Business/Programme Development Manager

Location: Remote

Department: Avant Consult

Contract type: Permanent / Full-time

About the role

We’re looking for a Business/Programme Development Manager to join our  automotive team, and play a key role in being responsible for driving sustainable growth of the Automotive Division by identifying, developing and delivering new commercial opportunities with new customers and developing structured programmes and internal projects with existing customers. The role requires close collaboration with management, operational teams and customers to ensure commercial opportunities are translated into profitable, scalable and deliverable programmes.

Activate Group is a growing UK business with 1,000+ team members nationwide. This is an exciting opportunity to build a long-term career with a company that values its people and offers genuine development and progression opportunities.

Key responsibilities

Business Development & Growth

• Identify, target and secure new business opportunities across key business channels
• Develop and execute business development strategies aligned to strategic and growth objectives.
• Own and deliver agreed growth targets across assigned sectors and accounts.
• Build a robust pipeline of short, medium and long-term opportunities to support sustainable growth.

Account & Programme Development

• Identify opportunities to expand services, introduce new programmes and develop value-added internal projects.
• Translate customer requirements into commercially viable programmes, ensuring alignment with operational capabilities.
• Support programme mobilisation and early-stage delivery alongside operational and project teams.

Relationship Management

• Build, manage, and strengthen long-term relationships with key stakeholders at existing and new customers.
• Act as a trusted commercial partner, consistently demonstrating Avant’s value proposition and technical expertise.
• Represent the business at client meetings, industry events and commercial forums.

Commercial Proposals & Communication

• Prepare and deliver high-quality proposals, tenders, presentations and business cases.
• Clearly articulate Avant’s products, services and differentiators against competitors.
• Support pricing strategy development.

Project & Stakeholder Management

• Take ownership of business development-related projects
• Work cross-functionally with operations, finance, IT and leadership teams to ensure successful delivery of new initiatives.

Skills and experience

• Proven experience in a business development, commercial or programme growth role within the automotive sector.
• Demonstrable track record of meeting or exceeding business development and growth targets.
• Experience developing customer-focused, differentiated and commercially viable solutions.
• Strong ability to manage the full business development lifecycle from opportunity identification to implementation.
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels, including senior leadership and Board members.
• Experience working with complex stakeholders and multi-service propositions.
• Strong knowledge of the automotive aftersales and body repair industry.
• Understanding of B&P operations, parts supply chains and accident management models.
• Highly motivated, proactive and commercially minded with strong initiative.
• High standard of written communication, grammar, and document production.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, statistics, and performance metrics.
• Excellent IT skills, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Benefits

We believe in rewarding our people for the great work they do. When you join Activate Group, you can expect:

• 33 days holiday, including bank holidays

• Personal health cash plan – claim back the cost of everyday healthcare such as dental and optical check-ups

• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental pay

• Life assurance at three times your basic salary

• Free breakfasts and fresh fruit

• A birthday surprise for everyone

What you can expect from us

At Activate Group, we want everyone to have the tools and support they need to do their best work. We’re an innovative business that continuously reviews and improves our systems, processes and ways of working, making sure they support our teams to do their jobs effectively.

Every role at Activate Group is aligned to our wider business vision and purpose – making someone’s bad day better. You’ll understand how your role contributes to the bigger picture and how your work helps deliver excellent outcomes for customer and partners.

We believe work should be enjoyable. We make time to celebrate success, recognise achievements and bring people together at team events and company-wide celebrations. We’ll also support your ongoing development through regular feedback and career planning.

Whether you’re based in one of our contact centres in Halifax, Peterborough or Huddersfield, working at an Activate Accident Repair (AAR) site, or working from home, you’ll be part of a supportive culture where people are encouraged to succeed.

A bit about us

Activate Group is a fast-growing business approaching 1,000 team members nationwide.

We work with some of the UK’s largest fleets and insurance companies, supporting drivers that have been involved in road incidents through our contact centres in Halifax, Peterborough and Huddersfield.

We manage every step of the repair journey - repairing vehicles at our own Activate Accident Repair (AAR) body shops, as well as through a UK-wide network of trusted independent repair partners.

We also work with the UK’s largest vehicle manufacturers, supporting their approved repair programmes, and deliver innovative technology solutions to fleets, vehicle repair centres and dealerships.

Our purpose & values

Our purpose underpins everything we do: Make someone’s bad day better

Our values define how we work with our team members, customers and suppliers:

• Make it happen – Be accountable. Take the initiative, work fast, and do a great job.

• Strive for better – Be bold. Challenge the norm - make small improvements often.

• Win together – Be a team player. Win together, learn together, respect each other.