Business Development Manager

For over 50 years, Mintel has provided world-class market intelligence, consumer research, and consulting solutions to the world's leading consumer-focused businesses. Combining trusted syndicated research with bespoke insight solutions, Mintel helps organizations make smarter business decisions and drive innovation with confidence. We are looking for a highly motivated Business Development Manager to accelerate Mintel's growth across India. Reporting to the Head of Business Development, this individual will be responsible for identifying, developing, and winning new business opportunities across the FMCG, Food & Beverage, Beauty & Personal Care, Ingredients, Retail, and Consumer Goods sectors. This role is ideal for a true sales hunter who thrives on prospecting, opening new doors, building relationships, and closing high-value opportunities. The position offers an attractive uncapped commission structure and significant career growth opportunities within a fast-growing international business. What You Will Be Doing New Business Development • Identify, prospect, and engage new clients across India to expand Mintel's customer base. • Develop and execute territory plans to build a strong pipeline of qualified opportunities. • Proactively target key accounts and decision-makers through outbound sales activities. Prospecting & Lead Generation • Consistently achieve daily, weekly, and monthly prospecting activity targets. • Conduct cold calling, email outreach, LinkedIn prospecting, networking, and referral generation to secure meetings with prospective clients. • Create and manage outbound campaigns to generate new sales opportunities. Consultative Selling & Needs Discovery • Understand prospects' business objectives, challenges, and growth priorities through effective discovery conversations. • Match client needs with the most suitable Mintel solutions and identify opportunities for long-term partnerships. • Build opportunities that are both commercially viable and renewable. Proposal Development & Closing • Prepare tailored proposals aligned to client requirements, objectives, and budgets. • Present compelling business cases that demonstrate Mintel's value and return on investment. • Drive opportunities through the full sales cycle, from prospecting to negotiation and contract closure. Negotiation • Lead commercial discussions and negotiations with senior stakeholders. • Effectively demonstrate Mintel's value proposition while securing commercially successful outcomes. Strategic Territory Management • Develop and execute effective sales strategies to achieve individual and team targets. • Maintain a healthy 3-6 month pipeline to support consistent revenue generation. • Identify whitespace opportunities and strategic growth areas within assigned territories. Forecasting & Reporting • Maintain accurate opportunity records and pipeline data within CRM systems. • Deliver timely and reliable forecasts, activity reports, and territory updates to management. • Ensure forecasting accurately reflects business opportunities and expected outcomes. Presentations & Product Demonstrations • Leverage a strong understanding of Mintel's products, services, and industry trends to confidently present to clients and prospects. • Deliver impactful product demonstrations and executive-level presentations to stakeholders ranging from managers to C-suite leaders. • Act as a trusted advisor on market trends, consumer behaviour, innovation, and competitive intelligence. Networking & Industry Engagement • Develop and maintain relationships with key decision-makers, influencers, and senior stakeholders within target organizations. • Represent Mintel at industry trade shows, conferences, exhibitions, webinars, and networking events to increase brand visibility and generate leads. • Build a strong professional network within India's FMCG and consumer goods ecosystem. Travel & Client Engagement • Travel regularly across India to meet prospects, conduct presentations, attend trade shows, and support business development initiatives. • Attend client meetings, industry events, and strategic business discussions in multiple cities as required. • Be flexible to travel on short notice to maximize new business opportunities and strengthen client relationships. Who We Are Looking For Hunters You are a metrics-driven sales professional with a proven track record of winning new business. You are confident making cold calls, developing new relationships, and opening doors at all levels of an organization. You are comfortable engaging prospects over the phone, via email, through LinkedIn, and in-person meetings. Achievers You consistently meet and exceed sales targets and have a strong history of delivering revenue growth. You understand how to navigate complex sales cycles and engage senior decision-makers to drive successful outcomes. Commercially Minded You have strong business acumen and can quickly identify client challenges and commercial opportunities. You are comfortable discussing strategy with senior stakeholders and positioning Mintel solutions as business-critical investments. Strategic & Forward Thinking You balance short-term sales objectives with long-term pipeline development. You understand the importance of building sustainable growth while consistently delivering monthly and quarterly targets. Naturally Curious You enjoy uncovering client needs through thoughtful questioning and consultative conversations. You are skilled at identifying underlying business challenges and translating them into actionable opportunities. Resilient & Adaptable You possess the determination and resilience required to thrive in a highly competitive sales environment. You view setbacks as learning opportunities and remain focused on achieving results despite challenges. Great Communicators You are an effective communicator with excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills. You know how to tailor your message to different audiences and can confidently engage stakeholders ranging from managers to C-suite executives. Team Player You build strong relationships internally and collaborate effectively with colleagues across sales, account management, consulting, insights, marketing, and client success teams. Experience & Requirements • Minimum 3+ years of successful B2B sales experience with a strong focus on new business development. • Proven track record of prospecting, pipeline generation, and closing complex sales opportunities. • Experience selling research, consulting, SaaS, subscriptions, data, information services, or insight solutions is highly desirable. • Experience selling to FMCG, Food & Beverage, Beauty & Personal Care, Ingredients, Retail, or Consumer Goods companies is preferred. • Demonstrated ability to engage and sell to senior stakeholders and C-suite executives. • Willingness to travel extensively across India for prospect meetings, client engagement, industry events, and business development activities. We Hope You'll Like Our • Culture that supports collaboration while embracing flexible and hybrid working. • Blended office and home working approach. • Strong focus on professional development and career growth. • Social events and team-building activities. • Generous annual leave and employee benefits package. • Additional day off to celebrate your birthday. • Membership in Employee Resource Groups including Mintel Diversity, Mintel Wellness, and Mintel Gives. • Two volunteering days annually through Mintel Gives initiatives. • Mental health and wellbeing support through Modern Health and Employee Assistance Programmes. • Beautifully designed offices that encourage collaboration, creativity, and innovation. Mintel is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace where everyone can thrive.