The employer is an internationally competitive manufacturer and the largest producer of unmodified and modified starch, and glucose in Sub-Saharan Africa and has built a reputation for offering excellent product quality to its customers across Africa and the globe. As an integral part of the domestic supply chain for a diverse range of industries and the products manufactured at various mills are essential ingredients in a wide range of food and industrial products. This diversity has ensured that the employer touches lives daily, they drive sustainable growth and positively impact the livelihood of people through innovative ingredient solutions. A  Leading Manufacturer and Supplier of high-quality Starch and Glucose ingredients, utilising non-GMO maize as the primary raw material.

Growth & Business Development Manager / Lead

Location: Isando

Department: Sales and Marketing

Reporting to: Executive: Sales and Marketing

This role offers the opportunity to play a critical role in driving business growth, shaping new customer acquisition, and leaving a lasting impact on the organisation’s future revenue pipeline.

Role Purpose

We are seeking a results-driven Growth G Business Development Manager / Lead to drive new business growth by building a strong pipeline of opportunities and converting emerging customers into long-term, profitable accounts.

This role is focused on new customer acquisition, structured prospecting, opportunity conversion, and onboarding, with responsibility for handing over established customers to Corporate Sales and Key Account Management teams.

Ǫualifications & Experience

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Commerce, Finance, or related field

• 5–8 years’ experience in business development or growth-focused sales roles

• Proven experience in pipeline creation, structured prospecting, and new customer conversion

• Strong exposure to commercial proposals, tenders, and onboarding processes

Advantageous

• Postgraduate qualification (Honours, MBA, or Management Development Programme)

• Experience in manufacturing, industrial, or technically complex environments

Additional Requirements

• Valid Code B driver’s licence

• Proficiency in MS Office and sales/CRM systems

Key Responsibilities

Growth & Pipeline Execution

• Execute defined growth priorities across target segments, geographies, channels, and products

• Build, manage, and maintain a qualified sales pipeline aligned to strategic priorities

• Ensure disciplined pipeline management, accurate forecasting, and measurable conversion outcomes

New Business & Emerging Account Development

• Drive new logo acquisition within defined target criteria

• Own and develop emerging and tail-end customers, progressing them into stable accounts

• Identify and qualify opportunities that meet profitability, margin, and sustainability requirements

Prospecting & Lead Conversion

• Run structured prospecting campaigns including targeted outreach, referrals, industry events, and campaigns

• Ǫualify leads based on needs, volume, margin potential, service model fit, and credit risk

• Manage the full conversion cycle from first engagement through proposal, negotiation support, and onboarding readiness

Commercial Solution Enablement

• Translate customer requirements into viable commercial solutions aligned to existing capabilities

• Coordinate internal stakeholders (technical, supply chain, finance, pricing, legal) to shape fit-for-purpose offers

• Support commercial modelling and pricing inputs to ensure proposals are approval-ready

Proposal, Tender G Governance Support

• Coordinate proposal and tender submissions, ensuring compliance with internal governance and approval processes

• Maintain standardised costing and proposal approaches aligned to commercial rules

Customer Onboarding G Handover

• Ensure a structured onboarding and handover of converted customers

• Align service expectations and operational readiness prior to handover

• Conduct post-handover reviews (30–90 days) with account owners to ensure stability and success

Market Intelligence G Reporting

• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and emerging customer needs

• Provide actionable market insights to Sales C Marketing leadership

• Maintain accurate CRM reporting, tracking pipeline activity, conversion rates, and win/loss insights

Skills & Competencies

• Pipeline management and lead conversion (expert level)

• Prospecting campaign execution and opportunity qualification

• Commercial modeling and pricing support

• Stakeholder management across cross-functional teams

• CRM systems, sales reporting, and performance tracking

• Strong negotiation, communication, and influencing skills

Personal Attributes

• Commercially astute and results-driven

• Structured, disciplined, and execution-focused

• Resilient and comfortable operating in high-growth environments

• High integrity with strong ethical standards

• Collaborative team player with strong accountability