Business Developer

Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Employment Type: Full-time, On-site
Reports to: Operations Lead

About RPM

RPM is a growing rental property and short-term accommodation business with operations across Nigeria and the UK. Through RPM Nigeria and RPM International, the business is building and managing a growing portfolio of rental and short-stay properties, with a focus on property acquisition, guest experience, occupancy, revenue growth and efficient property operations.

As the business continues to expand, we are looking for a commercially minded Business Development Manager to identify and convert new opportunities across both markets.

The Role

The Business Development Manager will be responsible for driving new business opportunities for RPM Nigeria and RPM International.

This role will focus on identifying potential property owners, investors, landlords, corporate partners and other commercial opportunities that can contribute to the growth of the RPM portfolio and revenue.

The successful candidate will be expected to build relationships, generate opportunities, negotiate commercial arrangements and turn viable prospects into active business.

This is a hands-on business development role for someone who is comfortable prospecting, networking, negotiating and following opportunities through to completion.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development & Growth

• Develop and execute business development strategies for RPM Nigeria and RPM International.
• Identify new revenue and growth opportunities across the short-term rental, property management and accommodation markets.
• Research and identify potential property owners, landlords, investors and other relevant commercial prospects.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of potential business opportunities.
• Take ownership of prospects from initial contact through negotiation and conversion.
• Develop relationships with property owners and key decision-makers.
• Identify opportunities to expand RPM's property portfolio through direct acquisition, management agreements, partnerships and other suitable arrangements.
• Monitor market activity and identify emerging opportunities that could support RPM's growth.

Property Acquisition & Partnerships

• Work closely with the Property Acquisition and Operations teams to identify properties that fit RPM's portfolio requirements.
• Source property owners and landlords who may be interested in short-term rental or property management partnerships.
• Present RPM's value proposition clearly to prospective property owners and partners.
• Negotiate commercial terms, management arrangements and partnership agreements within approved parameters.
• Build long-term relationships with property owners and partners rather than focusing only on individual transactions.
• Identify strategic partnerships that can provide access to new properties, customers, corporate clients or other sources of revenue.

Lead Generation & Sales

• Develop and maintain a consistent pipeline of qualified prospects.
• Conduct targeted outreach through calls, email, LinkedIn, networking, referrals and other appropriate channels.
• Arrange and lead meetings with prospective clients and partners.
• Follow up consistently on leads and opportunities.
• Prepare proposals, presentations and commercial pitches where required.
• Track leads, conversion rates and business development activity through the company's CRM or other approved systems.
• Work towards agreed business development and revenue targets.

Market Development

• Research the Nigerian and UK short-term rental and property management markets to identify areas for expansion.
• Monitor competitors, pricing, market demand and changing customer behaviour.
• Identify locations, property types and market segments with potential for growth.
• Provide regular feedback to the Operations Lead on market opportunities, challenges and emerging trends.
• Make commercially sound recommendations based on market findings and business performance.
• Escalate significant market opportunities and strategic commercial prospects to the COO where appropriate.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with the Operations Lead, COO, Property Acquisition, Marketing, Customer Service and Administration teams.
• Ensure opportunities handed over to Operations are properly documented and commercially agreed.
• Work with Marketing to develop campaigns and materials that support lead generation and business growth.
• Collaborate with the Operations team to understand property performance and identify opportunities for additional revenue.
• Maintain clear communication with relevant teams throughout the business development and onboarding process.
• Ensure that newly acquired properties, clients and partnerships are properly transitioned to the relevant operational teams.

Reporting & Performance

• Report regularly to the Operations Lead on business development activity, pipeline performance, active negotiations, conversions and expected revenue.
• Maintain accurate records of prospects, opportunities and commercial discussions.
• Provide regular updates on business development targets and performance against agreed KPIs.
• Escalate significant commercial opportunities, proposed partnerships and major negotiations to the COO where required.
• Provide market intelligence and commercial recommendations that can support RPM's wider growth strategy.

Key Performance Indicators

Success in this role will be measured through:

• Number and quality of new business opportunities generated.
• Growth in the RPM property portfolio.
• Number of new property owners and partners acquired.
• Conversion rate from qualified prospects to signed agreements.
• Revenue generated from new business.
• Value of the active business development pipeline.
• Growth in strategic partnerships.
• Successful expansion into new locations or market segments.
• Retention and quality of relationships with property owners and commercial partners.

Requirements

• Minimum of 3–5 years' experience in Business Development, Sales, Partnerships, Property, Real Estate, Hospitality or a related commercial role.
• Proven experience generating and converting new business opportunities.
• Experience in short-term rentals, Airbnb, property management, real estate or hospitality will be strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of business development and relationship management.
• Demonstrable experience in prospecting, pitching and negotiation.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to identify viable business opportunities.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of a sales pipeline.
• Comfortable working with targets, reporting and performance metrics.
• Strong follow-up and relationship management skills.
• Comfortable using CRM systems and other digital tools to manage business development activity.
• Ability to analyse market information and turn it into practical commercial opportunities.
• Willingness to work across both the Nigerian and international sides of the business.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who is commercially driven, proactive and comfortable creating opportunities rather than waiting for them to come to the business.

You should be confident approaching property owners, investors and potential partners, starting conversations and turning those conversations into genuine business opportunities.

You should also be comfortable working in a growing business where processes are still developing and where you may need to take ownership of an opportunity from prospecting through to completion.

Most importantly, we want someone who understands that business development is not simply about generating leads. It is about finding the right opportunities, building trust, negotiating effectively and ultimately creating measurable growth for RPM Nigeria and RPM International.

Reporting Line

The Business Development Manager will report directly to the Operations Lead and will work closely with the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Property Acquisition, Marketing, Customer Service and Administration teams.

The role will be responsible for maintaining a strong business development pipeline, identifying and converting new commercial opportunities, and ensuring that successfully acquired business is properly handed over to the relevant operational teams.

The Business Development Manager will provide regular updates to the Operations Lead on pipeline activity, active negotiations, conversions, expected revenue and other key business development metrics. Significant commercial opportunities and strategic partnerships will be escalated to the COO where required.

Job Type: Full-time

Application Question(s):

• What is your expected monthly net salary (take-home pay)?

Please provide your expected range in Nigerian Naira (₦).

• This position requires you to actively identify prospects, initiate conversations, conduct outreach and follow up consistently. How comfortable are you with proactive prospecting and cold outreach?
• How many years of experience do you have in Business Development, Sales, Partnerships, Real Estate, Property Management or Hospitality?
• Do you have direct experience in business development, where you were responsible for generating and converting new clients, partners or business opportunities?
• Have you directly sourced and negotiated with property owners, landlords, investors or other commercial partners?
• This is a fully on-site role in Ikeja, Lagos. Are you comfortable working on-site?

Work Location: In person