Business Development Officer Job Description: Roles, Skills and Requirements
A well‑defined Business Development Officer job description helps organisations attract professionals who can drive growth, build relationships and identify new revenue opportunities. In South Africa, the role spans sales, client relationship management, market analysis and strategic planning, often bridging the gap between marketing and operations.
Recent job profiles from South African employers show that Business Development Officers are expected to deliver on targets, develop new markets and maintain key client accounts across sectors such as finance, logistics, telecommunications and professional services, as reflected in postings by Standard Bank, FNB, Sage and Transnet.
Overview of the Business Development Officer Role
Across South African employers, the Business Development Officer position generally focuses on identifying and converting new business opportunities while growing existing accounts.
For example, Standard Bank describes a Business Development Officer in its SME segment as someone who must “manage and grow a portfolio of small business clients” by sourcing new business, deepening existing relationships and ensuring client retention through cross‑selling products and services, as outlined in the bank’s career listings for Small Enterprise Business Development Officers (Standard Bank careers portal, SME business development role).
Similarly, FNB (First National Bank) profiles its Business Development Officers in the Business and Commercial segments as employees who “acquire new clients, grow value from existing clients and achieve sales targets in line with business strategy,” with a strong focus on solution selling and customer needs analysis (FNB careers portal – Business Development Officer roles).
In a non‑banking environment, Sage (accounting and business software) describes its Business Development professionals as responsible for “identifying, qualifying and developing new business opportunities” through outbound prospecting, follow‑up on leads and collaboration with sales teams, with a heavy emphasis on pipeline generation and conversion (Sage careers – business development/sales development roles).
Public‑sector and state‑owned entities show similar expectations. Transnet indicates in its business development‑related roles that staff are required to “identify and develop new business opportunities, partnerships and revenue streams” while performing market research and supporting strategic initiatives within the logistics and freight environment (Transnet careers – business development posts).
Taken together, these job profiles indicate that a typical Business Development Officer job description in South Africa centres on:
- Sourcing and converting new business
- Growing existing client portfolios
- Conducting market and competitor analysis
- Supporting strategic and operational planning
- Working closely with sales, product and service teams to deliver tailored solutions
Key Responsibilities in a Business Development Officer Job Description
Although specific duties vary by industry, South African job adverts show a consistent set of core responsibilities.
1. New Business Acquisition and Lead Generation
Business Development Officers are expected to proactively source and secure new clients. For example, FNB states that its Business Development Officers must “prospect for new business, identify and pursue leads, and convert prospects into clients” to meet and exceed set targets (FNB careers – Business Development Officer roles).
Similarly, Sage highlights that its business development/sales development roles involve “outbound prospecting, qualifying inbound leads, and scheduling meetings or demos” for account executives, with a strong focus on maintaining a healthy pipeline and meeting activity targets (Sage careers – Business Development / SDR roles).
Common tasks in this area include:
- Identifying potential customers and markets
- Cold calling, emailing and networking to generate leads
- Qualifying prospects against defined criteria
- Scheduling presentations, demos or consultations
- Following up on marketing‑generated leads
2. Portfolio and Relationship Management
In financial services, a key function is managing and growing a portfolio of existing clients. Standard Bank explains that its Business Development Officers must “manage a portfolio of small business clients, understand their needs, and provide appropriate banking solutions” while ensuring retention and growth of the book (Standard Bank careers – Small Enterprise Business Development Officer).
This typically involves:
- Acting as a primary point of contact for allocated clients
- Conducting regular client reviews and check‑ins
- Identifying upsell and cross‑sell opportunities
- Ensuring client satisfaction and resolving issues promptly
3. Achieving Sales and Growth Targets
Business Development Officers are generally measured against defined sales and growth metrics. FNB specifies that its officers must “deliver against agreed sales and revenue targets” and “contribute to overall business growth in line with strategic objectives” (FNB careers – Business Development Officer roles).
Key activities supporting this responsibility include:
- Preparing and presenting tailored proposals or solutions
- Negotiating pricing and contractual terms within approved mandates
- Closing deals and ensuring a smooth handover to implementation or service teams
- Tracking progress against monthly and quarterly targets
4. Market Research and Opportunity Identification
Several organisations emphasise research and analysis as part of the Business Development Officer job description. Transnet notes that business development staff support strategy through “market research, competitor analysis and identification of new routes, services or partnerships” to grow logistics volumes and revenue (Transnet careers – business development roles).
Typical duties include:
- Analysing market trends and customer behaviour
- Monitoring competitor offerings and pricing
- Identifying gaps, niches or partnership opportunities
- Providing input into product development or service enhancements
5. Internal Collaboration and Reporting
Business development work is rarely done in isolation. For instance, Sage indicates that its business development professionals must “work closely with marketing and sales teams” by sharing feedback from prospects, aligning messaging and updating the CRM for accurate pipeline reporting (Sage careers – business development roles).
Common tasks here include:
- Maintaining accurate records in CRM systems
- Preparing regular pipeline, activity and performance reports
- Liaising with product, operations and marketing teams
- Providing feedback from clients and prospects to inform strategy
Skills, Requirements and Competencies
South African employers list a blend of educational, technical and behavioural requirements in Business Development Officer job descriptions.
1. Educational Background
While specific qualifications vary, financial institutions frequently prefer degrees or diplomas related to business, finance or marketing:
- Standard Bank typically looks for a “relevant business‑related qualification” for its small business‑focused Business Development roles, along with prior experience in financial services or sales (Standard Bank careers – Business Development Officer requirements).
- FNB commonly requires at least a relevant tertiary qualification and prior experience in sales, relationship management or business banking, depending on seniority (FNB careers – business and commercial segment roles).
In other sectors, employers such as Sage and Transnet note that business, marketing, logistics, economics or related degrees are advantageous, and that specific industry knowledge (e.g., software, logistics) may be required for more specialised roles (Sage careers; Transnet business development postings).
2. Experience
Experience expectations are typically outlined as:
- 2–5 years in sales, business development or relationship management for mid‑level Business Development Officer roles in banking and corporate environments, as seen in many Standard Bank and FNB postings.
- Prior exposure to the relevant industry (e.g., financial services, software, logistics) is frequently listed as an advantage or requirement, particularly in specialist roles at organisations like Transnet (Transnet careers – business development roles).
3. Core Skills and Competencies
Across employers, certain skills consistently appear in Business Development Officer job descriptions:
- Sales and negotiation skills – Ability to move prospects through the sales cycle and close deals, often emphasised by banks like FNB and Standard Bank in roles tied to revenue targets.
- Relationship‑building and networking – Strong interpersonal skills to build trust with clients and internal stakeholders; highlighted in both banking and software environments such as Sage.
- Commercial acumen – Understanding of business models, profitability and risk, especially in credit‑linked roles in financial institutions.
- Communication and presentation skills – Clear verbal and written communication for proposals, pitches and client engagements; consistently referenced in corporate job adverts.
- Analytical and research skills – Ability to interpret market data and client information to identify opportunities, which Transnet and similar organisations emphasise in strategy‑supporting roles.
- Organisation and reporting – Competence in managing pipelines and maintaining accurate records in CRM systems, as noted in many sales and business development postings at Sage and major banks.
4. Behavioural Attributes
Behavioural competencies are also prominent:
- Proactivity and self‑motivation – Employers expect Business Development Officers to take initiative in sourcing opportunities and overcoming obstacles.
- Target‑driven mindset – Comfort working in performance‑based environments with defined KPIs.
- Resilience – Ability to handle rejection and persist in prospecting activities.
- Customer focus – Commitment to understanding and solving client problems, a theme repeatedly underlined in roles at Standard Bank and FNB.
Conclusion
A clear, well‑structured Business Development Officer job description is essential for organisations seeking to grow revenue and strengthen client relationships. South African employers such as Standard Bank, FNB, Sage and Transnet consistently define the role around new business acquisition, client portfolio growth, market analysis and cross‑functional collaboration.
For hiring organisations, aligning the role’s responsibilities with measurable targets and the company’s strategic goals is crucial. For candidates, understanding the emphasis on sales performance, relationship management, market insight and collaboration can help in tailoring CVs and preparing for interviews in this competitive, growth‑oriented career path.