, and parts
• Follow up leads and maintain regular contact with prospects
• Prepare quotations and progress suitable opportunities through to agreement
• Identify and qualify larger opportunities before handing them over to the Area Sales Managers
• Gather market and customer information to identify new opportunities
• Maintain accurate records of customer contact, prospecting activity, opportunities, and follow-ups on the CRM
• Use CRM information to manage your pipeline and prioritise activity
• Plan your territory effectively and manage your own diary and customer call cycle
• Work closely with the wider sales team to maximise opportunities

About You

• Previous experience in sales, business development, customer service, recruitment, retail, or another customer-facing role would be beneficial
• Confident approaching new people and starting conversations
• Comfortable speaking to customers at different levels
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Driven and motivated by achieving targets and winning new business
• Resilient and able to deal with rejection
• Proactive and willing to get out into the market and create opportunities
• Commercially aware with an interest in understanding customer needs
• Good organisational and time management skills
• Confident using Microsoft Office, email, and CRM systems
• Full UK driving licence
• Materials handling or forklift industry experience would be advantageous but is not essential
• Most importantly, you’ll have the right attitude, work ethic, and willingness to learn

What’s on Offer

• Circa £30,000 basic salary
• Commission scheme
• 24 days holiday + bank holidays
• Company pension scheme
• Full training and ongoing personal development
• Clear progression opportunities into an Area Sales Manager role
• Recognition scheme with annual awards ceremony
• Bi-annual company socials
• Supportive, family-focused working environment

Why Join?

This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to build a career in sales rather than simply take their next job.

You’ll receive training and support while learning the materials handling industry, developing your sales skills, building your own customer base, and working alongside experienced Area Sales Managers.

If you’re ambitious, competitive, enjoy meeting people, and want a role where your hard work can directly impact your progression and earning potential, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply Now

If you are interested in this position, please contact Alex Connolly on 01254 781300.

SER-IN