UPD
Business Development Manager - Transport & Logistics
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Location: Remote / West Midlands
Territory: Primarily within 30–50 miles of Birmingham
Employment basis: Employed or self-employed
Package: Competitive salary/package depending on experience and preferred remuneration structure
Commission: Margin-based commission structure available depending on agreed salary/package
UPD is looking for an experienced Business Development Manager – Transport & Logistics to become the first dedicated member of our sales function.
This is not an account management role.
We are looking for someone who can identify opportunities, approach new customers, build relationships from zero, develop a strong commercial pipeline and convert opportunities into long-term transport and logistics accounts.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to build the commercial function alongside the growth of the business and, over time, potentially develop and lead their own sales team.
The Role
You will be responsible for generating new B2B business across the West Midlands, with a primary focus on companies located within approximately 30–50 miles of Birmingham.
You will work remotely but will be expected to travel regularly for face-to-face customer meetings, site visits, negotiations and contract discussions.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Identifying and approaching new prospective customers
- Building your own sales pipeline from the ground up
- Prospecting through telephone, email, LinkedIn, networking and direct outreach
- Arranging and attending face-to-face customer meetings
- Understanding customers' transport and logistics requirements
- Preparing commercial proposals and quotations
- Negotiating pricing, service levels and commercial terms
- Closing new business and supporting customer onboarding
- Developing long-term commercial relationships
- Working closely with operations to ensure proposed solutions are operationally and commercially viable
- Identifying opportunities across multiple transport services rather than selling a single product
- Helping establish the structure, processes and future direction of the UPD sales function
Services You Will Sell
Our commercial offering includes:
- Same-day courier services
- Dedicated vehicle transport
- Timed and time-critical deliveries
- UK freight
- European freight
- ADR / dangerous goods transport
- Freight forwarding
- Specialist transport solutions
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Depending on the customer's requirements, work may be serviced through our own operational capacity or through our freight forwarding network and approved subcontractors.
Target Customers
You will be encouraged to develop opportunities across a broad B2B market, including:
- Manufacturing
- Automotive
- Aerospace
- Freight forwarding
- 3PL and logistics companies
- Retail
- Construction
- SMEs
- Industrial businesses
- Dangerous goods and specialist sectors
- Other businesses requiring urgent, dedicated or complex transport solutions
Experience Required
We are looking for someone with approximately 3–5 years of relevant experience in business development, transport, freight forwarding, courier, logistics or a closely related sector.
The ideal candidate will have:
- Proven experience winning new B2B transport or logistics customers
- Strong new-business development skills
- Experience building a sales pipeline independently
- Good knowledge of the UK transport and logistics market
- Strong commercial and negotiation skills
- Confidence dealing with senior decision-makers
- Ability to understand customer requirements and develop suitable transport solutions
- Experience working independently and managing their own territory
- An existing industry network or customer relationships — preferred, but not essential
- Experience helping build a sales function or commercial operation from an early stage — highly desirable
What We Are Looking For
We are particularly interested in candidates who have previously:
- Entered a business with little or no existing sales structure
- Created their own prospecting strategy
- Built a customer portfolio from scratch
- Developed repeat business rather than relying solely on transactional work
- Worked across multiple transport products
- Created processes that could later be used by additional salespeople
This position has significant long-term progression potential.
The successful candidate may initially operate independently but could ultimately move into a senior commercial or leadership role, helping recruit, develop and manage additional members of the sales team.
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Remuneration
We are flexible regarding the structure of the package.
Depending on experience and the candidate's preference, this could include:
- Competitive salary
- Margin-based commission
- A combination of salary and commission
- Alternative remuneration structures for self-employed candidates
The final structure will be discussed during the interview process.
Future Progression and Potential Equity
This is intended to become a long-term position for the right person.
As UPD grows, there is potential for the successful candidate to take on greater responsibility, including:
- Building and managing a sales team
- Leading commercial projects
- Contributing to strategic commercial decisions
- Developing new sectors and markets
- Moving into a senior sales or commercial leadership position
There is also potential for future equity participation.
Company shares are not offered automatically on joining. However, sustained performance, achievement of agreed objectives and long-term contribution to the development of the business may create an opportunity to earn an equity position at a later stage.
Requirements
- 3–5 years' relevant transport/logistics business development experience preferred
- Full UK driving licence
- Own vehicle available for business travel
- Willingness to travel throughout the West Midlands for customer meetings
- Must already have the right to work in the UK
- Sponsorship is not available
Business mileage and reasonable customer-related travel expenses will be reimbursed.
Location
This is primarily a remote position, but candidates should ideally be based within or close to the West Midlands due to the concentration of target customers around Birmingham and surrounding areas.
Why Join UPD?
You would be joining at the point where the commercial function is being built.
Rather than inheriting a fixed corporate sales structure, you will have the opportunity to influence how the sales operation develops, build your own customer portfolio and potentially become the person who eventually leads the wider sales function.
We are therefore looking for someone who is comfortable creating opportunities rather than waiting for leads to be provided.
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