Forma Group
Business Development and Account Manager (sofco Limited)
Stockton-on-Tees
£35k/yr
Posted about 15 hours ago
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Location: Remote (UK-based, with travel required)
Reports to: Sales Director / Commercial Manager
Employment type: Full-time, permanent
About the Role
Sofco are looking for a driven, commercially-minded Account Manager / Business Development Manager to join our team in a remote capacity. This is a dual-focus role, split between:
- Winning new business — proactively identifying, targeting, and converting new customers through outbound activity, networking, and industry events.
- Growing and protecting our existing client base — deepening relationships, identifying upsell and cross-sell opportunities, and ensuring high levels of retention and satisfaction.
You'll be comfortable managing a portfolio of accounts day-to-day while also picking up the phone to open doors with prospects who've never heard of us. This is a role for someone who is equally motivated by nurturing relationships and by the thrill of the chase.
Key Objectives
- New Business Development — Build a healthy pipeline of new prospects and convert them into long-term customers, contributing to agreed new business revenue targets.
- Existing Account Growth — Maximise revenue and value from the current account base through proactive account management, regular contact, and identification of new opportunities within accounts.
Key Responsibilities
New Business Development
- Generate new business leads through outbound prospecting, including cold calling, email outreach, and LinkedIn/social selling.
- Research and identify target companies and decision-makers within defined verticals/territories.
- Arrange and conduct new business meetings (virtual and face-to-face) with prospective clients.
- Develop and deliver compelling sales presentations and proposals tailored to prospect needs.
- Manage the end-to-end sales process from first contact through to close, including negotiation and contract sign-off.
- Build and maintain a robust, accurately-forecasted new business pipeline in the CRM.
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Account Management
- Own and manage a portfolio of existing client accounts, acting as the primary point of contact.
- Build strong, trusted relationships with key stakeholders at each account.
- Proactively identify opportunities for upselling, cross-selling, and expanding share of wallet within existing accounts.
- Conduct regular account reviews (virtual and in-person) to understand client needs and satisfaction.
- Monitor account health and address any risk of churn early, working cross-functionally to resolve issues.
- Maintain accurate account plans and revenue forecasts.
Events, Networking & Market Presence
- Represent the company at trade shows, exhibitions, and industry events, both as an attendee and where required on a stand.
- Proactively arrange meetings with prospects and existing clients around event attendance to maximise ROI on travel and time.
- Stay current on industry trends, competitor activity, and market developments to inform account and prospecting strategy.
- Build a personal network within the industry to support long-term business development.
Reporting & Administration
- Maintain up-to-date, accurate records of all account and prospect activity in the CRM.
- Provide regular pipeline, forecast, and account performance updates to management.
- Contribute to sales and marketing planning, sharing market and client feedback.
What We're Looking For
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Essential
- Proven experience in a combined account management and business development / sales role, ideally B2B.
- Demonstrable track record of hitting or exceeding new business and account growth targets.
- Confident and resilient with cold calling and proactive outbound prospecting — genuinely enjoys initiating new conversations.
- Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to manage stakeholders at multiple levels, including senior decision-makers.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills; confident presenting to clients and prospects.
- Highly organised and self-motivated — able to manage a varied workload independently in a remote-working environment.
- Willingness and ability to travel regularly for client meetings and trade shows/events (including occasional overnight stays).
- Full, clean UK driving licence.
Desirable
- Experience within sofco's specific industry — e.g. Supply Chain within Food & Beverage & Retail supply
- CRM proficiency (HubSpot).
- Existing network of contacts within relevant target verticals.
- Experience exhibiting at or organising attendance for trade shows.
What We Offer
- Competitive base salary + commission/bonus structure tied to new business and account growth.
- Fully remote working with flexibility, supported by regular team check-ins.
- Travel and expenses covered for client visits and events.
- Pension, healthcare, holiday entitlement, laptop/phone, other standard benefits
- Genuine autonomy and ownership over your territory/account base.
- Support from a collaborative marketing and sales team to help generate leads and content for prospecting.
Salary: £35,000.00 PA + commission/bonus structure
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Skills
Business development
Account management
Cold calling
Sales prospecting
Relationship building
Stakeholder management
Negotiation
CRM
HubSpot
Presentation skills
Strategic planning
Lead generation
Market research
Communication skills
Self-motivation