Business Development Manager - Academia

• Are you energised by winning new business and driving commercial growth?
• Do you thrive on building strategic relationships and uncovering high-value opportunities?
• Could you be our next Business Development Manager?

Up to £55,000, plus car allowance and bonus

Permanent / Full Time

Home-based UK

At the IET, making our world a better place starts by creating a better place for our people.

At the IET you’ll have more than just a job. Our work is exciting and challenging, connecting the people who solve the problems that matter. It means working with us has real meaning and impact, and you’ll grow – professionally and personally – in ways you never thought possible.

We’re also making significant investments in our people, including providing a modern, vibrant workplace and embracing hybrid working.

What you'll be doing

As our Business Development Manager, you’ll play a strategic and proactive role in driving new business growth for the IET’s portfolio of solutions including academic memberships, journals, eBooks, Inspec, and other digital research tools. You’ll be actively out in the market identifying opportunities, initiating high-value conversations, and building relationships that convert interest into long-term partnerships.

With a focus on academic and institutional clients, particularly within the higher education and research sectors, you’ll manage a blend of new and existing accounts, uncovering client needs and developing tailored solutions that demonstrate the impact and value of the IET’s content and analytical platforms alongside both cross- and up-selling.

This is a fast-paced, commercially focused role where initiative and insight will be key. You’ll work closely with marketing, product, and operations teams to shape compelling propositions, respond to evolving market needs, and continuously enhance the customer experience. Regular UK-wide travel will be essential as you engage with senior academic stakeholders, present solutions, and represent the IET at sector events, meetings, and conferences.

What we hope you can bring to the role

We’re looking for a driven and commercially astute business development professional with a strong track record in B2B sales, ideally within a consultative, solution-led environment. You’ll be proactive in seeking out new opportunities, not just responding to leads, and confident navigating complex sales cycles.

Experience working with universities or in the higher education landscape, including familiarity with research lifecycles, funding structures, or academic institutions, would be a strong advantage. You may have previously sold academic memberships, research databases, analytical tools, or similar information services to universities or related sectors, however, and more importantly, you’ll understand how to deliver tailored solutions that resonate with academic stakeholders and support their objectives. You’ll bring excellent communication skills, with the ability to build rapport quickly and present ideas persuasively to senior decision-makers.

CRM confidence, strong organisational skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities are essential. You’ll also be a collaborative team player, eager to share insights and continuously refine how we deliver long-term value to our clients.

A Little More About The Role

• Proactively identify and convert new business opportunities across membership, events, training, and other services.
• Develop strategic plans to drive growth across both new and existing client accounts.
• Own the full sales cycle from lead generation and discovery, through to pitch, negotiation, and close.
• Maximise value from every relationship through insight-led cross-sell and upsell strategies.
• Deliver compelling presentations and proposals to senior-level stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Maintain accurate and timely CRM records, ensuring visibility across the pipeline and sales activity.
• Attend external meetings and events to represent the IET, build rapport, and deepen engagement.
• Collaborate with marketing, product, and operational teams to shape and refine go-to-market offerings.

A Little More About What We’re Looking For

• Proven success in a B2B business development or sales role, ideally in a consultative environment. An understanding of the higher education landscape, including structures, funding, and the research lifecycle, or direct experience selling to universities is highly desirable.
• A new-business win mentality with the ability to identify, pursue, and close new business opportunities.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with confidence presenting to senior audiences.
• Customer-focused mindset with a track record of delivering tailored, value-led solutions.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Proficient in CRM systems and Microsoft Office tools, with a keen eye for data and reporting.
• Self-starter who’s comfortable working independently and thrives in a target-driven setting.
• Experience in a professional body or membership organisation (desirable but not essential).

We’d love to get to know you

Is Imposter syndrome creeping in? Don’t worry – we’d rather hear from you this time than not hear from you at all!