Business Development Associate

Job title : Business Development Associate

OVERVIEW OF JOB

• The Business Development Associate is responsible for supporting the organization’s business growth, market research, client acquisition, and commercial development activities. The role involves identifying prospective clients, researching market opportunities, maintaining business development records, supporting tender and proposal preparation, and coordinating client engagement activities to strengthen the organization’s market presence and revenue opportunities.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Business Development and Opportunity Identification

• Identify and research potential clients, projects, contracts, and commercial opportunities aligned with the organisation's services and business objectives.
• Support the development and maintenance of a business development pipeline, tracking opportunities from initial identification through qualification, proposal submission, and outcome.
• Monitor industry publications, tender portals, procurement notices, client websites, and other relevant sources to identify prospective business opportunities.
• Conduct preliminary assessments of opportunities based on client requirements, project scope, timelines, commercial potential, and organisational capabilities.
• Maintain an up-to-date database of prospective clients, target organisations, industry contacts, and business opportunities.
• Follow up on identified opportunities and provide regular updates to the Strategy and Business Development team.
• Support the implementation of business development plans and initiatives aimed at expanding the organisation's client base and market presence.

Market Research and Competitive Analysis

• Conduct market research to identify industry trends, emerging opportunities, customer needs, and developments within the construction, engineering, contracting, oil and gas, and related sectors.
• Research prospective clients, competitors, industry stakeholders, and potential business partners to support commercial planning.
• Gather and organise market information from credible sources, including industry reports, company websites, public procurement notices, and relevant databases.
• Assist in analysing competitor activities, service offerings, market positioning, and commercial developments.
• Prepare market research summaries, competitor profiles, client intelligence reports, and opportunity briefs for management review.
• Identify potential target markets, customer segments, and strategic accounts for further business development.
• Maintain organised records of market intelligence and research findings to support future commercial initiatives.

Client Acquisition and Relationship Management

• Support the identification, engagement, and development of relationships with prospective clients, contractors, consultants, suppliers, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Assist in preparing introductory emails, company presentations, capability statements, and other materials for prospective clients.
• Coordinate client meetings, business development visits, follow-up communications, and other engagement activities.
• Maintain accurate records of client interactions, meeting outcomes, commitments, and agreed follow-up actions.
• Follow up with prospective clients on business enquiries, proposals, and potential project opportunities, as directed by the line manager.
• Support the development and maintenance of professional relationships with existing clients to encourage repeat business and identify additional opportunities.
• Escalate client feedback, emerging requirements, and potential commercial opportunities to the appropriate team members .

Bid Management and Proposal Support

• Monitor relevant tender announcements, requests for proposals (RFPs), expressions of interest (EOIs), and prequalification opportunities.
• Assist in reviewing tender documents to identify eligibility criteria, submission requirements, deadlines, and required supporting documentation.
• Coordinate with engineering, finance, procurement, and other relevant departments to obtain information required for bid and proposal preparation.
• Support the preparation and compilation of technical proposals, commercial submissions, company profiles, project references, and capability statements.
• Maintain a tender register and track bid preparation activities, submission deadlines, approvals, and outcomes.
• Ensure that bid documentation is properly organised, complete, and submitted within approved timelines, subject to the required internal reviews and approvals.
• Follow up on submitted bids and proposals to obtain updates on client decisions and maintain accurate records of outcomes.
• Support post-submission reviews by documenting feedback, identifying gaps, and recording lessons learned for future submissions.

Commercial Support and Business Reporting

• Assist in gathering information required for preliminary commercial assessments, business cases, and opportunity evaluations.
• Support the preparation of basic business forecasts, opportunity summaries, pipeline reports, and commercial performance updates.
• Coordinate with the finance and project teams to obtain relevant cost estimates, project information, and other inputs required for business proposals.
• Maintain business development trackers, client databases, tender registers, and opportunity status reports.
• Monitor key business development activities, including prospect engagement, meetings, proposals submitted, and opportunities progressed.
• Prepare periodic reports highlighting new opportunities, client engagement activities, proposal status, and outstanding follow-up actions.
• Identify recurring administrative or reporting challenges and recommend improvements to business development processes.

Stakeholder Coordination and Administrative Support

• Coordinate business development activities across relevant departments to ensure timely access to information and completion of assigned tasks.
• Schedule meetings, prepare agendas where required, document action points, and monitor outstanding follow-up activities.
• Maintain organised electronic records of proposals, client correspondence, market research, meeting notes, and business development documentation.
• Support the preparation of management presentations, business development reports, and strategic review materials.
• Ensure that business development records are accurate, current, and accessible to authorised personnel.
• Maintain confidentiality of client information, commercial proposals, pricing details, and other sensitive business records.
• · Perform other relevant business development and commercial support duties as assigned.

TECHNICAL SKILL

• Ability to conduct market research, gather competitive intelligence, and identify potential clients and business opportunities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, for record keeping, reporting, and presentation preparation.
• Ability to maintain business development pipelines, client databases, tender registers, and opportunity tracking tools.
• Familiarity with tendering procedures, requests for proposals, expressions of interest, prequalification submissions, and proposal documentation.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, including professional email writing, client correspondence, and preparation of business documents.
• Ability to organise and analyse business information, prepare research summaries, and present findings clearly.
• Familiarity with customer relationship management (CRM) systems, business intelligence tools, and online tender platforms is an advantage.
• Basic understanding of commercial analysis, business reporting, and opportunity evaluation.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.

POSITION SPECIFICATION

Key Requirements

Qualifications:

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, Finance, Management, Engineering, or a related discipline.

Work Experience:

• 3-6 years of relevant experience in business development, sales support, market research, commercial administration, client relationship management, or a related role.
• Experience conducting market research, identifying prospective clients, maintaining business development records, and supporting proposal preparation is preferred.
• Experience within the construction, engineering, contracting, oil and gas, infrastructure, or related sectors is an advantage.

Knowledge Requirements:

• Understanding of business development principles, client acquisition processes, market research, and opportunity management.
• Familiarity with client engagement, lead generation, relationship management, and business development reporting.
• Basic knowledge of tendering processes, bid documentation, proposal preparation, and prequalification requirements.
• Understanding of business communication, commercial documentation, and professional stakeholder engagement.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; familiarity with CRM systems is an advantage.
• Ability to collect and organise market intelligence, maintain accurate records, and prepare clear business reports.
• Strong communication, organisational, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and maintain confidentiality.

Professional Certification/Affiliations:

• Relevant training or certification in business development, sales, marketing, project management, business analysis, or customer relationship management is an advantage.