- We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Business Development professional with strong experience in HR consulting to drive client acquisition, revenue growth, strategic partnerships, and market expansion.
- The successful candidate will be responsible for identifying and converting new business opportunities, developing relationships with corporate clients and decision-makers, managing the sales pipeline, preparing proposals, negotiating commercial engagements, and expanding existing client accounts.
- The ideal candidate should have a strong understanding of HR consulting and human capital services and be able to effectively identify client workforce needs and position appropriate HR solutions.
- Experience selling HR consulting, recruitment, outsourcing, training, talent management, payroll, or other human capital solutions will be strongly preferred.
Key Responsibilities
Business Development & Client Acquisition:
- Develop and execute business development strategies focused on acquiring new clients and generating sustainable revenue.
- Identify and pursue new business opportunities across corporate organizations, SMEs, institutions, and other target markets.
- Generate qualified leads through networking, referrals, market research, cold outreach, industry events, professional networks, digital channels, and strategic partnerships.
- Build and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective corporate clients and decision-makers.
- Conduct structured prospecting activities and consistently follow up on qualified opportunities.
- Convert qualified leads into paying clients through effective presentations, proposals, negotiations, and closing strategies.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with prospective and existing clients.
- Identify opportunities for account expansion, cross-selling, and upselling of HR consulting and related professional services.
HR Consulting Business Development:
- Develop a strong understanding of the organization's HR consulting and human capital service offerings.
- Identify organizations with workforce, talent, recruitment, HR transformation, employee management, training, outsourcing, or related needs.
- Engage HR Directors, CHROs, CEOs, Managing Directors, founders, business owners, and other senior decision-makers.
- Understand client HR challenges and position appropriate consulting solutions.
- Develop client-specific proposals and commercial solutions based on identified HR and business needs.
- Identify opportunities for recruitment, HR outsourcing, payroll, training and development, talent management, organizational development, performance management, and other HR-related services.
- Monitor organizations and industries for emerging HR and workforce challenges that may create consulting opportunities.
- Develop long-term relationships with corporate HR departments and senior management teams.
- Support the organization in building a strong and sustainable HR consulting client portfolio.
Sales Pipeline & Revenue Management:
- Manage the complete business development cycle from lead generation and prospecting through proposal, negotiation, conversion, onboarding, and account development.
- Maintain an accurate and up-to-date sales pipeline.
- Track leads, prospects, meetings, proposals, negotiations, conversions, revenue opportunities, and client activities.
- Monitor sales performance against agreed monthly, quarterly, and annual targets.
- Develop strategies to improve lead-to-client conversion rates.
- Follow up consistently on outstanding proposals, quotations, contracts, and business opportunities.
- Identify stalled opportunities and develop appropriate strategies to move them toward conversion.
- Prepare weekly and monthly business development reports for management.
Client Relationship Management:
- Build trusted relationships with clients and key stakeholders.
- Conduct client meetings, discovery sessions, presentations, business reviews, and solution discussions.
- Act as a professional point of contact during the business development and client acquisition process.
- Understand client requirements and communicate the organization's value proposition effectively.
- Maintain regular engagement with existing clients to identify additional business opportunities.
- Support client onboarding and ensure smooth handover of newly acquired accounts to the relevant internal teams.
- Monitor client satisfaction and identify opportunities for retention and account growth.
- Maintain strict confidentiality and professionalism when handling client and business information.
Proposals, Presentations & Commercial Negotiations:
- Prepare compelling business proposals, quotations, presentations, capability statements, and other client-facing documents.
- Develop customized proposals based on client requirements and identified business challenges.
- Deliver professional presentations and business pitches to prospective clients.
- Participate in commercial negotiations and support contract discussions.
- Ensure proposals clearly communicate the organization's expertise, value proposition, service benefits, and commercial terms.
- Work closely with HR, operations, finance, management, and other internal teams to develop appropriate client solutions.
- Ensure accurate and timely submission of proposals and commercial documentation.
Market Development & Strategic Partnerships:
- Conduct market research to identify new sectors, industries, organizations, and potential client segments.
- Monitor competitor activities, market trends, HR industry developments, and emerging client needs.
- Identify new markets and business models that can support revenue growth.
- Develop strategic partnerships with organizations, professional bodies, institutions, technology providers, and other relevant stakeholders.
- Identify referral and channel partnership opportunities that can generate qualified leads.
- Represent the organization at business events, conferences, networking sessions, HR forums, industry events, and professional engagements.
- Build a strong network of corporate contacts and strategic business relationships.
- Work closely with management to develop and execute commercial growth strategies.
- Collaborate with HR consulting teams to understand service capabilities and develop appropriate client solutions.
- Work with marketing teams to support lead-generation campaigns and business development initiatives.
- Collaborate with finance and operations on proposals, pricing, contracts, invoicing, and client onboarding.
- Provide market and client feedback to management to support the development of new or improved services.
- Support the organization in identifying opportunities for new HR consulting products and services.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
The successful candidate will be assessed against measurable business development objectives, including:
- Number of new corporate clients acquired.
- Revenue generated from new and existing clients.
- Number and quality of qualified leads generated.
- Lead-to-client conversion rate.
- Sales pipeline value and growth.
- Proposal-to-contract conversion rate.
- Monthly and quarterly revenue achievement.
- Number of client meetings and qualified business opportunities generated.
- Growth of corporate and HR consulting client portfolio.
- Client retention and account growth.
- Cross-selling and upselling performance.
- Strategic partnerships developed.
- Market expansion and new sectors penetrated.
- Overall contribution to business growth and profitability.
Requirements & Eligibility Criteria
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Economics, Management, Finance, or a related discipline.
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in business development, sales, relationship management, consulting, or commercial roles.
- Strong practical experience in HR consulting, recruitment consulting, human capital services, or related professional services is strongly preferred.
- Proven track record of acquiring corporate clients and generating business revenue.
- Demonstrated experience selling B2B services, preferably HR consulting or professional services.
- Experience managing the full business development cycle from prospecting and lead generation through proposal, negotiation, conversion, and account management.
- Strong understanding of corporate HR functions and common workforce challenges.
- Ability to engage HR Directors, CHROs, CEOs, Managing Directors, business owners, and other senior decision-makers.
- Proven ability to develop and maintain strong corporate relationships and professional networks.
- Strong proposal writing, presentation, negotiation, and closing skills.
- Demonstrated ability to meet and exceed business development or revenue targets.
- Strong commercial awareness and understanding of B2B sales principles.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and CRM or sales management tools.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong analytical, research, and problem-solving abilities.
- Candidates should preferably have an established network within the corporate and HR community.
Professional Certification & Membership:
Membership or certification in relevant professional bodies is an added advantage, including:
- Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM)
- Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
- Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM)
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI)
- Relevant sales, business development, consulting, or commercial certifications
- Strong business development and client acquisition capabilities.
- Excellent B2B sales and relationship management skills.
- Strong understanding of HR consulting and human capital services.
- Excellent networking and stakeholder management abilities.
- Strong commercial awareness and revenue-generation mindset.
- Excellent prospecting, persuasion, negotiation, and closing skills.
- Ability to identify client needs and position appropriate HR solutions.
- Strong presentation and business pitching skills.
- Ability to engage confidently with senior executives and corporate decision-makers.
- Strong strategic thinking and market development capabilities.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Excellent time management and organizational skills.
- Ability to work independently and take ownership of business development activities.
- High level of professionalism, integrity, accountability, and confidentiality.
- Resilience and ability to operate effectively in a target-driven environment.
- Strong customer-focused and results-oriented mindset.
Key Technical & Professional Skills:
- Business Development
- HR Consulting Sales
- B2B Sales
- Lead Generation & Prospecting
- Corporate Client Acquisition
- HR & Human Capital Services
- Relationship & Account Management
- Strategic Partnerships
- Sales Pipeline Management
- Proposal & Business Pitch Development
- Commercial Negotiation
- Client Needs Analysis
- Market Research & Business Development
- Revenue Growth & Sales Conversion
- Cross-Selling & Upselling
- CRM & Sales Management Tools
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Business Reporting & Analytics
- Presentation & Stakeholder Management
Preferred Industry Experience:
Candidates with experience in one or more of the following areas will be strongly considered:
- HR Consulting / Human Capital Services
- Recruitment & Executive Search
- HR Outsourcing / Managed HR Services
- Talent Management
- Learning & Development / Corporate Training
- Payroll & Workforce Solutions
- Management Consulting
- Professional Services
- Corporate Services
- B2B Services
- Technology / HR Technology.
- Competitive monthly salary commensurate with experience and expertise.
- Opportunity to directly contribute to revenue growth and business expansion.
- Exposure to senior executives, corporate organizations, and strategic decision-makers.
- Opportunity to develop a strong network within the HR and corporate business community.
- Opportunity to build and manage strategic partnerships and major client accounts.
- Professional exposure to diverse HR consulting and business development projects.
- A performance-driven environment with opportunities for professional growth and career advancement.