Business Development Executive

Zenith are looking to recruit an experienced Business Development Executive. The primary objective of this role is to drive employer-focused sales growth by identifying opportunities, prioritise high-value prospects, personalise outreach, and strengthen long-term employer partnerships across the North East. The role will focus on new business acquisition, account development, and the delivery of training solutions that support employers to address skills gaps, workforce development needs, and business growth priorities.

As a Business Development Executive, you will use AI-enabled tools, insight, and automation to improve sales effectiveness, enhance employer engagement, and maintain a high-quality pipeline. You will provide expert information, advice, and guidance on training and workforce development solutions, demonstrating how Zenith can help employers meet commercial, operational, and people-development objectives. Your focus will be on consultative sales, relationship building, and delivering tailored solutions that create measurable value for employers.

Responsibilities

• Build new relationships with employers and provide outstanding levels of account management to support retention, growth, and repeat business.

• Look for and maximise opportunities to ‘land and expand’ new clients by identifying additional departments, locations, and training needs within employer accounts.

• Understand compliance, funding, and operational requirements affecting employers and explain these clearly during the sales process.

• Complete all required sales administration, documentation, and employer records accurately and compliantly.

• Maintain accurate CRM records, ensuring HubSpot is kept up to date with employer interactions, pipeline activity, next steps, and sales sequences.

• Use AI and CRM insight to review pipeline quality, forecast opportunities, track conversion activity, and prioritise employer follow-up.

• Look for opportunities to deliver exceptional employer experiences and create memorable ‘WOW’ moments for clients.

• Plan and deliver AI-informed sales sequences in line with new business acquisition, account growth, and employer engagement targets.

• Achieve agreed sales targets, employer engagement objectives, pipeline metrics, and KPIs.

Essential criteria:

• Believe in and demonstrate company values and team charter behaviours.

• Excellent communication, questioning, listening, and influencing skills.

• Ability to communicate confidently with employers, decision-makers, and professionals at all levels.

• Organised and able to manage own time, pipeline, priorities, and follow-up activity effectively.

• Excellent attention to detail, particularly when maintaining CRM records, sales notes, and employer documentation.

• Target driven, commercially curious, and motivated to achieve sales growth.

• Strong customer service and account management skills, with the ability to build trust and credibility with employers.

• Confident using Microsoft packages, Teams/Zoom, CRM systems, and AI-enabled tools to improve productivity and sales outcomes.

• Excellent networking skills and the ability to stand out in a competitive marketplace.

• Able to quickly build rapport, create value-led conversations, and be memorable with employers in a crowded marketplace.

• Comfortable hosting and directing employer meetings either face to face or digitally.

• Curious about AI, automation, and sales technology, with a willingness to test new ways of improving employer engagement and sales performance