Devonvale is looking for an ambitious Business Development Manager to play a key role in the next stage of its commercial growth.
We’re looking for someone who enjoys finding opportunities, opening doors, winning new business and turning those wins into long-term customer relationships.
Working directly with the CEO, you’ll have genuine autonomy to develop new customers, shape the sales pipeline and help build a more structured commercial function - with a clear opportunity to develop towards a future Commercial Manager position and broader commercial leadership responsibilities.
About Devonvale
Devonvale is an established UK manufacturer specialising in hand-baked, individually wrapped bakery and snacking products, supplying customers across Foodservice, Wholesale, Retail and Export markets.
With more than 20 years of manufacturing experience, the business produces branded and private-label products at scale, with capacity to bake up to 20 million bars per year.
The portfolio spans traditional and indulgent bakery products through to functional and healthier snacking, including flapjacks, cakes, cereal bars and functional oat bars.
Private Label is also a significant part of the business, supported by more than 20 years of craft-baking expertise and bespoke product development capability.
The Opportunity
This is predominantly a new-business role, with approximately 80% of the focus on business development and 20% on account management.
You’ll inherit some existing customer relationships, but your primary responsibility will be identifying, developing and converting new commercial opportunities. Historically, much of Devonvale’s new business has been generated directly by the CEO, so this appointment provides the opportunity to create a more structured sales function and make it your own.
You’ll have scope to develop opportunities across:
🍽️ Foodservice & Out-of-Home
📦 Wholesale
🛒 Retail
🥤 Vending
✈️ Travel
🏋️ Health & Leisure
🌍 Export
🏭 Contract Manufacturing
🏷️ Private Label
The objective is straightforward: find opportunities, open doors, win business, build relationships and create sustainable commercial growth.
The Role:
You’ll take ownership of the full commercial journey, from identifying an opportunity through to winning the customer, launching the product and developing the relationship further.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Proactively identifying and developing new business opportunities across key food and FMCG channels.
- Building and managing a structured pipeline through prospecting, networking and relationship development.
- Leading customer meetings, presentations and commercial negotiations.
- Developing relationships with buyers, procurement teams and senior decision-makers.
- Converting new opportunities into sustainable, profitable customer partnerships.
- Growing existing strategic accounts through increased distribution, new products and wider commercial opportunities.
- Developing strategic account plans and supporting joint business planning where appropriate.
- Working alongside the CEO on priority customers, channels, pricing and commercial opportunities.
- Collaborating closely with Operations, Technical, Procurement, Finance and NPD to ensure opportunities can be delivered effectively and profitably.
- Bringing customer and market insight back into the business to support new product development and innovation.
- Maintaining a professional CRM and sales pipeline, alongside regular forecasting and commercial reporting.
- Monitoring competitor activity, market trends and emerging opportunities.
What does success look like?
Within the role, success won’t simply be measured by maintaining existing business.
You’ll be expected to:
🚀 Win new customers
📈 Grow strategic accounts
🎯 Build a strong and qualified sales pipeline
💻 Introduce structure and CRM discipline
🤝 Develop meaningful buyer relationships
💰 Deliver profitable revenue and margin growth
👥 Become a trusted commercial partner to the CEO
Success will be measured against areas including portfolio revenue and margin, new-business revenue and margin, qualified opportunities, strategic customer meetings and effective CRM implementation.
Who are we looking for?
We’re looking for someone commercially ambitious who gets genuine satisfaction from creating business rather than simply managing it.
You’ll have commercial sales experience within FMCG, Foodservice, food manufacturing or a related environment, together with a track record of personally winning new customers.
You’ll probably recognise yourself in the following:
✅ You’ve personally won business that wasn’t simply handed to you.
✅ You’re comfortable making the first call, opening conversations and presenting to buyers.
✅ You sell through value, service, trust and solutions, rather than competing purely on price.
✅ You naturally look beyond the immediate opportunity and identify ways to make customer relationships bigger.
✅ You understand that securing the first order is only the beginning of developing an account.
✅ You can professionally manage a CRM, customer portfolio and sales pipeline.
✅ You follow opportunities through and take ownership until there is an outcome.
✅ You’re commercially aware and understand pricing, margin and profitability.
✅ You’re ambitious and want the opportunity to progress beyond your current role.
A full UK driving licence and willingness to travel throughout the UK are required.
How you’ll work
This is a genuinely customer-facing field sales position.
Monday to Thursday will typically involve being on the road meeting customers, attending meetings at Devonvale, holding Teams meetings and proactively developing opportunities over the phone.
Friday is generally designed around home working, giving you time for follow-ups, CRM updates, administration and planning the following week’s customer activity.
What’s on offer?
💰 Competitive basic salary
🎯 Performance-based bonus
🚗 Car allowance / mileage support
🤝 Direct access to the CEO
🚀 Genuine commercial autonomy
📈 Significant scope to shape the future growth of the business
⭐ A structured pathway towards Commercial Manager and beyond
This isn't simply about filling another sales vacancy. Devonvale wants to find someone who can prove themselves, create meaningful commercial growth and become an important part of the future leadership team.
Interested?
If you’re a commercially driven Food / FMCG sales professional who enjoys opening doors, winning customers and building something, this could be a fantastic opportunity to take the next step in your career. Express your interest by contacting your Foodchain Contact, or emailing: team@foodchainrecruitment.com. If you are new to Foodchain, you can contact us via LinkedIn or via the below link to discuss further.