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Senior Business Development Manager, Longitude

London

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About Us

The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide.

At the FT, curiosity thrives, and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Here, you’re given the chance to reach millions, create work that matters and deliver impartial journalism in a polarised world.

In our warm, collaborative culture, you’ll connect with a diverse community of experts who support your growth, career aspirations and wellbeing.

Your future at the FT will be filled with opportunities that challenge and inspire you. With no fixed path, you’ll discover new skills and forge a career that can take you anywhere. Build a newsworthy career at the FT.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups.

The Role

Launched in 2011, FT Longitude is a specialist thought leadership and research business within the Financial Times. We help businesses create compelling messaging and content that helps them grow.

We’re looking for an experienced, driven and entrepreneurial Senior Business Development Manager to support the growth of our business. You will work with the commercial and management team to build a pipeline of prospective projects for 2025 and beyond, leveraging your expertise to develop tailored strategies and impactful client relationships.

Key Responsibilities

  • Personally achieve annual new business targets.
  • Develop tailored sales plans by identifying promising sources of demand for FT Longitude’s services.
  • Identify target prospects, build a network of key buyers, and gain an understanding of their organisations.
  • Nurture prospects at every stage of the sales cycle.
  • Work with the marketing team to maximise client engagement through events, campaigns, and digital channels.
  • Develop compelling proposals and solutions that resonate with target buyers.
  • Manage opportunities from lead generation through to contracting.
  • Collaborate with editorial, strategy, research, and design colleagues to develop opportunities, pitches, and proposals.
  • Create bespoke client marketing collateral (e.g., proposals and creds decks) informed by client insights.
  • Collaborate with the Commercial Director to enhance business development processes and experiment with innovative strategies.
  • Engage stakeholders across the Financial Times to explore potential business development opportunities and joint offerings.
  • Act as a regional or sectoral expert, staying up to date with market trends and competitor developments to articulate FT Longitude’s value proposition effectively.
  • Maintain an organised, structured approach to opportunity development, including strong pipeline management and Salesforce documentation.

Required Skills and Experience

  • Deep understanding of the thought leadership and branded content sector.
  • A minimum of five years’ experience in business development within a related field.
  • Expertise in consultative and solution-based selling.
  • Proven track record of exceeding new business and sales targets.
  • Familiarity with key sales methodologies and experience applying them.
  • Strong communication skills and a self-motivated approach to work.
  • Proven ability to pitch and present confidently at a senior level.
  • Interest in core business and management topics.
  • Excited to contribute to a fast-growing, entrepreneurial environment.
  • Intellectual curiosity, adaptability, and strong interpersonal skills.
  • Experience with Salesforce or other CRM systems.
  • Excellent organisational skills and the ability to work under pressure in a dynamic, fast-paced culture.

What's in it for You?

Our benefits vary by location, but we are committed to providing best-in-class perks across all our offices. These include generous annual leave, medical cover, inclusive parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships, and opportunities to give back to the community. Full details of our benefits are available here.

We’ve embraced a 50% hybrid working model (averaging two to three days onsite) that fosters trust and remote adaptability while encouraging in-person camaraderie and peer learning. Additionally, we are open to accommodating specific flexible working pattern requests for all roles where feasible.

Accessibility

We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments/personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, email talent@ft.com and a member of our team will be happy to help.

Further Information

At the FT, we embrace innovation and the use of technology and appreciate that individuals may leverage AI tools as part of their job application process. Whilst we are happy for you to use AI to assist with your application, it is essential that all information provided is authentic and accurately represents your skills, experience, and qualifications. Candidates should be aware that the use of AI throughout the application process may be monitored to ensure a fair and transparent hiring process for all.

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