Business Development Manager CV Example & Guide

You know how to sell a product, service, or partnership, but selling yourself on paper? That’s another challenge entirely. Whether you're struggling to show commercial impact or to frame your client management achievements, you're not alone. Most business development professionals find it difficult to translate their wins into a format that convinces recruiters in just a few seconds.

This guide will show you how to write a job-winning business development manager CV that highlights your achievements. You'll learn how to structure your CV for business development, what sections to include, and how to tailor it to different employers across industries.

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Business development manager CV example

1. Write a personal statement for your business development manager CV

A personal statement is a brief but powerful summary that sits at the top of your business development manager CV. Its purpose is simple: to immediately show a recruiter why you're a valuable candidate worth shortlisting. A strong personal statement demonstrates your ability to win business, build relationships, and grow revenue.

To write a CV summary for a business development manager, focus on three essentials:

• Who you are professionally: State your job title, years of experience, and sectors you’ve worked in (e.g., SaaS, FMCG, financial services).
• What you’ve achieved: Back up your commercial ability with measurable outcomes like revenue secured, growth percentages, or deals closed.
• What do you offer: Show how your skills will benefit the employer. Emphasise capabilities and align them with the organisation’s commercial goals.

Although this section is the first thing the recruiter will read, I recommend you write it last. After you finish the other parts of your business development manager CV, it will be easier to pick out your most impressive and relevant skills and accomplishments.

2. Craft a results-driven work experience section

Your work history is most important in a role where success is measured by revenue growth, strategic partnerships, and long-term client value. A generic list of duties won’t differentiate your business development manager CV. What recruiters want is tangible proof that you understand sales cycles, can build stakeholder relationships, and know how to close profitable deals.

To write a job-winning work history section, start each entry with your job title, company name, location, and dates of employment (month and year format). List your most recent position first and work backwards. Avoid phrases like “responsible for” or “in charge of”. These only describe your tasks, not how well you executed them. Instead, start each bullet point with an action verb (e.g., generated, secured, negotiated, expanded) and follow with a specific outcome.

Quantify your success. State how much revenue you brought in, the percentage by which you exceeded sales targets, or how many clients you signed. Tailor content to the business development profession. Emphasise your ability to build pipelines, close high-value deals, drive retention, or lead regional growth strategies.

Don’t go overboard with the number of bullet points. I recommend you never go above 8, with 4–6 being the sweet spot. Also, ensure you have at least 2 quantified work accomplishments for each entry. They are your most valuable assets in your business development manager CV.

3. Show your credentials in the education section

While your work history takes centre stage on a business development manager CV, your education still matters. Employers often look for candidates with a business-related degree or further qualifications that support strategic thinking, analytical skills, or commercial awareness.

What you put in your education section depends on where you are in your career. If you’re an experienced business development manager, include a degree name (e.g., BA in Business Management), university name, and years of attendance (or graduation year).

If you don’t have accomplishments in the field of business, and you’re writing a more entry-level business development manager CV, you can add:

• Relevant coursework modules (e.g., sales strategy, financial modelling)
• Dissertation topic if it relates to business development
• Society roles or achievements (e.g., enterprise society leader)
• Honours and awards

Mention your high school only if that’s your highest education level. As long as you have completed any stage of higher education, your high school credentials will not matter.

A strong CV summary will convince the recruiter you’re the perfect candidate. Save time and choose a ready-made personal statement written by career experts and adjust it to your needs in the LiveCareer CV builder.

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4. Select the right skills for a business development manager CV

The skills section of your business development manager CV may be short, but it carries weight. For this role, employers expect a precise blend of commercial capabilities, technical understanding, and interpersonal intelligence. A generic skill list won’t stand out, and it won’t help you make an ATS-friendly CV. Tailoring this section to the business development field is essential if you want to move past initial screening. 

To write a relevant and targeted skills section, extract the key requirements: look for repeated mentions of tools, methodologies, or personal traits. These are keywords recruiters and applicant tracking systems (ATS) are actively scanning for. Then, match the employer’s needs against your proven skills. Focus on what you’ve demonstrated consistently, not what you’ve only done in passing. Employers want a mix of hard skills and soft skills, so aim for a list that reflects all sides of the role.

Business development manager CV skills

• B2B Sales Strategy
• CRM Systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) 
• Data-Driven Prospecting
• Contract Negotiation
• Account-Based Marketing (ABM)
• Forecasting & Budgeting
• Proposal Writing & Tendering
• Strategic Thinking
• Persuasion & Influence
• Relationship Building
• Problem-Solving
• Resilience
• Attention to Detail
• Time Management
• Communication Skills

To make your skill list into something impactful, add an achievement proving you’re an expert in said skill. It can be a quantified result, an additional qualification/award you received, a project you participated in, etc. Keep in mind that over 50% of hiring managers are currently recruiting for AI and automation-related skills, so showing them on your business development manager CV may come in handy.

5. Enhance your business development manager CV with additional sections

Bonus sections aren’t mandatory, but when chosen wisely, they help reinforce your commercial value and demonstrate your long-term potential. For example, industry-recognised credentials prove your commitment to professional development and keep your skills up-to-date.

If the job involves working with international clients or expanding into global markets, language proficiency is a distinct advantage. Published articles or white papers in business journals or industry blogs indicate subject expertise, while membership in organisations such as the Institute of Sales Professionals (ISP) or the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) can show credibility and sector interest.

Internal awards (e.g., Top Salesperson, Regional Deal Leader) are direct proof of performance. Major commercial or cross-functional projects, especially if they involved launching new services, entering new markets, or securing key partnerships, can be included as standalone entries.

Additionally, if you’ve spoken at or attended industry conferences or business forums, you can list them to support your reputation as a commercially engaged professional.

6. Pair your CV with a business development manager cover letter

Just as no business proposal is complete without a compelling executive summary, no job application should be submitted without a strong cover letter. A well-written cover letter allows you to add context to your application—something that a CV alone can’t always deliver.

Here’s how to structure a cover letter for a business development manager role:

1. Opening paragraph: State the role you’re applying for and why. Include a brief sentence showing your familiarity with the company’s market or growth objectives.
2. Second paragraph: Outline your key experience and achievements relevant to the role. Focus on revenue generation, strategic partnerships, or market expansion.
3. Third paragraph: Explain why you’re a good match for the company’s goals and culture. Mention specific reasons you’re interested in their organisation.
4. Closing paragraph: End with a confident call to action, such as your availability for an interview or willingness to discuss your fit further.

Stick to a standard cover letter format: one page, four short paragraphs, no more than 300–400 words. Keep the tone professional and aligned with the industry.

7. Set the right format for your business development manager CV

Before a recruiter reads a single line of your work history, they assess whether your CV is professional and easy to navigate. Poor CV layout, inconsistent formatting, or even minor spelling mistakes can cost you the opportunity before you’ve had a chance to demonstrate your value.

To format your business development manager CV, select a CV template that balances white space with clear sections. Avoid over-designed layouts, as they may have trouble getting through ATS scans. Unless you have substantial gaps in employment, stick to a reverse chronological format. This is the most familiar to UK hiring managers.

Choose readable, professional CV fonts such as Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman. Font size should be 10–12pt for body text and 13–14pt for section headings. Use consistent line spacing, 1.15 or 1.2 is ideal. Leave a clear line between each section, and ensure your margins are no smaller than 1.5cm on all sides.

Keep the length of your CV up to two A4 pages. Proofread your CV thoroughly. Research shows that a CV with five spelling errors can lead to an 18.5 percentage point decrease in interview probability.

You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.

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Thank you for reading, and good luck with creating your business development manager CV.

How we review the content at LiveCareer

Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with LiveCareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.

Sources

• Patil, P. V., Patil, A. R., & More, Y. V., 2023. A systematic review on the impact of curriculum-based career guidance on career outcomes of students. Journal of Education and Health Promotion
• Robert Half, 2024. 2024 Salary Guide and Market Outlook. [online]