Associate Director of Business Development

Associate Director of Business Development

The Associate Director of Business Development for Markerstudy Retail is the spearhead for the "engine room" of growth and the role is designed to lead the business development strategy for Markerstudy Retail, specifically focusing on the acquisition and delivery of new corporate partnerships.

The Associate Director will be responsible for leading a high-performing team to identify, develop, and deliver innovative insurance propositions for corporate partners, managing everything from initial market mapping to final contract execution and solution design.

We are a flexible, hybrid working employer. We do have offices based in Manchester, Peterborough and London where frequent travel to would be expected although the primary role will be out and about seeing clients and partners as and when required.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Pipeline Development

• Strategic Growth: Develop and implement a robust business development strategy aligned with our growth objectives, specifically targeting the expansion of corporate partnership channels, primarily for motor, household and pet opportunities.
• Market Mapping & Research: Conduct in-depth market research to identify new sector opportunities and emerging trends in the personal lines market to stay ahead of competitors.
• Pipeline Management: Proactively build and manage a multi-stage pipeline of high-value corporate clients, ensuring a consistent flow of opportunities from lead generation to conversion.
• Sales Playbooks: Develop and implement repeatable sales processes and "playbooks" to standardise the approach to new business acquisition.

Proposition Design & Delivery

• Solution Design: Lead the creation of bespoke insurance propositions tailored to the unique needs of corporate partners and their employee/customer bases.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with commercial directors, product development, operations, technology and claims teams to ensure that new propositions are operationally viable and commercially sound.
• Delivery Oversight: Manage the transition of new partnerships from the sales phase to full operational delivery, ensuring a seamless implementation for the partner.

Negotiation & Commercial Management

• Contract Negotiation: Lead complex negotiations regarding commercial terms, service level agreements (SLAs), and contractual negotiations to ensure profitable and sustainable partnerships.
• Commercial Viability: Conduct financial analysis and develop business cases to justify new partnership investments to the Executive Leadership Team.

Team Leadership & Performance

• Team Management: Direct and mentor a team of business development professionals, setting clear KPIs and fostering a culture of accountability and excellence.
• Performance Monitoring: Regularly report on team performance, pipeline health, and revenue targets to senior management.

Key Skills & Experience

• Proven track record in senior-level business development within the UK insurance sector, with specific success in securing large-scale corporate or affinity partnerships.
• Exceptional influencing and negotiation skills, with the ability to engage credibly with C-suite stakeholders at national and multinational organisations.
• Demonstrated experience in leading, coaching, and developing high-performing sales or business development teams.
• Deep understanding of the UK personal lines market, regulatory requirements (FCA), and the dynamics of corporate partnerships.

What we offer in return?

• A collaborative and fast paced work environment
• Private Medical Insurance
• Yearly bonus scheme
• 30 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays and the ability to buy additional leave (annual leave also increases with service)
• Life Assurance 4x annual salary
• Vibrant, modern offices

About Us

Markerstudy Insurance Services Limited (MISL) is one of the largest Managing General Agents in the UK. With a strong presence in the UK motor insurance market, we specialise in niche motor cover, where our solid market knowledge and experience enables us to create highly targeted products.

Our success is underpinned by our underwriting strategy to identify and apply special risk factors to the customers’ advantage. That, and our skilled underwriting technicians who are friendly, accessible and empowered to make decisions.

We only transact business through professional UK insurance intermediaries and we take pride in fostering excellent working relationships. Our products feature prominently on Aggregators' sites, such as Confused.com, Go Compare and Compare the Market, via our broker partners.