About Shoal Group

At Shoal Group, we’re more than just a business — we’re a team built on trust, commitment, and collaboration. Everything we do is driven by a passion for lasting relationships — with our customers, our partners, and most importantly, with each other. Our customers count on us for more than high-quality products — they rely on our expertise, reliability, and seamless service to keep the world powered and connected.

Shoal Group was founded in late 2019 through the coming together of Cablecraft and FS Cables, with a shared vision of creating a platform for long-term, sustainable growth. We expanded further in 2021 with the acquisition of SWA, and today, we’re proud to be part of Diploma PLC — a FTSE 100-listed company with a global presence in Life Sciences, Seals, and Controls industries.

Our headquarters are in Luton, Bedfordshire, with a sales office in Gloucestershire and a manufacturing facility in Plymouth, Devon. Across the organisation we have a vision of becoming a leading distributor of cables and cable accessories in the electrical industry; delivering value across multiple channels, including wholesale, contractors, and OEMs. We aim to serve a diverse industry across Europe and grow the business through both organic and inorganic growth strategies. We combine the agility, energy, and flexibility of an SME with the financial strength and resources of being part of Diploma PLC. This allows us to make significant investments and pursue strategic acquisitions to further enhance our offerings and expand our reach.

The Role

The Business Development Manager – Technical Sales will be responsible for driving strategic growth within export markets and the UK home automation sector. The role combines commercial acumen with technical expertise to identify new business opportunities, develop strong client relationships, and deliver tailored product and service solutions that meet customer needs

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This position serves as a bridge between commercial and technical teams, ensuring a seamless customer journey from initial engagement to long-term partnership. The successful candidate will play a key role in expanding Shoal’s market presence through proactive sales, technical support, and strategic collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

Roles & Responsibilities

Business Development & Sales

• Identify, qualify, and secure new business opportunities across target export territories and the UK home automation marketplace

• Develop and execute effective sales strategies to achieve or exceed revenue and margin targets.

• Generate and manage a robust sales pipeline through proactive prospecting, networking, and participation in industry events.

• Prepare and deliver persuasive technical and commercial proposals and presentations

• Negotiate pricing, contracts, and terms of agreement in collaboration with leadership and internal teams.

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Strategic Market Engagement

• Lead strategic engagement across the Export, Home Automation ecosystem, and key customer partners.

• Position the company as a trusted and innovative partner, recognised for quality, service excellence, and technical capability in cables, accessories, and integrated solutions.

• Provide actionable market intelligence and competitor insights to shape commercial, pricing, and go-to-market strategies.

• Support product positioning, value-engineering, and solution development in alignment with customer requirements and market trends.

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Commercial Management

• Manage quotations, pricing, and proposal development to achieve competitive and profitable results.

• Support tender submissions, commercial negotiations, and framework agreements with key accounts.

• Collaborate closely with internal teams — including sales, purchasing, and technical — to ensure a seamless and consistent customer experience.

• Monitor and report on sales performance, pipeline activity, and profitability against agreed KPIs and strategic objectives.

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Collaboration & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Conduct ongoing market analysis to identify emerging trends, competitor activity, and potential growth opportunities.

• Support development of go-to-market strategies and contribute to Shoal’s overall commercial roadmap.

• Maintain an in-depth understanding of the company’s products, technologies, and industry developments.

• Prepare regular sales forecasts, reports, and performance updates for management review.

• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives across commercial processes, customer engagement, and overall business development strategy.

• Comply with company policies on Quality Management and Health & Safety at all times.

• Conduct regular competitor and market analysis to identify gaps, trends, and opportunities within the OEM sector.

• Work closely product category teams to provide customer feedback that supports innovation and customisation for OEM clients.

• Build, track, and maintain a robust sales pipeline, ensuring accurate forecasting and reporting to senior management.

• Stay up to date with regulatory requirements (quality, environmental, and safety standards) that impact OEM customers.

Leadership skills

• Strong leadership and influencing skills, capable of guiding customers and colleagues.

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.

• Ability to motivate yourself and others, managing workload to consistently achieve KPIs.

• Confident and professional when representing the company at trade shows, events, and industry meetings.

• Shows respect for all colleagues by listening actively, valuing input, and treating others with fairness.

• Acts as a team player, supporting cross-functional collaboration and prioritising shared success.

• Fosters a culture of collaboration, encouraging open communication and cooperative problem-solving across departments.

• Embraces a growth mindset, promoting continuous learning, adaptability, and improvement.

• Results-driven with a commitment to continuous improvement.

• Calm under pressure, resilient, and solutions focused.

• Strong commercial acumen

• Comfortable working autonomously in a remote environment with regular travel.