Business Development Executive

Business Development Executive

Sponsorship & Commercial Partnerships

Full-time · Hybrid (3 days in office) · Location - Leeds

Do you want to use your business development skills to help drive one of the largest economic opportunities of our generation?

The Sustainability Community (TSC) convenes the leaders shaping the UK’s next industrial chapter. Through national conferences, private roundtables and leadership dinners, we bring together senior decision-makers from industry, investment, government and innovation to accelerate clean industrial growth across the UK – from clean energy and infrastructure to advanced manufacturing, transport and future cities.

With a network of more than 20,000 leaders and over 6,000 senior delegates at our events in the past two years, we work alongside HM Government as a national partner and with combined authorities across the country. Between 2025 and 2026 we are expanding into six to eight major UK regions – and we’re building the team to deliver it.

THE ROLE

This is a brand-new role, created to drive the commercial growth behind that expansion. As Partnerships Executive, you’ll own the full sales cycle for sponsorship, exhibition and partnership packages across our 2026 events programme – including ReGeneration Earth, Future Cities & Transport and Clean Energy UK. You’ll identify the right organisations, open conversations with senior stakeholders, and turn interest into long-term commercial partnerships.

In short, you’ll be selling something that matters: access to the rooms where capital, policy and industry connect to deliver the UK’s clean industrial transition.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Generate and qualify new business through targeted outreach – calls, email, LinkedIn and your own network – building a healthy pipeline across our events programme.

• Sell sponsorship, exhibition and partnership packages, tailoring proposals to each organisation’s commercial and sustainability objectives.

• Build genuine, consultative relationships with senior decision-makers, understanding their goals and matching them to the right opportunity.

• Manage the full sales cycle from first contact to close, and support a smooth handover to the delivery team.

• Keep an accurate pipeline and forecast in HubSpot, reporting clearly on activity and conversion.

• Research your market – sectors, prospects and competitor activity – to spot new commercial opportunities and trends.

• Work closely with the partnerships, events and marketing teams to align outreach with the wider programme.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

Essential

• A track record in B2B sales, business development or sponsorship / partnership sales.

• Confidence opening and holding conversations with senior, professional audiences.

• Strong negotiation and closing skills, with a self-motivated, results-driven approach.

• Excellent written and verbal communication, and a natural ability to build rapport and trust.

• Well organised, with the discipline to manage a pipeline and hit targets independently as well as within a team.

• A genuine interest in sustainability, clean growth and the UK’s industrial transition.

Nice to have

• Experience selling into events, media, membership or conferences.

• Familiarity with HubSpot or a similar CRM.

• An existing network across industry, government or the sustainability sector.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Salary of £28,000, plus uncapped commission – realistic OTE of c. £39,500–£42,500.

• Hybrid working – 3 days in the office, 2 from home.

• 28 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, with the office closed over Christmas.

• Three paid volunteer days each year.

• Pension scheme and quarterly team socials.

• The chance to grow with a fast-scaling, purpose-led business – and play a real part in tackling the climate crisis.

• Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Reports to: Director of Partnerships