Business Development Manager

About Us

Here at Travel Counsellors, our customers, communities and colleagues lie at the heart of everything that we do - and that’s what makes us special. For us, relationships come before transactions, and we are there for our customers, connecting with them on a deeply human level through the moments that matter.

We’ve been changing lives for the past 30 years as the leading travel marketplace for self-employed travel entrepreneurs, empowering over 2,000 global independent travel agents to run successful leisure and corporate travel businesses. We pride ourselves in remaining a company that truly cares and one that has never wavered from its purpose; to redefine what personal means for a travel business.

Our Travel Counsellors are supported by a team of over 400 super talented people in our Support Offices to help them create unique, inspiring and exciting experiences for their customers, whilst building lasting personal relationships that bring them back to us, time and time again.

Our unique approach within the workplace – as well as towards customers – has seen us receive numerous awards and accolades, including being named as The Best Place to Work in Travel at the 2022 TTG Travel Industry Awards, placing in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work list 2023 and 2024 (Large Company) as well as being the first travel company to be awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category!

We are currently expanding at a phenomenal rate – on the back of what is our record year in terms of revenue (over £930m) - and so are looking for outstanding individuals to join our dedicated Head Office team, to help the company continue to flourish.

Role Overview

The purpose of the Corporate BDM role is to ensure continued growth and further market share in the SME business travel sector by raising our profile and winning new business. New client acquisition will:

• Build the portfolios of our new and existing Corporate TC’s
• Continue to build on our YoY growth rate
• Enhance and develop our brand into the wider SME sector
• Continue to evolve our TC Teams offering allowing TC’s to ‘grow and scale’

Travel Counsellors for Business offers a truly unique travel management proposition for the SME market providing highly personalised, concierge like travel management, currently ranked as a top 20 TMC in the UK and growing at a rate of 20%+ YoY.

Our corporate travel business is a key growth pillar and has a vast amount of market headroom to improve and expand (£2bn+), therefore it is crucial we find the right person to play a pivotal role in the continued growth of our corporate travel business. You will be responsible for developing and winning new business opportunities, ranging from £50k to £3m.Managing the full sales cycle including sourcing leads, identifying the client requirements, presenting / meeting, closing, implementing, and allocating to a Corporate Travel Counsellor; whilst further developing a deeply professional relationship with the client.

Key Responsibilities

• Build the portfolios of ambitious entrepreneurs, by inserting new accounts to truly change their lives and scale their businesses
• Currently working for a Travel Management Company in a similar role with significant experience in a sales driven environment.
• Generate new leads by cold calling key decision makers
• Development of client solution proposal in conjunction with internal support teams
• Determining key stakeholders and proactively building relationships
• Building and leveraging internal relationships to achieve outcomes
• Management of sales proposals and RFP documentation
• Plans and manages their time to ensure a consistent business pipeline to achieve sales targets
• Management of prospect relationship data into CRM system
• Attending networking and key corporate business events such as the Business Travel Show
• Maintaining a strong relationship with won accounts through regular contact and meetings
• Supporting the wider corporate travel team, and Corporate Travel Counsellors
• Engage with and support the growth of our relationship through our global partner, GlobalStar
• Liaison to internal departments such as finance, legal, IT etc.
• Is driven to achieve targets
• At this stage, 100% of our business is managed through a high touch, concierge style approach. TCFB have an OBT but it’s important that the successful candidate can identify prospects that value relationships and service over technology.

Personal Attributes Required

• You will be a role model for our business values using your personality and behaviours and act with integrity 100% of the time – what we say is what we do
• You will have a willingness to go the extra mile and always strive to seek job satisfaction
• You always bring your authentic self to work
• You pride yourself on building loyal and mutual trusting relationships with colleagues, Travel Counsellors and supplier partners
• You will respect and value diversity, creating an environment that is inclusive of all
• You will be focused on your own personal development as well as the future of our business, participating in the ongoing success of the business and contributing with new and innovate ideas and ways of workingYou actively seek out opportunities and find meaningfulness at work
• You will not be afraid to use your voice to challenge or reinforce the status quo, guided by our values and behaviours

Our Benefits

Working here at Travel Counsellors, we value the hard work and effort that our colleagues put in. Because of this, you can expect a wide range of employee benefits including:

• A competitive basic salary + commission
• Career development and promotional opportunities
• 25 days holidays (increasing to 28 after 5 years of service)
• A Moments That Matter day (annually)
• Enhanced Maternity / Paternity pay
• Holiday buy and sell (up to 5 days per year)
• 3 paid days charity leave
• Company events, socials, and incentives
• 3x annual salary death in service benefit
• Company Pension scheme
• Costco Membership
• Salary sacrifice, company car scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Free breakfast, fruit, and hot/cold beverages
• Referral scheme
• Employee discount
• Private Medical Insurance (taxable benefit) or Healthcare Cash Plan (costs incurred by employees)