Business Development Director

Overview

In this role, you will own and drive the Retail, Leisure & Hospitality new business strategy, shaping growth across UK markets. You will work with industry specialists to identify and convert high-quality opportunities and position WTW’s capabilities to senior decision-makers. You’ll lead cross-functional collaboration, manage the sales cycle from first contact to onboarding, and represent the firm at industry events. This is a strategic, high-impact role with a clear growth mandate and opportunity to influence the trajectory of the Retail, Leisure & Hospitality practice.

Pay / Benefits

• 25 days annual leave + extra WTW day
• private healthcare
• group income protection
• pension with matched contributions up to 10%
• hybrid working
• employee assistance programme

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the Retail, Leisure & Hospitality new business strategy
• Build and maintain a comprehensive prospect universe across target sectors
• Identify, qualify and develop opportunities in Retail, Hospitality, Leisure and Sports
• Create and execute targeted business development campaigns
• Build relationships with CFOs, Finance Directors, Risk Managers, General Counsel, Investors and Private Equity stakeholders
• Develop relationships with trade bodies, industry associations and other centers of influence
• Lead the sales process from initial engagement through conversion and onboarding
• Coordinate and lead pitches, RFP responses and client presentations
• Collaborate across WTW to bring full breadth of capabilities to prospects
• Maintain accurate pipeline management, forecasting and CRM discipline
• Represent WTW at industry events, conferences and networking forums
• Achieve agreed revenue, sales and growth objectives
• Identify emerging sectors and new market entrants to support growth efforts
• Develop opportunities in hotels, gyms, leisure operators, sportswear retailers, sports clubs, stadia and related consumer businesses
• Partner with colleagues to support the execution of the wider Sports Industry growth strategy
• Provide market intelligence and competitor insights to inform strategic decision making

Key requirements

• Proven track record of generating and developing new business opportunities
• Experience in insurance broking, risk advisory, consulting or related corporate sales
• Strong commercial and relationship-building skills
• Established network of senior corporate decision-makers
• Experience engaging and influencing C-suite stakeholders
• Excellent presentation, negotiation and communication skills
• Strategic mindset and strong market awareness
• Ability to develop compelling value propositions and differentiated client solutions
• Self-starter with energy, resilience and accountability
• Experience managing complex sales cycles and multiple stakeholders
• ACII qualification or equivalent desirable but not essential

• relationship-building
• presentation
• negotiation
• CRM discipline
• pipeline management
• forecasting

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