BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER – COMPANION ANIMAL

Home-based, ideally Midlands or Central England

National UK territory

£40,000–£45,000 + bonus + company car

The Animal People are incredibly proud to have been selected as the exclusive recruitment partner for this fantastic new client and to launch our first search together.

Our client is a globally respected manufacturer with an outstanding reputation for premium products across the animal sector. With an established UK customer base and exciting plans for growth, they’re now looking for a Business Development Manager to take ownership of their companion-animal category.

This is not a rigid territory sales role. You’ll have the freedom to manage your own diary, build meaningful customer relationships and influence the future direction of the division.

THE OPPORTUNITY

You’ll manage and develop an established portfolio of approximately 34 B2B accounts while opening new opportunities across professional dog grooming and veterinary wholesale.

The professional grooming market will be your main focus, working with groomers, distributors, retailers, wholesalers and grooming academies. You’ll also develop opportunities with veterinary wholesalers, buying groups and larger veterinary organisations.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Developing existing accounts and identifying further growth opportunities
• Winning new business across professional grooming and veterinary wholesale
• Delivering product demonstrations and customer training
• Increasing brand awareness across salons, academies and distributors
• Representing the business at trade shows, grooming competitions and industry events
• Monitoring competitor activity and sharing market insight
• Creating a clear and sustainable growth plan for the category
• Helping to identify opportunities for future product development
• Working closely with the National Sales Manager and wider UK team

THE PRODUCTS

You’ll represent a premium portfolio that includes clippers, trimmers, blades, comb guards, blade-care products, professional shampoos and grooming accessories.

You’ll also have the opportunity to recommend new products and influence future additions to the range based on customer demand and commercial potential.

ABOUT YOU

We’re looking for someone who combines commercial drive with warmth, credibility and a genuine understanding of the customer.

You’re likely to bring:

• Proven success in field sales, business development, account management or territory growth
• Experience within professional grooming, pet, animal health, veterinary or companion-animal sales
• The confidence to demonstrate technical products and train customers
• Experience developing existing accounts and securing new business
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to manage opportunities from prospecting through to close
• Excellent relationship-building, presentation and communication skills
• The organisation and motivation to manage a national territory independently
• A full UK driving licence

Existing relationships within the professional dog-grooming market would be highly valuable. However, we’re also interested in talented people from adjacent markets who understand distributor or wholesale sales and can quickly develop the necessary product knowledge.

LOCATION AND WORKING PATTERN

This is a genuinely home and field-based position with no regular head-office requirement.

The successful person can be based flexibly, although the Midlands or Central England would offer the most practical access to customers across the UK.

You’ll be trusted to manage your own diary and travel according to customer needs. The business doesn’t expect you to spend five days a week on the road unnecessarily.

Occasional attendance at the North Yorkshire head office will be required for meetings, training and the annual team stocktake. There may also be infrequent travel to Northern Ireland or Ireland.

ONBOARDING AND SUPPORT

You won’t simply be handed a laptop and expected to get on with it.

Your onboarding will include:

• An initial three to four days at head office
• An introduction to the UK team, business and operational processes
• Comprehensive product and technical training
• Demonstration stock to help you learn the portfolio
• Customer visits alongside the National Sales Manager
• Direct access to experienced product and warehouse specialists
• Continued support while you build confidence and take ownership of the territor

TARGETS AND DEVELOPMENT

Your KPIs will be commercially meaningful and achievable, covering category growth, new accounts and priority products. They’ll be discussed and agreed with you, ensuring you understand and believe in the targets you’re working towards.

This is a genuine category-ownership opportunity. You’ll be encouraged to bring ideas, explore new routes to market and recommend products that could strengthen the range.

THE PACKAGE

• £40,000–£45,000 basic salary, with potential flexibility for an exceptional candidate
• Achievable performance-related bonus
• Company car, with a degree of choice based on practical requirements
• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays
• Pension
• Laptop and mobile phone
• Comprehensive product training
• Home and field-based working
• Attendance at leading industry events
• Genuine ownership of an established category with significant growth potential

WHY CONSIDER IT?

This is an opportunity to represent premium products that customers already know and trust while putting your own stamp on a division with real potential.

You’ll join a supportive and down-to-earth UK team that values autonomy, sensible travel and honest communication. You’ll be trusted to manage the territory, influence the product range and build the category as though it were your own business.

Apply today or contact Katie Fletcher at The Animal People for a confidential conversation.