New Business Manager - Marketplace

hackajob is collaborating with Sainsbury's DTD to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role.

New Business Manager - Marketplace

We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work‑life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. From fragrance to car care, clothing and pots and pans, our General Merchandise team delivers all the non‑food items for Sainsbury’s, Habitat and Argos customers. This multi‑brand environment means you get to work across most areas. You can also be a pioneer, because the team believes in being brave, iterating and learning as they go.

They also develop deep connections to other departments, which opens up a lot of different career opportunities for you. What’s certain is that you’ll spend time on the shop floor to get closer to customers, and bring a broad perspective and the full support of your manager with you wherever you decide to develop next.

To drive the growth of our Ecommerce marketplace by identifying, engaging, and onboarding new sellers and partners, expanding our product and service offering in line with the marketplace strategy. This role is pivotal in delivering ambitious growth targets and enhancing our marketplace’s value proposition to customers and sellers alike.

• Identify, research, and prospect new business opportunities, including brands, retailers, and service providers, to join the marketplace.
• Conduct initial analysis and viability checks to ensure the target sellers and partners are the right ‘fit’ (e.g. product access, pricing, logistics, brand reputation etc.) to achieve the marketplace objectives.
• Lead, coach, and develop the New Business development team to develop and execute outreach strategies to attract high‑potential sellers and partners.
• Effectively pitch the marketplace’s value proposition to potential sellers and partners, both in one‑to‑one meetings and at designated industry events, clearly articulating the benefits of joining our platform and tailoring messaging to the audience’s needs.
• Lead commercial, SLA and contracting negotiations with new sellers to deliver our commercial targets and ensure smooth processing.
• Collaborate with internal teams (e.g., Marketing, Product, Operations) to deliver compelling propositions and integration solutions.
• Regularly monitor and report on pipeline progress, conversion rates, and commercial outcomes against agreed KPIs.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with prospective and onboarded sellers and partners, acting as a trusted advisor.
• Analyse market trends and competitor activity to inform business development strategy.
• Resolve challenges and remove barriers to onboarding, using experience and established processes, working in a continuous improvement framework to improve speed to market and scalability.
• Communicate regularly with internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment and progress.
• Own and maintain all materials to support seller acquisition.
• Coach and develop direct reports and colleagues to achieve their best potential.

• Number and quality of new sellers/partners onboarded
• Revenue and GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) generated from new business
• Seller and partner pipeline conversion rates and time‑to‑sign
• Seller and partner satisfaction and retention rates
• Contribution to overall marketplace growth targets
• Range coverage in target categories
• Team engagement and development

• Proven experience in business development, sales, or commercial roles within ecommerce, retail, or digital marketplaces.
• Strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Proven people management and team leadership skills.
• Analytical mindset with experience using data to drive decisions.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Knowledge of ecommerce platforms, seller ecosystems, and marketplace dynamics.

• Experience onboarding partners or sellers to a digital marketplace.
• Understanding of seller acquisition and experience using CRM and email campaigns to achieve outreach goals.
• Familiarity with integration processes…