Gen 2 is currently recruiting a Business Development Associate to join their Sales & Marketing team in Cumbria. This is a fantastic opportunity that will suit a person with solid experience in Business Development. The role is a perfect mix of different account management activities, internal sales and new sales where you will be responsible for looking after all existing accounts and also building and developing relationships with new businesses around Cumbria. This excellent opportunity offers flexible working arrangements with a potential for some hybrid working. We can also consider candidates who are looking for reduced working hours. You will be joining a well-established and reputable business that was established in 2000 and specialises in the Engineering, Nuclear, and Manufacturing sectors. In May 2017 Gen2 joined City & Guilds and became a City & Guilds business. Gen2 is based in a picturesque Cumbria and has been recently awarded Ofsted Good in all areas. Our offices are modern centres based within easy reach of the Lake District. You will be contracted to one of our centres based in either Workington or Ulverston. About the role This role is to maintain and increase business engagement for Gen2 in support of our skills centres. In this role you will be responsible for the account management of a number of accounts across key industry sectors to ensure we have regular engagement and clear tracking of their training needs. You will support the Business Development Manager to develop and implement a new business strategy across our priority sectors and ensure an effective employer engagement strategy. You will contribute to improvement of engagement to deliver our annual apprenticeship recruitment targets and short course sales. You will have the skills to build relationships and networks across a variety of sectors and roles. Using your understanding of skills development and training you will be building and developing the relationships we have with our customers to gain their support and engagement with our training delivery offering. You will need to be able to communicate at all levels and all size of employers will allow you to develop on existing relationships whilst building and managing an engagement process. Your tasks: To achieve annual engagement and sales targets To achieve your individual performance related targets To grow and maintain revenue with a number of accounts To expand the customer base To promote all new products and services to new and existing customers To support the new business strategy within our priority sectors About you We are looking for candidates who are ready to take their career to the next level and achieve greatness. What else we are looking for: Proven success in a target driven sales/business development environment Proven success in generating high levels of repeat business Proven success in developing and managing long term business relationships Ability to effectively network and build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders Excellent communication and negotiation skills Able to influence Adaptability to change Good presentation skills Excellent organisation and work planning skills Pragmatic and analytical problem-solving skills Office IT skills, specifically in Microsoft applications A current valid driving licence What can be beneficial for you to have: Proven success of increasing sales within the education/training sector Knowledge of Government funding Knowledge of our priority sectors; Engineering, Nuclear, Teaching. Proven ability and confidence to deal with a diverse range of personnel Self-starter, able to manage a variety of projects independently Ability to work on own initiative Patient and shows control in challenging situations Can take ownership for problems and assignment to resolution Clear thinking and a simple communicator We would like you to be flexible to attend external visits and meetings. A driving licence and an access to a car will be required, however Gen2 will cover all the expenses for travels between the sites and any business trips costs. What we offer In return we offer good level of basic salary and sales bonus plus number of benefits. We offer the opportunity to work in an innovative, engaging and market-leading organisation with opportunities to develop your existing skills and explore new ones. You’ll receive an excellent benefits package which typically includes a great base salary, 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, enhanced pension and many other benefits. Employees health and wellbeing is very important to the Group, and we have a range of tools available to help employees with their mental health and wellbeing and lots more besides. We also provide access to a Group wide Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). The successful applicant will be required to undertake appropriate checks including reference checks as well as providing proof of the right to work in the UK. The position applied for will be subject to a criminal record disclosure through the Disclosure and Barring Service. It is an offence to apply for a role working with children if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. We shortlist for our vacancies on an ongoing basis, and we may close a vacancy earlier than the advertised date. Please can you submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. The successful applicant will be required to undertake appropriate checks, including an enhanced DBS disclosure as well as providing proof of the right to work in the UK.