Business development manager jobs in Lambeth, greater london

Job Decription

NEON is seeking to expand our team capacity to deliver transformational growth across our creative programming. The Business Development Manager will  transition NEON from project-based delivery to sustainable, recurring programmes while scaling our impact within the creative industries and local community.

With our expansion into a new 5,600 sq ft facility in  Vauxhall you will lead on the income generation annually by increased programming, events, room hires and membership to support 7-day-per-week programming and enhanced community reach. 

You will work closely with both our external  cross-sector funders, clients and internal delivery partners and teams to provide a service that exceeds expectations by  monitoring progress and continually adapting and improving effectiveness to meet changing needs

The postholder will:

• Expand income generation through studio hires, memberships, events, and trading

• Securing sponsorships, multi-year funding, and philanthropic donations

• Develop contracts and partnerships with schools, local authorities, and corporate entities

• Strengthening impact reporting and financial reporting and management

• Supporting the Founder and Artistic Director to build a resilient business model across our sites in Vauxhall from 2026. 

• Role Profile 

• Essential Experience and Skills 

• 5 years plus demonstrable experience of income generation  and management, delivering on time and within budget 

• Demonstrable experience of budget management - strong financial literacy, commercial awareness and analytical 

• You are passionate about the arts and creative sectors, wanting to use your abilities to nurture the talents of others and increase diversity within these sectors

• You enjoy working in an entrepreneurial and creative , start-up environment - understanding that this may mean doing what is needed to get the outcome, even if not within one’s own role

• You have resilience to change course and adapt priorities as needed by the business

• You are as comfortable working independently as you are as part of a team

• You enjoy working with a small team and contributing to the broader ambition of the whole organisation and being an ambassador for our work

• Ability to be self-servicing including proficient use of Microsoft IT and Google Suite packages

• Willing to be based in our studio in Vauxhall

• Substantial experience of relationship building and collaborative partnership with people from all sectors and backgrounds - especially at senior management/executive level e.g. stakeholders, funders and delivery partners

• Demonstrable track record of managing and monitoring performance to meet objectives and delivery of targets 

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to articulate and present ideas clearly, coherently and persuasively in the written format as well as verbally 

• Ability to think, act and communicate strategically and creatively

• Ability to be self-servicing including proficient use of Microsoft IT and Google Suite packages

• Knowledge and/or experience of the arts and creative industries, in a startup or with creative entrepreneurs is desirable though not essential. We would still like to hear from you if you have experience leading and delivering high-profile projects and are committed to making a difference.

The Partnerships and Business Development Manager is responsible for securing and sustaining business and property support for The Fitzrovia Partnership, with a primary focus on ballot delivery and long-term levy payer engagement.

The role leads the practical management of the Camden and Westminster occupier ballots, voluntary membership, property forum and targeted engagement activity. It is delivery-focused and process-driven, ensuring that engagement activity is well planned, well recorded, and directly supports successful ballot outcomes.

Working closely with the Marketing and Communications team, the postholder ensures engagement activity is aligned with wider messaging and campaigns, while retaining clear ownership of relationships, follow-up, and conversion.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Business and Property Engagement

· Lead direct engagement with levy-paying businesses and property owners through meetings, visits, calls, and structured follow-up.

· Build and maintain strong working relationships with key decision-makers, ensuring consistent and informed dialogue.

· Develop, lead and manage engagement plans for priority occupiers and property interests, with clear objectives and outcomes.

· Act as a first point of contact for ballot-related queries and engagement issues.

Ballot Management and Delivery

· Manage the end-to-end occupier ballot process, working with the billing authority to ensure compliance with statutory requirements and deadlines for the 2027 Camden and 2028 Westminster ballots.

· Maintain detailed ballot timetables, engagement trackers, and risk logs to support back-to-back ballots.

· Coordinate internal inputs to ballot materials, ensuring engagement intelligence informs content and targeting.

Voluntary Membership

· Manage the development and delivery of a voluntary membership offer alongside statutory levy arrangements.

· Identify, engage, and convert voluntary members, tracking participation and renewals.

· Ensure voluntary members receive clear value through engagement, access, and communication.

Project Management

· Plan and deliver targeted engagement campaigns in support of ballots and priority projects.

· Manage engagement activity as structured projects, with defined milestones, actions, and reporting.

· Work closely with Marketing and Communications to align engagement activity with campaigns, while retaining ownership of delivery, follow-up, and outcomes.

· Support delivery of engagement-led projects such as property forums, briefings, and issue-based meetings.

CRM, Data and Insight

· Take ownership of CRM use for engagement, ensuring all interactions, outcomes, and next steps are accurately recorded.

· Maintain high data quality to support ballot readiness, reporting, and audit requirements.

· Produce regular engagement reports showing coverage, risks, gaps, and progress towards ballot thresholds.

· Use CRM insight to prioritise effort and guide engagement strategy.

Governance and Reporting

· Prepare clear written updates, briefings, and summaries for senior leadership, the Board, and relevant sub-groups.

· Ensure engagement activity complies with data protection and internal governance requirements.

· Support audit trails and evidence requirements associated with ballot delivery.

This role works closely with the Marketing and Communications team to ensure consistency of messaging, timing, and audience targeting. However, it remains distinct in its focus on relationship management, ballot mechanics, CRM discipline, and delivery of outcomes, rather than content creation or communications strategy.

Person Specification

Skills and Experience

· Strong and proven experience in business engagement, membership, stakeholder management, or business development in a place-based or membership organisation.

· Demonstrable experience in a commercial development role, or strong evidence of meeting conversion targets in a B2B environment (for example, membership, sponsorship, account growth, renewals, or service sales).

· Proven experience managing complex processes or campaigns with fixed deadlines.

· Strong project management skills and attention to detail.

· Experience using CRM systems to manage relationships, track activity, and produce reports.

· Ability to work closely with communications colleagues while retaining ownership of delivery and follow-up.

· Strong written and verbal communication skills, particularly for briefings and engagement reporting.

Knowledge and Understanding

· Understanding of BIDs or similar partnership organisations and the importance of ballot legitimacy.

· Awareness of how businesses and property owners engage with place-based organisations.

· Understanding of data protection and responsible handling of stakeholder information.

Personal Attributes

· Organised, persistent, and comfortable working to targets and deadlines.

· Confident and professional when dealing with senior stakeholders.

· Practical, delivery-focused, and outcomes-driven.

· Willing to learn, reflect, and continuously improve.

To apply for this role, please send a max 2-page cover letter and CV. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview (w/c 9 February 2026)