The role
We are looking to hire a Business Development Associate to join our Sales team in London.
Working at WGSN
Together, we create tomorrow
A career with WGSN is fast-paced, exciting and full of opportunities to grow and develop. We're a team of consumer and design trend forecasters, content creators, designers, data analysts, advisory consultants and much more, united by a common goal: to create tomorrow.
WGSN's trusted consumer and design forecasts power outstanding product design, enabling our customers to create a better future. Our services cover consumer insights, beauty, consumer tech, fashion, interiors, lifestyle, food and drink forecasting, data analytics and expert advisory. If you are an expert in your field, we want to hear from you.
Role overview
The Business Development Associate is responsible for mapping a book of medium and growth accounts and finding consultancy and account development opportunities amongst clients across EMEA.
The Business Development Associate identifies and maps business opportunities. A key responsibility includes building key prospect relationships via research and appointment setting to support our Account Managers. An extensive knowledge of current market conditions is required to be successful in this role.
The Business Development Associate will use a consultative sales and research style to support the overall EMEA Account Management team to develop strategy to help achieve our ambitious sales goals.
The team
You will be part of a high performing, multicultural and driven sales team based in London. The team have worked incredibly hard over the past year to achieve outstanding results. We have a great team spirit that promotes collaboration to help you succeed in the role. The team is creative, fast paced, inspired and results-focused, made up of people who are passionate about helping our customers get ahead in their industry.
Key accountabilities
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Identify growth opportunities (Subscription and Mindset/Consultancy) from the portfolio of existing accounts or other relevant companies across EMEA
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Drive initial conversation and support stages of the sale including mapping of accounts and stakeholders, CRM database updates and maintenance, company storyboard and X-check research, MQL follow up, nurture activities, and arrange meetings with key stakeholders and AMs.
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Research clients, prospects, or industry verticals to get an understanding of their business needs and how WGSN will address their objectives and deliver value
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Work alongside the Account Managers to support the account growth plans including preparation of nurture materials and personalised proposals
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Ensure the Account Managers have consistently high numbers of sales meetings
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Maximise face to face time with clients and pursuit accounts
This list is not exhaustive and there may be other activities you are required to deliver.
Skills, experience & qualifications required
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Proficiency in English is essential
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Fluency in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian would be a bonus
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Solid experience in a pre-sales role in an outside sales / B2B capacity in the European market
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Proven ability to quickly gain entry to key pursuit accounts and articulate a proven value / ROI based proposition
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Understanding of how to communicate a service offering through emails, proposals, presentations, phone calls and customer success stories
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Excellent organisation skills
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Strong attention to detail
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Ability to opportunity pipeline and cultivate leads, including a holistic overview of all outstanding communications and prospect relationships
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Salesforce based CRM experience is a plus
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Good computer skills (basic knowledge of Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Ascential’s supporting beliefs
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Focus: we ruthlessly prioritise and always keep things simple
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All in: once we commit we deliver, with a clear focus on outcome
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Trustworthiness, transparency & openness: transparency inspires trust & empowers
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Be creative: we are smart, pro-active innovators
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Facts: we always use data & insight to inform our work
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Empathy: we can be relied upon for fairness and consideration
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No silos: one team, one face, one reputation
What we offer
Our benefits and wellbeing package offers flexible benefits you can tailor to your own personal needs, including:
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25 days of holiday per year - with an option to buy/ sell up to 5 days
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Pension, Life Assurance and Income Protection
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Flexible benefits platform with options including Private Medical, Dental Insurance, Critical Illness, and the Ascential Shares Scheme – opt in
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Employee assistance programme, season ticket loans and cycle to work scheme
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Volunteering opportunities and charitable giving options
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Great learning and development opportunities.
More about WGSN
WGSN is the global authority on consumer trend forecasting.
We help brands around the world create the right products at the right time for tomorrow’s consumer.
Our culture
An inclusive culture is one of our key priorities. We want our people to truly be themselves and thrive. We love having a diverse team of people who bring new ideas, different strengths and perspectives & reflect the global audience we work with.
Why choose us?
At Ascential, diversity, equity and inclusion is core to us. We’re a company built around our people - and we’re committed to supporting each and every one of them to be the best they can be. We love having a diverse team of people who bring new ideas and different strengths and perspectives to Ascential. Our employee-led networks, Ascential Pride, Black in Business and EmPower: An Ascential Women's Initiative, help us to create a place where communities and allies can connect and share experiences. In addition, our Early Talent programmes help grow and foster diverse new talent for our sectors.
We are committed to supporting the environment and sustainability, including ensuring our pension plan defaults to sustainable options and striving to be net zero by 2030.
Recognising great performance is a key part of our culture. Our Awards schemes recognise and reward the brilliant achievements of our people.
We have a truly flexible working environment with a wide range of flexible, hybrid and agile-working arrangements. Conversations about flexible working have always been - and will continue to be - actively encouraged here.
We want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to perform their best when interviewing, so if you require any reasonable adjustments that would make you more comfortable during the process, please let us know so that we can do our best to support you.
If we inspire you, why not join and inspire us? Find out more on what our People say