DESCRIPTION

We’re looking for a Business Development Manager to lead new business activity at JBH, a digital PR and SEO agency based in Manchester. This role is well suited to candidates with experience in business development from recruitment, SaaS, B2B services, or media who want to transition into the digital marketing space.
As our first dedicated business development hire, you’ll take ownership of the full sales process, from lead generation and qualification to proposal creation and closing high-value SEO and PR retainers. You’ll work directly with the CEO and department heads to develop repeatable sales processes, refine how we pitch, and bring structure to our commercial pipeline. This is a hands on, strategic role where you’ll have the opportunity to build the business development function from the ground up, backed by a strong brand, proven delivery teams, and a clear demand for our services.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE

• 3+ years of B2B sales or agency business development experience.
• Knowledge of SEO, PR, or digital marketing services.
• Proven track record of winning and closing deals in a digital agency environment.
• Comfortable writing and presenting high-quality proposals and decks.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.
• Experience using CRM and pipeline management tools.
• Highly self-motivated, organised, and target-driven.
• Able to build trust and communicate clearly with stakeholders at all levels.
• Sold SEO or PR retainers or digital marketing packages
• Experience pitching deals above £30k
• Created sales enablement materials or marketing collateral
• Attended or spoken at industry events.

• Develop and implement a focused growth strategy that aligns with JBH’s commercial objectives, identifying priority sectors, client types, and acquisition goals.
• Build and manage a consistent pipeline of qualified leads across SEO and digital PR, using a mix of outbound prospecting, inbound engagement, and referrals.
• Own the end-to-end proposal process, including shaping solutions with internal teams, and ensuring all documentation is client-ready and commercially sound.
• Lead confident, tailored pitches that speak directly to the goals and challenges of prospective clients.
• Act as a trusted point of contact during the sales cycle, building relationships and setting expectations before smoothly handing over to internal delivery teams.
• Maintain complete and accurate pipeline data in the CRM (e.g. HubSpot), ensuring sales activity is trackable and forecasting is clear and reliable.
• Collaborate closely with the SEO, PR, and marketing teams to ensure messaging is aligned with market needs and that sales assets remain relevant and effective.
• Review sales performance data regularly, identifying patterns, drop-offs, or opportunities to shorten sales cycles and improve close rates.
• Attend and represent JBH at industry events and networking opportunities to build brand awareness and establish new connections.
• Share ongoing insight into client priorities, competitor approaches, and market trends to help shape JBH’s commercial positioning and marketing focus.