Description
At IA our team members are collaborative, creative, and entrepreneurial subject matter experts. Being part of our team requires relevant experience, the curiosity and drive to continuously improve and innovate, daring, multi-faceted leadership, a commitment to optimizing the customer experience, and a love of making exceptional places for people to work and experience life.
We are seeking a self-reliant, proactive Business Development Manager to provide dedicated focus on pipeline development, market reconnaissance, and lead conversion across the UK, EMEA, and MENA regions. This role is hands‑on and outward‑facing, acting as IA’s eyes and ears on the ground—identifying opportunities, building relationships, and converting qualified leads into RFPs.
The ideal candidate understands the London real estate market, is commercially curious, highly organised, and comfortable working independently while collaborating closely with leadership teams in EMEA and the US.
Location
London (Primary focus UK, with responsibility across EMEA and MENA)
Travel
Regular travel required across Europe and Middle East
Reports to
EMEA Leadership Team and Studio Managing Director
Key Responsibilities
Lead Generation & Opportunity Development
- Research, identify, and pursue new client relationships, including corporate occupiers, internal real estate teams, project managers, and key decision-makers
- Identify new real estate opportunities, including lease expiries, lease breaks, relocations, and market expansion activity
- Proactively convert qualified leads into RFP opportunities
- Follow up with past IA clients and dormant relationships to re‑engage and uncover new work
- Use IA’s existing global and US client database to source and develop EMEA opportunities
- Provide continuous market intelligence and reconnaissance across London, UK, EMEA, and MENA
- Advise leadership on where to focus BD efforts, which clients to pursue, and which events are worth attending
- Develop and recommend unique BD initiatives, including PR opportunities, awards submissions, events, and speaking engagements
Relationship Building & Networking
- Identify, attend, and prioritise relevant, high‑value networking events and industry forums
- Arrange and coordinate meet‑and‑greets between IA leadership and key prospects
- Build and manage leadership BD calendars, ensuring time is focused on high‑quality opportunities
- Introduce IA to new contacts and decision‑makers within the London and wider EMEA markets
- Own and maintain pipeline tracking process, reviewed weekly with leadership
- Qualify leads through a structured process to ensure focus on viable opportunities
- Maintain consistent follow‑up and engagement to ensure a robust and active pipeline
- Maintain close, ongoing engagement with US client services teams to understand existing relationships and leverage global connections into EMEA opportunities
- Develop a strong understanding of IA’s brand, services, and global business model, confidently representing IA in the market
- Ensure BD strategies are tailored appropriately for the UK, EMEA, and MENA, recognising differing procurement models, cultural norms, and decision‑making structures in each region
Key Skills & Experience
- Proven experience in business development within real estate, workplace design, architecture, project management, or a related professional services industry
- Strong London market knowledge, with existing or easily developed networks
- Experience working across international markets (EMEA and/or MENA preferred)
- Demonstrated ability to self‑start, work independently, and proactively identify opportunities
- Excellent organisational skills with experience managing pipelines, tracking leads, and reporting clearly
- Confident communicator able to speak credibly about brand, services, and value proposition
- Comfortable attending events, initiating conversations, and building relationships from scratch
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