Lead, manage and motivate others as a business development manager

by Charmele Ayadurai

Are you a people person? Can you lead, manage and motivate people to achieve their goals? If you can, then why not become a business development manager?

What will I do?

A business development manager is one who is in charge of the overall business or sales development of a branch office. As a business development manager, you will develop strategic business plans to develop your branch, such as for promoting products and services, cross-selling, identifying business opportunities and enticing potential clients to engage in business with the company.

You will be in charge of developing new markets and creating innovative business or sales and marketing strategies. You will also be required to meet sales targets and set objectives for the branch, as well as undertake presentations and marketing visits to institutional investors, fund managers and potential clients.

In addition, you will be required to liaise with the company’s nationwide network of branches and strategic alliance partners to promote the company’s services.

As a manager, you will have to ensure there is a smooth execution of marketing promotional activities to promote the company’s sales and business growth besides ensuring operational efficiency and excellent front office/customer service quality.

You should be constantly exercising and maintaining a high standard of integrity and professionalism in dealing with business partners and clients by striving to preserve and enhance the good reputation and goodwill of the company as well as build better relationships with business partners and clients.

It will be your responsibility to maintain and safeguard the company’s assets and control liabilities. You will also have to ensure, maintain and enforce a proper supervisory programme and a competent system of internal controls.

You will also be expected to observe and comply at all times with all acts, laws, articles of associations, rules and regulations affecting the company’s business and the securities and banking industries, and be conversant with all statutory modifications and re-enactments as may be introduced thereto.

Displaying teamwork should be your main priority, which will enable you to work closely with the other senior management personnel at all times. On top of that, you will also have to provide coaching, guidance and feedback to staff in view of their work performance and channel the information to your superior.

Is it for me?

What characteristics do I have to adopt to be a business development manager? You should be diplomatic, tactful, hardworking, meticulous and ambitious.

What qualifications do I need to have to be a business development manager? You can have a degree in Business Administration, Finance, Marketing, Management or Accounting. This degree will earn you the position of a business development associate. To be a business development manager, you have to be in a business development associate position a minimum of 5 to 6 years.

How much will I earn?

RM4,000 to RM10,000 depending on experience and performance.

Who will employ me?

Companies, banks and other financial institutions.

Career progression

Branch Manager, Regional Director

For students who want to be business development managers, I would advise them to keep abreast with current news, apply what you have learned in your units to daily life, go for internship, study well and success will follow suit.

Charmele Ayadurai is a Banking and Finance lecturer at Curtin Sarawak. Prior to joining Curtin Sarawak, she worked at Barclays Bank and Natwest Bank in the United Kingdom as a trainee associate, and having obtained her Masters degree, ventured out to work with UNISYS, an American insurance company as a lead verifier, and later on as a business development manager cum entrepreneur with TC Autos. In Malaysia, she has worked as a business development associate with OSK Investment Bank Berhad.