Sales and business development managers find customers for a company and build relationships with them. They work out what customers need, pitch them good deals, and help bring in money for the business to grow.
THE DOOR: ENTRY DIFFICULTY TODAY, graded A (easy) to E (extremely hard). A Careermash rule-of-thumb index built from our AI exposure index and the job's moat class. It is not a forecast and not a count of job openings.
AI EXPOSURE TODAY is a Careermash index from 0 to 100 of how exposed this job's everyday tasks are to AI today. We estimate it by matching published research on how people use AI to this job, usually by keyword or subject area, and we lower it where the work is protected (for example by physical, personal or legal requirements). It is not a direct measurement of how much people in this job use AI.
As a sales accounts and business development manager, your job is to bring in business for your company. You find new customers, look after existing ones, and work out what they need so you can sell them products or services that actually help them. You need to understand what your company offers and be good at talking to people.
Your days are busy and social. You meet clients in person or on video calls, you do research on companies that might be interested in what you sell, and you write proposals and give pitches. You track leads and deals, work out what is getting in the way of a sale, and keep customers happy once you have sold to them. It is sales work so you need to be persuasive and resilient - you will hear "no" a lot - but each deal you close and each long-term customer relationship you build is a real win.
A UK degree equips candidates with critical thinking and analytical skills that are highly valued in sales and business development. Universities in the UK often provide practical experience through placements and projects, giving graduates a competitive edge in understanding market dynamics and customer needs.