Sales Development Associate

Downing Ventures; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent investment firm in Greater London seeks a Sales Development Associate to support business development. The role requires facilitating client onboarding, maintaining CRM records, and engaging with pipeline prospects. Ideal candidates should have a degree and commercial sales experience. This hybrid position emphasizes teamwork and communication skills, with a focus on developing meaningful client relationships. Join a company with a commitment to diversity and inclusion while making impactful investments.

Qualifications

• Degree level education or equivalent.
• Experience in sales environments across multiple sales cycles.

Responsibilities

• Support BDMs and IBDMs in developing new business opportunities.
• Manage literature requests and client onboarding.
• Maintain accurate records in CRM systems.

Skills

Commercial experience in sales

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Customer engagement

Education

Degree level or equivalent education

Job description

Report to:

Head of Internal Business Development Team

About Downing

Downing is dedicated to delivering investments that matter – for our economy, our health, our society, our local communities and our environment.

For over 35 years, our highly experienced team and our entrepreneurial spirit has driven us to seek out long‑term and unique opportunities that solve challenges faced by investors, companies and society.

From our headquarters in the City of London, and from offices in Cardiff, Glasgow, Helsinki and Stockholm, we structure and manage innovative investments that meet specific investor needs and look to the future with conviction. Our 200-plus employees drive our vision of long‑term value creation, which we achieve by being bold, straightforward and ambitious.

Guided by these principles we have a broad range of investment opportunities. Our private market offerings include renewable energy infrastructure, private equity and private credit. In public markets, we have a boutique of specialist fund managers that provide a distinctive suite of investment mandates.

As a certified B Corp, we take our responsibilities to our investors, our stakeholders and society seriously. We invest for return while always considering our impact on the world.

Diversity is important to us, and we see the benefits that having a team with a range of backgrounds and perspectives can bring. We are bold and ambitious, straightforward and we support each other. These core values are vital to everything we do – from the businesses we invest in, to the people we hire.

Role and responsibilities

The Sales Development Associates should integrate into the regional teams and support the BDMs and IBDMs in writing more business and developing new opportunities.

This represents a great opportunity to develop a new role and to make it varied and rewarding.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Follow up on literature and illustration requests.
• Engage with pipeline prospects (as agreed with regional teams).
• Gather feedback from new supporters to improve service quality.
• Ensure clients have had a positive onboarding experience.

Meetings and relationship building

• Attend face‑to‑face and Teams meetings with advisers and paraplanners.
• Shadow senior sales colleagues to gain exposure and build rapport with regional contacts.
• Take notes and contribute where appropriate to deepen understanding of client needs.
• Maintain accurate records of interactions in CRM systems.
• Assist in preparing meeting packs, presentations, and follow‑up materials.
• Monitor and report on sales activity and pipeline progress.
• Support the coordination of regional campaigns and events.

Learning and development

• Participate in product and compliance training sessions.
• Stay up to date with financial products, industry trends, and regulatory changes.

Team collaboration

• Liaise with marketing, compliance, and operations teams to ensure smooth client journeys.
• Share insights and feedback with internal stakeholders to improve processes.
• Contribute to team meetings and brainstorming sessions.

Education, experience and skills

The ideal candidate will have the following:

• Degree level or equivalent education.
• Commercial experience, ideally within a sales environment through multiple sales cycles.

Personal characteristics

• Bright, driven and enthusiastic.
• Positive outlook toward problem solving.
• Hard working and keen to go the extra mile.
• Outgoing and gregarious.

Further information

Downing’s values – Be bold and ambitious | Be straightforward | Support each other

Our values serve as a guide that shapes every aspect of Downing. They extend far beyond the conduct of our employees and encompass our products, services, and relationships with our investors and their advisers. By upholding these values, we firmly believe that we can navigate challenges and seize opportunities. Our commitment to these values ensures that we make a positive impact in everything we do, leaving a lasting and meaningful imprint on the world around us.

Downing operates a hybrid working policy whereby employees are expected to work from the office for a minimum of 3 days each week. If specific days are required in the office, this will be communicated during the interview process.

Diversity and inclusion

At Downing, we work hard to create a safe space for everyone: an environment for people to be themselves, and to be straightforward, honest and candid. Diversity is important to us, and we are passionate about creating an inclusive culture that supports and celebrates this.

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly throughout our recruitment process and every aspect of employment, irrespective of background, disability or any other protected characteristic.

Reasonable adjustments

We will make reasonable adjustments within our recruitment process (and throughout employment) where needed. If you need any adjustments at any stage of our recruitment process, please do not hesitate to speak to the hiring manager or Downing’s People Team ([e-mail]).

Privacy

To understand what information we collect about you, how we will use it and for what purpose, please read our privacy notice.