Mooncolony is looking for an experienced Business Development Manager to lead and develop our new business function, building a consistent pipeline of high-quality opportunities across game development, co-development and art outsourcing.
This is a key hire for the studio. Business development has historically been led by our Founder and Production team, and we're now looking for someone to take dedicated ownership of the function - building on what we already have and bringing greater structure and consistency to how we identify, pursue and convert new business.
You'll own Mooncolony's BD strategy and commercial pipeline, from identifying target markets and accounts and generating new opportunities through to qualification, negotiation and contract. You'll work closely with our Founder, Production, Art, Finance and Marketing teams, alongside external representation focused on industry networking, events, introductions and opening new doors for Mooncolony.
The opportunity
You'll have the opportunity to take real ownership of business development at Mooncolony, combining your own industry experience and network with the support of our creative and production leadership and additional external representation. We're looking for someone who knows the games industry, understands how outsourcing and co-development relationships work, and can turn the right conversations into great opportunities for the studio.
What you'll be doing
- Own and develop Mooncolony's business development strategy and commercial pipeline.
- Identify priority markets and target accounts and proactively generate new business through outreach, referrals and existing industry relationships.
- Qualify and progress opportunities, ensuring they align with our capabilities, production capacity and commercial objectives.
- Build strong relationships with prospective clients and senior decision-makers across the games industry.
- Manage opportunities from initial engagement through proposal, commercial negotiation and contract.
- Work closely with Production, Art and Finance on scoping, pricing, feasibility and commercial viability.
- Work alongside our external business development representative, progressing relevant introductions and warm opportunities generated through their network and industry activity.
- Maintain effective BD processes, CRM and forecasting, ensuring a clear handover of converted projects into Production.
What you’ll bring
- 7+ years' business development, sales or partnerships experience within the games industry, game development, art outsourcing or closely related creative production environments.
- A strong, established games industry network, with relationships across relevant studios, publishers and industry decision-makers.
- A proven track record of proactively generating new business and managing and closing complex B2B sales opportunities.
- Strong commercial judgement, relationship-building and negotiation skills.
- Experience developing BD strategies, identifying target accounts and managing commercial pipelines, CRM and forecasting.
- The ability to work closely with creative and production teams, translating client requirements into commercially viable opportunities.
- Comfortable working in a founder-led, growing studio and building on existing processes to bring greater structure and consistency to business development.
- Experience in game art outsourcing or co-development, working with AAA/AA developers and publishers, and participation in events such as GDC, Gamescom or XDS would be highly advantageous.
What you’ll receive, if you join on an employee basis
- Competitive salary.
- Transparent commission structure.
- 29 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays).
- One additional day's annual leave for each completed year of service.
- Mental Health & Wellbeing Days.
- Family friendly leave.
- Pension scheme with a 3% employer contribution on qualifying earnings, with salary sacrifice available.
- Private medical, dental and optical insurance for you, your cohabiting partner and dependent children.
- Life assurance.
- Employee Assistance Programme.
- Eligibility for a discretionary annual profit-related bonus, subject to company performance and applicable scheme rules.
- Professional development support.
Adventures await. Are you in?!!?
Skills Required
- 7+ years of business development, sales, or partnerships experience within the games industry, game development, art outsourcing, or related creative production environments
- Strong, established games industry network across studios, publishers, and industry decision-makers
- Proven track record generating new business and managing and closing complex B2B sales opportunities
- Strong commercial judgment, relationship-building, and negotiation skills
- Experience developing BD strategies, identifying target accounts, and managing commercial pipelines, CRM, and forecasting
- Ability to collaborate with creative and production teams and translate client requirements into commercially viable opportunities
- Comfort working in a founder-led, growing studio and improving existing business development processes
- Experience in game art outsourcing or co-development with AAA/AA developers and publishers
- Participation in industry events such as GDC, Gamescom, or XDS
What We Do
Mooncolony is a Cambridge, UK-based concept art and illustration outsourcing studio serving video game developers worldwide. It provides premium 2D visual-development services, including concept art, illustration, character design, art direction, and marketing art, supporting projects ranging from free-to-play mobile games to AAA blockbusters. Its team combines diverse artistic talent and experience, tailoring services seamlessly to clients’ production pipelines for global game projects.
