Business Developer

If you are a commercially minded relationship builder with a passion for better-for-you FMCG brands and want to help grow a fast‑scaling UK food company from a remote base in South Africa, this role is for you.

Role overview

The Business Development Manager will be responsible for driving revenue growth across the UK and selected international markets, focusing on retail, wholesale, foodservice and e‑commerce channels. Working remotely from South Africa, you will work UK hours, build and manage a high‑quality sales pipeline, and act as a brand ambassador with buyers, distributors and partners.

 

 Key responsibilities

• Identify, prospect and close new business with UK and international retailers, wholesalers, distributors and foodservice partners.
• Grow distribution, shelf space and rate of sale for existing product ranges across priority channels.
• Manage the full sales cycle: research, outreach, meetings, pitching, negotiation, contracting and handover to operations.
• Maintain and deepen relationships with key accounts through regular contact, joint business planning and performance reviews.
• Work closely with marketing to align trade activation, promotions, sampling and brand campaigns with customer plans.
• Monitor category trends, competitors and retailer strategies to spot new opportunities and provide insight to the leadership team.
• Build and maintain an accurate CRM pipeline and sales forecast, reporting on activity, conversion and revenue targets.

 

Experience and skills

• 3–5+ years’ experience in business development, national accounts, foodservice specifically Brakes, Bidvest, Bidfood, Caterlink,  export sales, ideally in FMCG, functional beverages, snacks, health food or free‑from categories.
• Proven track record of winning and growing retail or wholesale accounts in the UK or comparable markets.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to build compelling proposals, understand margins, and negotiate win‑win agreements.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, confident engaging with buyers and senior stakeholders remotely (video, phone, email).
• Comfortable working independently in a remote role, managing time zones, and taking ownership of targets and outcomes.
• Experience using CRM and sales enablement tools to manage pipeline and activity is highly desirable.

 

Personal qualities

• Entrepreneurial, proactive and resilient, with the energy to thrive in a small, fast‑growing company.
• Genuine passion for better‑for‑you food, free‑from or allergen‑friendly products and their impact on consumers’ lives.
• Collaborative mindset, able to work closely with marketing, operations and finance across borders and time zones.

 

Location, hours and package

• Location: Remote, based in South Africa, working core UK business hours, with occasional travel to the UK or trade shows as required.
• Employment: Full‑time.
• Package: Competitive base salary (in ZAR) plus performance‑linked bonus, aligned with experience and sales targets.