Sage | Marketing Agency
Commercial Development Trainee

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Commercial Development Trainee
Commercial judgement is the ability to connect everyday actions with a business result. It means understanding what customers respond to, recognising why performance changes and deciding what should be improved next. The Commercial Development Trainee role gives you a practical setting in which to build that judgement rather than expecting you to arrive with it already proven.
Sage is open to graduates, career starters and people transferring from customer service, hospitality, retail, events or another target-focused environment. Previous commercial experience can help, but it is not the only valid starting point. Curiosity, reliable communication and the willingness to examine your own results are more important than an impressive title.
This is a full-time, on-site position operating Monday to Friday.
The guaranteed base salary is £25,000 per year, with additional performance bonuses. Minimum on-target earnings are between £35,000 and £45,000 annually, including the base salary.
Understanding the Offer
Every campaign begins with a commercial proposition. You will learn what the service provides, which customer needs it is designed to address and which information must be communicated accurately. Understanding the offer allows you to explain it naturally without changing its meaning or creating unsupported expectations.
You will apply that knowledge through face-to-face conversations with prospective customers. Your role is to listen, establish relevance and present the service clearly. When someone chooses to proceed, you will complete the approved process carefully. A professional outcome can also be recognising that the service is unsuitable and ending the conversation respectfully.
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
See breakdownIt searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
The experience develops more than confidence. It shows how customer language, timing, clarity and trust can influence a commercial decision.
Reading Performance
Campaign results need context. Activity indicates how consistently opportunities are being created. Conversion shows how often suitable conversations lead to a positive decision. Quality checks show whether the process and information were handled correctly.
You will record your activity and customer outcomes, then review the figures with support. The objective is not to search for excuses or celebrate one number in isolation. You will learn to compare evidence, identify patterns and describe what may have influenced the result.
For example, repeated uncertainty around one part of an offer may indicate that the explanation needs refining. Strong activity combined with inconsistent outcomes may point towards the quality of qualification or follow-up. Any proposed change should be specific enough to test.
Improving the Approach
Commercial development depends on disciplined experimentation. With coaching, you will select an aspect of your work to improve, apply the agreed adjustment and observe the effect. This might involve asking a clearer question, organising follow-up differently or presenting an important condition earlier in the conversation.
Changing several things at once makes the result difficult to interpret. You will therefore learn to make deliberate improvements and allow enough evidence to form before reaching a conclusion.
Your Contribution Beyond the Conversation
As your understanding grows, you may contribute customer insight during campaign reviews, assist with preparation and help colleagues understand an approved update. You may also gain exposure to how managers use performance information when planning campaign activity and communicating progress internally.


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Your day-to-day standard will include accurate records, current campaign knowledge, punctual follow-through and professional representation of the service. Commercial potential is weakened when basic commitments are missed, regardless of how confident someone appears.
Development is performance based. Broader involvement may become available when you demonstrate sound judgement, consistent results and readiness for additional responsibility. The trainee title does not create an automatic promotion date.
What to Bring to the Application
Useful evidence can come from many settings. You may have improved a process during a university project, persuaded a group to support an idea, handled demanding customers or worked steadily towards a measurable goal. We want to understand how you thought about the situation and what changed because of your actions.
You should be comfortable speaking with new people, receiving practical feedback and using straightforward performance information. Clear written communication matters because other people must be able to understand your updates.
When submitting your LinkedIn application, provide a current CV and the date you could begin. Share one example of improving an outcome after reviewing evidence or feedback. Keep it specific: describe the original situation, the adjustment you made and what the result taught you.
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