Business Development Specialist

Business Development Specialist - New Balance Soccer

We are seeking a fearlessly independent, highly motivated Business Development Specialist with a deep, strategic understanding of the youth soccer industry, whose primary focus will be generating new youth club sales opportunities in line with the New Balance brand mission. This role requires a hunter's mentality, advanced analytical skills, and the ability to convert market insights into impactful strategic partnerships across the youth club team sales landscape.

We are seeking a fearlessly independent, highly motivated Business Development Specialist with a deep, strategic understanding of the youth soccer industry, whose primary focus will be generating new youth club sales opportunities in line with the New Balance brand mission. This role requires a hunter's mentality, advanced analytical skills, and the ability to convert market insights into impactful strategic partnerships across the youth club team sales landscape.

• Strategic Prospecting & Pipeline Generation: Generate a consistent pipeline of qualified team sales leads (e.g. youth soccer organizations) through targeted cold outreach calls, regional networking events, and proactive identification of new market segments
• Market Intelligence & Strategic Handoff: Systematically capture and communicate critical strategic data, including regional competitive intelligence, emerging sponsorship trends, and pricing insights within the youth soccer club landscape. Ensure a high-quality hand-off of qualified leads to the appropriate  sales team members, facilitating seamless internal collaboration.
• Drive Brand Momentum: Achieve prospecting targets by sourcing new youth club business through presence at major trade shows, key conferences, and direct engagement with influential industry stakeholders, reinforcing New Balance's positioning within the youth soccer club landscape.
• Partnership Analysis & Solution Design: Gain a thorough, data-driven understanding of prospects’ long-term business objectives, brand challenges, and expansion plans to formulate tailored, mutually beneficial New Balance solutions.
• Internal & External
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Partner closely with  Team Sales Managers to support contract negotiations, new market entry strategies, and customer follow-ups, ensuring maximized ROI on all new and existing youth soccer club partnerships.
• Regional Travel: Conduct regular travel to visit potential youth soccer club clients and industry events to maintain a strong physical brand presence, with periodic travel to the Boston, MA (NB Global Headquarters) and Hillsborough, NC ( Headquarters).
• Relationship Cultivation: Deliver exceptional customer service by cultivating long‑term, strong relationships with key decision‑makers within youth soccer club marketplace (i.e., Youth Soccer Club Presidents, Director of Coaching) promoting the New Balance brand story, and navigating complex contract negotiations.

• Experience: 2+ years of proven success in sales, sports marketing, or business development within the soccer or team sports industry.
• Industry Network: Strong, verifiable network of industry contacts (e.g., youth soccer clubs) in a target market (e.g., USA).
• Mindset: Self‑starter with a demonstrable hunter mentality - proven ability to strategically open new doors and influence complex, cross‑functional customer decision‑making cycles.
• Communication: Outgoing, persuasive communicator with the ability to deliver compelling presentations that align with New Balance's unique brand narrative.
• Technical
  
  Skills:
  
  Strong organizational and project management skills; capable of maintaining accurate CRM (Customer Relationship Management via Pipedrive) tracking and reporting.
• Brand Alignment: Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, results‑oriented environment while nurturing long‑term client relationships in a way that authentically represents the New Balance brand and mission.
• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Sports Management, or a related field.
• Travel: Must hold a valid driver’s license and be comfortable with regular domestic and…