Director Business Development

Job Description

At abrdn, our purpose is to enable our clients to be better investors. Clients worldwide trust us to find future-fit investment opportunities to deliver the outcomes they want. Our technology and insight help empower them to make better decisions, while the powerful partnerships we build help to enhance the expertise that we offer. By enabling clients to invest responsibly, it helps us to build a better world.

About the department

The Sales function is responsible for new business and revenue generation, supporting customers in finding products, solutions, and services that best meet their needs.

About the role

As the Director Business Development, you will be a part of the wholesale distribution team in Germany, one of our key growth locations in Europe. This position is a senior role based in our Frankfurt office. The primary purpose is to grow the wholesale client base in Germany and to manage & develop abrdn’s existing client relationships. It is a strategically important role at our sales function acting as a business development director to win new business as well as maintaining existing client relationships. It is an exciting opportunity to be part of, and contribute to, our growing Germany business.

The role reports into the Head of Wholesale Germany & Austria and the role holder will need to be based in Frankfurt. For this position, we will require a native German speaker due to the requirements of the role.

Key responsibilities

1. Member of German/Austrian sales team providing best-in-class service to clients.
2. Manage overall relationship with existing clients (selectively new clients) to ensure client satisfaction & retention.
3. Support our work on strategies to acquire profitable new investment business, develop plans and proposals to enhance return on assets.
4. Act as a conduit into investments for clients, focusing on matching clients’ investment needs to suitable propositions and product sets.
5. In-depth knowledge of investment products to engage a diversity of wholesale clients to raise awareness of abrdn’s investment capabilities and potential.
6. Give presentations and carry out product training (online and on the ground).
7. Communicate results to key business holders of client meetings.
8. Liaise with internal stakeholders on final completion & tailoring of RFPs, pitch books, to answer client queries, perform analysis and provide additional information, ensuring client onboarding takes place smoothly and coordinated response to any queries.
9. Involvement in projects as required that support the German wholesale sales efforts with a focus on our strategic partner Standard Life/Phoenix.

About the candidate requirements

1. Significant business development experience and ideally an existing wholesale client base.
2. Comfortable interacting with clients and stakeholders across the firm.
3. Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills in German (native) and English.
4. Advanced webinar and presentation skills (MS Teams, WebEx, GoToWebinar).
5. Advanced software skills (PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Word) and ideally Salesforce.
6. Strong team player.
7. Deep interest and solid understanding of financial markets.

We’re committed to providing an inclusive workplace where all forms of difference are valued and which is free from any form of unfair or unlawful treatment. We define diversity in its broadest sense – this includes but is not limited to our diversity of educational and professional backgrounds, experience, cognitive and neurodiversity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief, and ethnicity and geographical provenance. We support a culture that values meritocracy, fairness, and transparency and welcomes enquiries from everyone.

If you need assistance or an adjustment due to a disability, please let us know as part of your application and we will assist.