Head of Business Development Interview Questions UK: 8 Real Questions and What Interviewers Want

Before your Head of Business Development interview, it helps to see the questions from the interviewer's side. We have picked eight from our set of 12 and added the reason each one gets asked.

Eight Head of Business Development interview questions, and what the interviewer is thinking

1. How would you build a three-year business development strategy for a company, and what would you do in your first ninety days?

Why they ask: They want to see strategic thinking and a structured approach to a senior role.

2. Tell me about a time you opened a new market or sector and built meaningful revenue there.

Why they ask: They want evidence of strategic growth delivery at a senior level.

3. How would you structure a business development function, and how would you incentivise it?

Why they ask: They want to see leadership design capability.

4. What does a Head of Business Development do, and how is it different from a Sales Director?

Why they ask: They want to see you understand the role's strategic, growth-focused nature.

5. The finance director asks you to cut your business development budget by twenty per cent. How do you respond?

Why they ask: They are testing commercial maturity and ability to defend investment.

6. How do you decide which opportunities to pursue and which to decline?

Why they ask: They want to see bid discipline and resource prioritisation.

7. Tell me about a strategic partnership or alliance you led that delivered measurable results.

Why they ask: They want to see senior relationship-building and commercial structuring.

8. Which measures would you report to the board to show the health of business development?

Why they ask: They want to check you can communicate performance at executive level.

A sample answer to question 1

How would you build a three-year business development strategy for a company, and what would you do in your first ninety days?

In the first thirty days I'd listen and analyse: speak to the leadership team, sales, delivery and a sample of customers, and review the pipeline, win and loss data, margin by customer and sector, and the competitive landscape. In the next thirty I'd identify where the company has a right to win, perhaps through sectors, services or partnerships, and test it against market size and profitability. By day ninety I'd present a strategy with a small number of priorities, revenue targets, the resources and investment needed, and clear measures such as pipeline, win rate and new customer revenue. I'd include quick wins to build credibility and a longer-term plan for new markets or partnerships. I'd agree it with the CEO and board, then cascade it into team objectives. Strategy is only useful if it's focused and the team understands where to spend their time.

Common mistake to avoid: Producing a generic plan without data; trying to do everything at once

Want the rest?

Full model answers, key points and common mistakes for all 12 questions are on the Head of Business Development interview questions page. The first five are free, no sign-up needed.