Senior Business Development Manager

Senior Business Development Manager – Manchester & Liverpool

About the opportunity
Manchester and Liverpool have two of the UK's most exciting dining scenes, and First Table is looking for a driven, food-loving Senior BDM to grow its presence across both cities. You'll spend your time meeting restaurant owners and hospitality leaders, winning new business, and — as a senior member of the sales team — mentoring and onboarding other BDMs. Backed by an established brand and a collaborative team across the UK, Australia and NZ, you'll have freedom to own your territory with strong support behind you.

About First Table
Our vision is to be the first place diners go to book a table. Established in Queenstown, New Zealand over a decade ago, we're a dining discovery platform operating across NZ, Australia and the UK, connecting diners to restaurants through clever tech — helping venues fill early tables and giving diners a reason to try somewhere new. Our values: Grow Together, Win-Win-Win, and Own It.

About the role
You'll grow First Table's restaurant network across your territory while stepping into a leadership role within the wider sales team. Your primary focus is winning new restaurant partners — owning opportunities from first conversation through to onboarding — while supporting existing partners where needed. As a senior individual contributor, you'll consistently exceed targets, set the benchmark for the team, formally coach and mentor newer BDMs, and take on a designated special remit (a category focus, growth initiative, or training lead role) working with the Regional Lead and senior leadership. You'll work autonomously, meeting restaurant owners and operators in person, using market insight and data to build a healthy pipeline — all while backed by an experienced team, clear systems, and regular coaching.

What you'll be doing

• Identify and win new restaurant partners to grow your local market
• Build a healthy pipeline through proactive prospecting and territory planning
• Develop win-win relationships that help partners launch successfully
• Track market trends and competitors to spot new opportunities
• Formally onboard, coach and mentor newer/growing BDMs
• Hold a special remit , working on initiatives beyond your own territory
• Contribute to sales decks, onboarding materials and CRM workflows
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for a seamless partner experience

What you'll bring

• 3+ years' proven success in business development, field sales, partnerships or another customer-facing sales role, with a track record of exceeding targets
• Confidence building rapport quickly and turning opportunities into long-term partnerships
• Proven leadership capability in a peer or mentoring capacity
• Hospitality industry familiarity is a big plus — existing contacts will push you to the top of the queue
• A commercially sharp, self-starting mindset with strong territory planning and discipline
• A full, valid UK driving licence and access to a reliable vehicle (regular travel between Manchester and Liverpool required)
  
• A track record of being asked to represent the team in cross-functional projects or with senior leadership

Why you'll love it here

• Full-time with flexible hours and autonomy over your schedule
• Remote-first but well-supported with regular coaching
• Competitive OTE (base + commission) plus travel allowance, laptop and phone Ownership of your patch with tools and team support to grow it
• Free First Table bookings
• Team recognition and referral incentives
• A purpose-led, award-winning brand

How to apply
Submit your CV and a brief cover letter via the Apply Now link, telling us what excites you about the role. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so don't wait to apply.

Note: applicants must be based in or near Manchester or Liverpool (or well-placed to cover both), and must already have the right to work in the UK. First Table is an equal opportunity employer, happy to discuss flexible working and reasonable adjustments.