Specialist – Business Development

Job title: Business Development (Inward Investment) Specialist
Team: Scottish Development International
Location: London
Salary: £50,750 (plus £5000 London allowance)
Hours: 35 hours per week – London based, with flexible working options considered
Status: Permanent
Vacancy ref: R00694
Closing date: 29 January 2026

Be part of building Scotland’s future

At Scottish Enterprise, we support Scotland’s most ambitious companies to innovate, scale, and help transform the economy. The next decade brings both major challenges and extraordinary opportunities. To meet them, we’ve focused on three bold missions:

• Building a globally competitive energy transition industry
• Scaling Scotland’s innovation strengths into the high-growth sectors of the future
• Unlocking capital investment to boost productivity and create high-value jobs

As Scotland’s national economic development agency – and a key delivery partner for the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation – we play a central role in turning these missions into real outcomes for Scotland’s businesses and communities.

This role sits within Scottish Development International’s London team and focuses on attracting inward investment from businesses across the rest of the UK and Ireland. You’ll work directly with prospective investors – from scaling companies to large, established organisations – to understand their requirements, shape practical responses, and support their decisions to locate and grow operations in Scotland.

It’s a role that contributes to securing investment projects that create jobs and deliver long-term economic benefit.

The role

As a Business Development (Inward Investment) Specialist, you’ll be responsible for identifying, developing, and progressing inward investment opportunities in priority sectors, with a particular focus on tech and advanced manufacturing – including activity linked to the energy transition.

This involves regular engagement with senior business representatives and requires delivery against defined business development targets. The activity will span both new inward investors and existing investors considering expansion, with work often progressing in parallel across multiple live opportunities.

You’ll be working in a competitive UK and international investment environment, so expect close collaboration with colleagues across Scottish Enterprise and wider Team Scotland partners.

Responsibilities 

You’ll be responsible for:

• Identifying and managing a portfolio of inward investment opportunities across prioritised industry sectors, covering both prospective and existing investors
• Engaging directly with businesses to understand their operational, commercial and strategic requirements, and shaping responses that support informed investment decisions
• Developing and delivering tailored engagement strategies for priority opportunities, including the preparation and presentation of location propositions that encourage investment in Scotland
• Working with colleagues across Scottish Enterprise and partner organisations to coordinate support for investors, including access to financial assistance, sites and property, skills and talent, supply chains, and innovation or research partners
• Leading and coordinating virtual project teams to support investment projects through the development and decision-making stages
• Using business networks and senior-level engagement opportunities, including ministerial involvement where appropriate, to progress priority opportunities
• Managing multiple opportunities concurrently, maintaining momentum through complex and extended decision processes

Who we’re looking for

To be successful in this role, you’ll need:

• Experience of managing business-to-business relationships in a complex, consultative sales or investment environment, with evidence of influencing senior decision makers to achieve defined outcomes
• Proven expertise working within, or closely alongside, the tech and/or advanced manufacturing sectors, with the ability to engage credibly on business and operational considerations
• An ability to coordinate and lead virtual or matrixed project teams to address complex requirements
• Experience of developing and using business networks to identify, access, and progress opportunities
• A willingness to travel regularly throughout London and the wider UK, including attending business meetings and networking events outside standard working hours
• Previous experience in a client-facing inward investment role in an economic development agency, plus an understanding of the drivers and dynamics of foreign direct investment

Role profile

Further information on the role can be found in the attached role profile.

Life at Scottish Enterprise

As one of Scotland’s Top 10 Flexible Employers, we pride ourselves on empowering our colleagues to work when and where they can best deliver their role in support of our corporate plan. Learn more about working with us.

How to apply

If you're interested in this role, complete and submit your application by Thursday 29 January 2026.

Interview dates

First stage interviews: week commencing 9 February
Second stage interviews: week commencing 16 February

Our values

Being part of Scottish Enterprise means being open to new ideas and trying different ways of working. We support each other to reach our full potential. We celebrate shared success and learn together when things don’t go so well. And we always treat each other fairly, with respect and understanding. Together, we are the difference.

At Scottish Enterprise, we’re proud to celebrate difference. Diversity of experience and thought is vital to the success of our vision for the future of every community across Scotland. As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from a wide range of individuals, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, gender identity and expression, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We commit to providing any reasonable adjustments required, not only during the application and assessment process but throughout your employment with us.

We have the following networks which are open to all colleagues to help drive inclusion: Disability Positive, Gender Balanced, Multi-Cultural, Multi-Generational and Pride (LGBTQ+).

Apply now to build your future with us.