Business Development Manager

Mission

The Business Development Manager (BDM) – Public Sector develops new business opportunities with Belgian public sector (and related clients). The role focuses on software development and application services, complemented by Legacy for the Future (L4F) and IT advisory services.

The role purpose is to:

• Open doors, bring and develop a lasting network across public sector decision-makers, influencers and stakeholders
• Build and run a portfolio of 15–25 high-value public sector accounts, hunting-first (85%)
• Shape opportunities ethically, early, and in full compliance with public procurement rules
• Sell custom software development, application modernization, our L4F platform, and IT advisory — not a single-product pitch
• Operate with real autonomy in the market while working closely collaboration with our internal teams (product and tech experts, marketing, Account Managers, founders …)
• Strengthen 5th floor’s credibility in selected public sector segments

Scope and commercial focus

Target market

The core target is the Belgian public sector: Federal institutions, including SPF and OIP, Brussels and Walloon regional bodies, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Local authorities, cities and municipalities, Intercommunales, CPAS and public agencies.

Highly regulated sectors (mutuelles, energy, health) are addressed opportunistically in year 1, with active development considered in a second phase.

Offering focus

• Software development and application services: covers custom software development, end-to-end delivery, application evolution, modernization, maintenance and support. This is the core services offering of 5th Floor and the main commercial entry point for the BDM in public sector accounts, whether through new projects, application transformation or long-term service relationships.
• Legacy for the Future (L4F): sold by the BDM with active support from the product team (demos, technical qualification, solution design). L4F is positioned as complementary to the services offering — a natural entry point or extension in modernization and application maintenance conversations.
• IT advisory services (IT strategy, governance, organization design, change and software delivery decisions): part of 5th Floor’s offering, positioned as complementary to software development services. They can serve as an entry point or an extension within an account, depending on the client context.

Areas of responsibility

1. New opportunity development

• Map target accounts and stakeholders. Open relationships with decision-makers, procurement contacts and influencers across the public sector
• Detect early needs, build a qualified pipeline, and align priorities and lead generation with the Managing Partner and Marketing

2. Client understanding and requirement shaping

• Understand each client's mission, priorities and constraints before engaging, and identify who's shaping future needs and tender requirements
• Engage early and ethically, helping clarify client needs and positioning 5th Floor's expertise where it can genuinely help
• Go beyond reacting to published tenders — bring insights and solution thinking early enough to build real relevance, trust and credibility

3. Commercial cycle management

• Assess whether an opportunity is relevant, realistic and aligned with 5th Floor’s capabilities.
• Own the full commercial cycle from first contact to signed contract
• Progress long public sector sales cycles with discipline and consistency (12 to 18 months).

4. Tender and proposal contribution

• Orchestrate the commercial dimension of bids. Bring client insight, relationship knowledge and opportunity history into each bid
• Contribute actively to go/no-go decisions and alignment with public procurement expectations
• Focus on the commercial and client angle — technical, delivery and bid content stay with internal experts and the proposal team

Profile

Experience

• Senior business development profile with 8+ years of experience in IT services sales
• An established network within Belgian public sector institutions (federal, regional or local level).
• A track record of opening and closing long-cycle B2B opportunities.
• Sharp, structured, execution-minded, appetite for results, turning opportunities into signed business

Skills

• Public sector account strategy: ability to identify, prioritize and develop high-potential public sector accounts, using structured account mapping and ABM approaches.
• Public procurement and long-cycle sales management: ability to navigate regulated public sector sales cycles, contribute to go/no-go decisions …
• Commercial understanding of IT services: ability to qualify and position software development, application modernization, maintenance, L4F and advisory services
• Consultative selling : ability to diagnose client needs in depth and shape the commercial conversation around that diagnosis, rather than reacting to already-formalized tenders
• Senior relationship building and influence : Ability to open doors, build trust and engage credibly with decision-makers, influencers, procurement stakeholders and operational sponsors.
• Collaborative autonomy and internal orchestration : Ability to operate independently in the market while aligning internally, involving internal resources at the right moment.
• Commercial discipline and resilience : Ability to manage long cycles with focus, consistency, discipline and patience, while progressing opportunities toward signed business.
• Fluency in French and Dutch is required; English is a additional working language.