Business Development Manager – R&D Tax Relief

About EmpowerRD

EmpowerRD is one of the UK's leading R&D tax relief specialists, combining deep technical expertise with proprietary technology to deliver claims that are both maximised and defensible.

• £260m+ in successful claims
• 1,200+ clients served
• Sub-5% HMRC enquiry rate
• TechRound #1 European Fintech
• 3x nominated in the 2026 National Technology Awards

We're growing our commercial team and looking for an experienced R&D BD professional who knows this space and is ready to hit the ground running.

The role

You’ll own the full sales cycle — from identifying and engaging prospects through to close — with a focus on businesses currently using a traditional accountant, R&D boutique, or tech‑led platform to manage their claims.

This isn't a role for someone learning R&D tax. You’ll be speaking directly with CFOs, Finance Directors, and founders, and you need to be able to hold a credible conversation about the R&D tax landscape, HMRC's evolving compliance expectations, and what a well‑prepared claim actually looks like.

What the commercial setup looks like

You’ll join a team that already has an engine behind it — our SDRs run structured outbound prospecting and will feed qualified opportunities into your pipeline. But we're not looking for someone who only works what lands in their inbox.

The best candidates will bring a network they've built over years in the R&D tax space — former clients, warm referrals, contacts at accountancy practices — and actively work it alongside the inbound and SDR-generated flow.

In short: the pipeline support is there, but your own book of business is a genuine differentiator in this hire.

Day to day you’ll be:

• Building and managing your own pipeline of target accounts
• Running discovery calls and demos, handling objections, and closing new business
• Working closely with our technical and client success teams to ensure a smooth handover
• Representing EmpowerRD at industry events and through your own network
• Feeding market intelligence back into the commercial and marketing teams

What we’re looking for

3+ years in a BD or sales role, with meaningful experience selling R&D tax relief services

A genuine understanding of the R&D tax claims process — you can speak credibly on HMRC compliance, claim methodology, and the risks of poorly prepared claims

A proven track record of building and converting your own pipeline, not just working inbound

Experience selling to senior finance stakeholders (CFO, FD, MD)

Why EmpowerRD

A genuinely differentiated product — our claim quality and enquiry rate speak for themselves

Strong marketing and inbound support to complement your outbound activity

Transparent 6% fee model that's easy to sell honestly

A collaborative team that takes compliance seriously

Competitive base salary, uncapped commission, and equity options

Interested?

If you’ve spent years in R&D tax sales and you’re looking for a business where the product quality actually makes your job easier, we’d love to talk.

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