Business Development Specialist - Inspection

Who are LRQA?

LRQA stands for dedication to clients, market firsts, and deep expertise in risk management. We’ve grown to become a leading global assurance provider, bringing together outstanding expertise in certification, customised assurance, cybersecurity, inspection and training.

While we’re proud of our heritage, it’s who we are today that really matters, because that’s what shapes who we and our clients can become tomorrow. By staying true to our shared values and combining decades of collective experience, we support our clients in building a safer and more sustainable future.

LRQA currently operates across 50 countries, has more than 2,500 colleagues, generates £315m in revenue, and supports more than 60,000 clients across a diverse range of sectors and markets.

Role Purpose

LRQA’s mission is to be the leading digitally enabled assurance provider, helping our clients navigate a changing risk landscape. We will achieve this by being the leading assurance provider in key sectors such as food, cybersecurity and ESG, making it easier for clients to do business with us through our digital transformation, and ultimately delivering a portfolio of services which make the world a cleaner, more sustainable and safer place. 

Inspection Services provides industrial manufacturing inspection and certification services to all sections of the supply chain around the world.  We support clients in mitigating the risks they face throughout the manufacturing process, whether during design, manufacture, assembly of product components, the production of prototypes, or when seeking type approval or project certification. Our services are designed to support clients throughout all aspects of the industry. 

Reporting into a Sales Team Manager, the Senior Sales Representative will be responsible for managing an array of existing accounts and expand the client base in order to achieve sustainable revenue growth.  Develop, agree and execute detailed customer growth plans and generate new profile business for LRQA in existing clients. Identify potential new clients/business opportunities and turn these into increased business for the organisation.  Leverage relationship management skills, working with Operations and Client Operations (Service Delivery Support) teams, to ensure excellent service delivery as a trusted advisor, leading to customer satisfaction / retention and increased share of the wallet. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Motivate and develop a team (where appropriate) to build capacity and capability through recruitment, performance management, talent/succession planning, training and development to effectively build and sustain a high-performance culture. 
• Work together with cross functional teams to develop regional and/or speciality business plans.  Select and implement regional actions for growth and futureproofing LRQA.
• Build key customer relationships, identify business opportunities, negotiate and close business deals within defined geographical locations, sectors and services. Cold call and use other methods to identify potential clients and decision makers – set up meetings and build relationships with both existing and new clients to ensure robust pipeline of opportunity.
• Determine clients’ future needs and requirements and provide detailed client feedback to relevant internal departments with regards to product requirements and enhancements. Participate in and contribute to new product and service development initiatives and ensure that all new products and services which are brought to the market are technically and commercially sound. And ensure that adequate follow up to client takes place.
• Follow up leads received from technical delivery/customer service teams and work with clients and relevant internal stakeholders to define scope of works, prepare large bids and see them through to execution.  Support area level pitches and lead on re-tendering for large accounts.  
• Keep strong communication lines open with other sales colleagues, account managers and business development community across IS and the wider LRQA Group.
• Maintain thorough understanding of the clients’ end use markets, their important customers, and their main competitors and share this understanding with the wider sales and customer service and operations teams creating a clear value proposition for customers. And implement appropriate account management strategies for designated Accounts, to proactively create cross-selling of our full range of services with viable solutions, to meet clients' needs. 
• Monitor and report on all client meetings and visits for each client in SalesForce, including relevant competitor activity and all leads. Disseminate this information to the team and line manager. Contribute to appropriate sales review meetings. 
• Conduct all activities in line with internal procedures, accreditation schemes, legislation and industry standards
• Contribute to protecting and enhancing the reputation of LRQA’s and to improving the business, by putting forward new ideas and, when requested to do so, supporting the implementation of change to meet the future needs of the business. 
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with customer services and technical delivery teams and agree and review service level agreements and KPIs to ensure successful delivery of services to your clients 
• Support and represent LRQA at industry events, local seminars and presentations as required. 
• As appropriate, coach/mentor colleagues towards a more client focused and commercial approach 

Requirements:

• A degree or equivalent from a tertiary organisation recognised by LRQA  within the relevant field of Engineering /Business/Sales and Marketing or qualifications from an institution.
• 5 years + relevant (solution selling) work experience in a commercial role with proven track record of winning new business and achieving sales targets
• Experience of identifying client and business opportunities, including cold calling.
• Experience of preparing and submitting bids and tenders to meet client proposals 
• Ability to communicate effectively at different levels within organisations and to influence successfully and openly at all levels – both inside our organisation and outside in the business (in English and local language). 
• Strong commercial awareness - in particular, analysis and interpretation of financial and non-financial information 
• Excellent negotiation skills. Strong understanding of sales and marketing principles 
• In depth understanding of sales and marketing principles, especially strategic CRM
• Excellent IT skills including MS Office and CRM Systems such as Salesforce 
• Ability to quickly and effectively assimilate market intelligence or detailed and complex information to support business decisions.
• Thorough understanding of the market and environment to manage commercial focus and find new business opportunities. Able to quickly and effectively assimilate market intelligence or detailed and complex information to support business decisions. 
• Ability to coach/mentor colleagues to improve team and organisational performance.