Business Developer Recruitment in Belgium

Archetype recruits Business Developers for B2B companies that want to open up a market, a segment or a region in Belgium and the Benelux. We look for hunters who are already in post and able to prospect over long sales cycles, and we test that ability before we present them to you. The assignment runs on a retainer, with the fee set out in advance in our written proposal, and takes 12 weeks on average. A 6-month replacement guarantee applies, and we recruit in Dutch, French or English. Tell us about your target market to receive a proposal within 48 to 72 hours.

(translate) Business Developer lors d’un premier rendez-vous chez un prospect industriel — (translate) Un Business Developer se juge en situation de prospection, pas sur son récit.

Business Developer or salesperson: know what you are looking for

In Belgium, the Business Developer title covers very different jobs: a hunter who opens new accounts, a hybrid role between sales and partnerships, sometimes an account manager with a new name. Hiring the wrong profile can cost you months of pipeline. Before the search starts, we agree with you the split between prospecting and managing existing clients, the length of the sales cycle and the level of autonomy expected.

To decide, read Business Developer or sales representative: the differences when recruiting and Key Account Manager or Business Developer: who does what.

How we check that a Business Developer can hunt

Business Developers tell their success stories well. That is their job. So an interview on its own is not enough. We add prospecting and first-meeting role-plays built around your offer, a case study on your target market and the KOAN test, which we have used for 30 years. Our method is set out in detail in how to assess a Business Developer’s hunting skills.

The KOAN competency model for sales profiles covers ten dimensions. For a Business Developer, we look closely at perseverance, responsiveness and influencing strategies, without losing sight of the others.

Customer Orientation

Results-Orientated Approach

Commitment to Organization

Influencing Strategies

Communicating and Networking

Perseverance

Responsiveness

Positive Attitude

Methods

Example to Others

We’re specialists: Sales, Marketing, Management. Not generalists. When a generalist agency recruits a Sales Director, they read the CV. We know the actual job: the real trade-offs between prospecting and farming, what it means to lead a distributed trilingual team across the Benelux, how to build a commercial strategy that holds in complex B2B. That field-level understanding is what separates a placement that lasts from one that breaks at 18 months.
The Archetype method, since 1993

Package, fees and timescales

A Business Developer’s package usually combines a base salary, variable pay and a company car. If your planned range is too low for the market, we tell you on the first call, before three months are lost. Our article on Business Developer salaries in Belgium sets out the ranges and the employer cost.

Our fees are agreed before the assignment starts and set out in the written proposal you sign. We work on a retainer basis only, never on a success fee: you commit to the assignment and we see it through. Allow 12 weeks on average between the signing of the assignment and the candidate’s acceptance. A 6-month replacement guarantee applies, and we follow the onboarding for the first three months.

Our 5-step method

In-depth briefing: target market, split between hunting and account management, sales cycle, salary range.
A sourcing strategy written for the assignment, with a direct approach to Business Developers in post.
Structured screening: interview, role-plays, case study, KOAN.
Presentation of finalists with scorecard, interview transcripts and validated job description.
Follow-up before, during and after the hire.

If your Business Developer will also need to build a team within two years, our Head of Sales recruitment page is the better fit.

About Archetype

Archetype is a Belgian family business founded in 1993 by Marc Diamant and now co-managed with Davy Diamant and Steve Diamant. A member of Federgon, it won Talent Business Innovation of the Year 2025 for its ethical and structured use of AI.

Frequently asked questions about recruiting a Business Developer

How much does it cost to recruit a Business Developer?

It depends on four criteria: the level of the role, the languages required, the technical complexity of what is sold and how hard the assignment is. We set the fee before launch in a written proposal, sent within 48 to 72 hours of the first call. It covers the search, the assessment of finalists and a 6-month replacement guarantee. Tell us about the role to receive your proposal.

How can you tell if a candidate is a real hunter?

By putting them in a real situation. Prospecting role-plays and a case study on your market show what an interview cannot, and the KOAN test sheds light on their perseverance and responsiveness.