Business Development Manager – UK & Northern Europe

Department: Business Development
Reporting To: Business Development Director – EMEA
Location: United Kingdom

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Business Development Manager to drive new business growth across the UK and Northern Europe. This role will take ownership of strategic business development and tender opportunities across multiple markets, acting as the end-to-end opportunity lead from early-stage market intelligence through to submission and post-award support.

The successful candidate will bridge strategy and execution—ensuring commercial accuracy, bid readiness, and full compliance with airport authority and regulatory requirements—while working closely with internal operational, design, and finance teams.

Key Responsibilities

Opportunity Ownership

• Proactively identify, scope, and develop new business opportunities across the UK and Northern Europe.
• Own the full lifecycle of tender opportunities, from early intelligence and qualification through to final submission.
• Conduct detailed market research, competitor benchmarking, airport ecosystem mapping, and passenger flow analysis.
• Evaluate commercial viability, including CAPEX, OPEX, supplier pricing, and revenue potential.
• Provide regular, structured updates to EMEA leadership on progress, risks, dependencies, and timelines.

Tender Preparation

• Lead and coordinate high-quality technical submissions, including:

  • Operational concepts

  • Service delivery models

  • Staffing and resource plans

  • Implementation and mobilisation strategies

• Ensure all tender documentation is fully compliant with authority requirements, including formats, declarations, annexes, and compliance matrices.
• Coordinate with internal design and operations teams to align layouts, general arrangements, and concept proposals.

Commercial & Financial Inputs

• Provide accurate local market inputs into financial models, including:

  • Labour and employment costs

  • Local tax and regulatory considerations

  • Supplier and vendor quotations

  • Utilities, maintenance, and operating cost assumptions

• Validate financial assumptions and challenge inaccuracies to ensure robust and deliverable commercial proposals.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with airport authorities, regulators, partners, and third-party service providers across the region.
• Support negotiation phases by providing market insight, local intelligence, and scenario analysis.

Post-Award Support

• Support mobilisation planning, regulatory approvals, and early-stage operational coordination.
• Track initial performance against the approved business plan and support a structured handover to operational teams.

Requirements

Experience & Knowledge

• 5–8 years experience in business development, tendering, consulting, aviation operations, or airport commercial roles.
• Strong understanding of airport-related services such as hospitality, lounges, F&B, meet & greet, hotel concessions, or airport infrastructure projects.
• Proven experience interpreting tender documentation, concession agreements, and technical drawings.

Education

• Bachelors degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, Architecture, Hospitality, or a related discipline.

Technical Skills

• Strong financial modelling and Excel analysis capability.

• Advanced PowerPoint and written proposal skills.

• Experience conducting site visits, airport surveys, and technical validations.

Languages

• Fluent English required.

• Additional European language skills are advantageous but not essential.

Other Requirements

• Willingness to travel regularly across the UK and Northern Europe.

• Ability to manage multiple complex bids and projects under tight deadlines.

Benefits

• Worldwide airport lounge access for you and your family (including parents)
• Hotel discounts of up to 20%

• All business-related travel and expenses fully covered by the company