New Business Lead - wilko & Homebase

Founded in Plymouth in 1989, The Range has grown to become one of the UK's leading and fastest-growing privately owned retailers. With over 280 stores across the UK and Ireland, we offer an extensive range of products spanning multiple departments. People are at the heart of our business, and we are committed to investing in our staff to help shape an extraordinary future.

As a result of our continued growth and ongoing success, we are seeking a dynamic Compliance Executive to be based at our London Great Portland Street Office.

Role Overview:

We are seeking a commercially driven New Business Lead to accelerate growth of the wilko and Homebase range proposition through acquisition, onboarding and development of new brands and suppliers.

This role sits across both our digital fulfilment models - Marketplace and Dropship Vendor (DSV) - giving partners multiple routes through which they can trade with wilko and Homebase.

Suppliers can integrate with the business through Mirakl for Marketplace or Virtualstock for DSV, depending on the most appropriate commercial, and strategic model for the supplier and product range.

The New Business Development Lead will be responsible for identifying high-potential brands, sellers and suppliers, building and converting a strong new business pipeline and managing opportunities from initial engagement and commercial negotiation through to onboarding, launch and early-life performance. This is a highly commercial role requiring a strong understanding of ecommerce, online marketplaces, supplier acquisition and retail. You will work closely with Buying, Marketplace, Digital, Merchandising, Content and operational teams to identify category opportunities, close range gaps and expand the wilko and Homebase online proposition.

Responsibilities

You will be required to:

• Identify and recruit new brands, suppliers and marketplace sellers across priority categories in line with wilko and Homebase growth strategies.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective partners, from lead generation and initial outreach through to negotiation, contracting and successful launch.
• Proactively identify brands, suppliers and ranges that address assortment gaps, customer demand and strategic category opportunities.
• Develop and execute acquisition strategies to achieve new business, range growth and revenue targets.
• Identify, prioritise and accelerate strategically important new business opportunities.
• Conduct market, competitor and category analysis to identify emerging brands, trends and new commercial opportunities.
• Represent wilko and Homebase at trade shows, supplier meetings, industry events and webinars to identify and engage prospective partners.
• Develop and deliver compelling propositions that clearly communicate the benefits of partnering with wilko and Homebase.
• Lead commercial discussions with new partners, negotiating terms that support both partner success and wilko/Homebase commercial objectives.
• Identify opportunities to secure marketing investment and Advertising Revenue (ADREV) as part of supplier onboarding and launch plans.
• Negotiate promotional launch activity to maximise supplier visibility, customer engagement and early sales performance.
• Manage the end-to-end onboarding journey for new brands, suppliers and sellers, from initial engagement through to products being live and trade-ready.
• Keep Buyers, and wider stakeholders informed of pipeline progress and key new business opportunities.

Essential & Preferred Skills & Requirements

• Proven experience (3-5+ years) in business development, sales, or partner acquisition within a marketplace, e-commerce, or digital platform.
• Proven experience in seller and product compliance is necessary.
• Experience with Mirakl Marketplace and/or Virtualstock would be desirable.
• Ability to identify and act on commercial opportunities.
• A degree is preferred but not essential, however you will have strong written, numerical and analytical skills.
• Strong commercial understanding, being able to demonstrate knowledge of and an interest in retail and on-line selling.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to effectively pitch to different sellers.
• Experience with seller onboarding and familiarity with marketplace ecosystems is a plus.
• Confident with Microsoft Excel and capable of working with formulas and graphs.
• Interpersonal and excellent communication skills are priority.
• You will be committed and confident with strong administrative, organisational and prioritisation skills.
• A professional and respectful team player.
• Ability to work in a collaborative, cross-functional environment.

Position: Permanent, Full-time

Hours: Monday - Friday, 08:45am - 17:30pm.

Location: London - 2 days minimum in office

Salary: Competitive Salary

Notice Period: 3 months