Senior Business Development Executive

About First Mile

First Mile is one of the UK’s leading recycling and waste management companies, serving over 30,000 businesses including brands such as Pret A Manger, Netflix and Zara.

We help organisations reduce their environmental impact through smarter waste and recycling services. Our customers range from independent restaurants and retailers through to national hospitality groups, universities, commercial estates and public sector organisations.

As environmental regulation tightens and businesses place greater focus on sustainability, demand for high-quality recycling services continues to grow.

We are expanding our Business Development team to win larger and more complex customers across the UK.

The Role

This is a new business role focused on winning multi-site and operational customers.

You will be responsible for identifying, developing and closing contracts with organisations that require reliable, scalable waste and recycling services across multiple locations.

Typical deals range from £20k–£150k per year, often multi-site, operationally complex and requiring collaboration with operations, pricing and bid team, as well as structured procurement processes.

You will manage the entire sales cycle from prospecting and initial engagement through to proposal, negotiation and contract signature.

This role suits commercially driven sellers who are comfortable working in a fast-moving, evolving environment where structure is being built and personal ownership is expected.

Key Responsibilities

Win New Multi-Site Customers

• Identify and secure new business opportunities with organisations operating across multiple locations.
• Develop relationships with decision makers including operations directors, facilities managers, estates teams and procurement teams.
• Lead meetings, site visits and presentations with prospective customers.
• Create tailored proposals based on operational requirements and service delivery needs.
• Negotiate pricing, service structure and contract terms to secure new contracts.

Lead Generation & SDR Collaboration

You will work closely with our SDR team who identify and qualify new opportunities across priority sectors.

SDRs will introduce qualified prospects and help open new conversations. However, you will also be expected to proactively build your own pipeline through prospecting, networking and industry engagement.

Successful Business Development Executives combine SDR-generated opportunities with self-generated pipeline to consistently exceed revenue targets.

Target Priority Industry Sectors

You will actively pursue opportunities across sectors where First Mile has strong demand and proven success.

These include:

• Food & Beverage operators
• Restaurant and hospitality groups
• Retail chains and shopping centres
• Hotels and leisure venues
• Universities and education campuses
• Public sector organisations including councils and government facilities
• Commercial property and estate operators

Many of these customers operate multiple sites and require structured service delivery across large estates.

Public Sector and National Accounts

You will also target larger organisations and public sector bodies where opportunities arise through Framework agreements, Formal tender processes and Procurement-led buying cycles

This requires strong commercial discipline and the ability to navigate structured procurement processes.

Pipeline Management

• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of qualified opportunities.
• Manage opportunities through Salesforce, ensuring accurate forecasting, values and close dates.
• Maintain momentum across multiple deals simultaneously.
• Work closely with internal operational teams to ensure proposed services are commercially viable and deliverable.

Deliver Against Revenue Targets

• Consistently achieve and exceed individual revenue targets through new contract wins.
• Maintain a pipeline sufficient to support predictable revenue delivery.
• Demonstrate strong commercial judgement when prioritising opportunities and negotiating contracts.

Requirements

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for commercially driven sales professionals who are comfortable winning new business in competitive B2B markets. You are likely to have experience selling contracted operational services rather than purely transactional products.

Relevant industry backgrounds include:

• Waste management
• Facilities management
• Energy and utilities
• Property services
• Building services
• Hospitality and Retail
• Cleaning or security services
• Logistics, Property or Public Sector

Experience selling into hospitality, retail, estates, operations or procurement teams is highly relevant.

This role requires a self-starter who is comfortable operating with autonomy, taking ownership of opportunities end-to-end, and working without heavy process or large support teams

Skills & Attributes

• Proven track record in B2B new business sales.
• Confident managing multi-stakeholder sales processes.
• Strong commercial awareness and negotiation ability.
• Resilient and proactive with the discipline to consistently build and manage pipeline.
• Highly organised with strong pipeline management discipline.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Comfortable operating in a performance-driven commercial environment.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary with a commission of up to 50% of your base.

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, with additional days awarded for length of service.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity scheme.
• Monthly wellbeing allowance.
• Regular company events and team socials.
• Opportunity to join a fast-growing company operating in a sector that is becoming increasingly important as businesses focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility.