Business Development Associate - 2026 Graduate Intake
Job Description
Role: Business Development Associate
Salary: Negotiable base + uncapped commission (OTE £50k/€55k+ first year)
Location: Manchester, Northampton & Dublin (office-based)
Reporting to: Commercial Director
About CBTax
CBTax is an award-winning, global R&D tax consultancy firm with offices in Manchester and Northampton in the UK, Dublin serving the Republic of Ireland, and our newest locations in New York and Dubai supporting the US and Middle Eastern markets.
As one of the fastest-growing firms in our sector, we specialise in R&D Tax Relief, partnering with businesses across many sectors including engineering, technology, manufacturing, construction, energy, science, agriculture, and food & beverage to deliver robust claims, commercial value, and fully compliant advice.
We’re looking for high-performing, commercially minded problem-solvers who want to make a tangible impact. There has never been a more exciting time to join CBTax as we continue our international growth.
About the Programme
This is the fastest route into a high-performance sales career. Sales is one of the most powerful foundations you can build, and R&D tax is one of the most exciting, fast-growth niches to do it in. You’ll get real-world training, uncapped earnings, and exposure to high-value clients from day one. This is open to graduates from any degree background. No sales experience needed, just drive, coachability and the desire to win.
In This Role You Will
Learn consultative selling, objection handling, R&D tax fundamentals and high-impact outreach from top performers
Prospect leads, identify decision-makers, and open conversations with business owners, directors and C-suite
Qualify leads and book high-quality meetings (pipeline is your main metric)
Structure your day like a pro using Salesforce, sequencing tools and LinkedIn
Refine your pitch weekly using real client and peer feedback
Shadow live deals and soak up mentorship from high-performing sales pros
Gain cross-functional exposure across technical consultancy, operations and client delivery
What We’re Looking For
Recent graduates from any degree discipline looking to break into B2B sales
Naturally confident and sharp on the phone and in person
Strong communicators who are persuasive and likeable, not robotic
Money-motivated by the idea of earning £50k/€55k+ in year one
Competitive, coachable and resilient
Hungry for real career progression, not just a job
Benefits & Perks - UK and Irish benefits differ slightly. Please ask for more details
Commission: Uncapped commission on top of base salary, OTE £50k/€55k+ in year one
Pension: 5% employer pension contribution
Healthcare: BUPA private healthcare
Tech Scheme: Latest kit through our Tech Scheme
Employee Incentives: Regular team incentives and rewards
Recognition: Clear, fast-tracked path to Business Development Executive and Manager