Business Development Manager

Location

Hybrid (Phoenix preferred) or Remote (U.S. – near a major airport)

Approximately 1 week per month (to start)

President

Full-Time | Sole Contributor (Newly Created Role)

Herk & Associates is the most prominent and longest-standing heavy equipment recruiting firm in North America. For nearly three decades, we’ve partnered with dealerships, manufacturers, and service organizations across construction, agriculture, material handling, trucking, and industrial equipment to help them hire the people who keep their businesses moving.

We are known for our credibility, deep industry knowledge, and long-term relationships—not transactional recruiting. While our name carries national weight, we are intentionally a small, collaborative business with a strong community feel. We value accountability, integrity, and people who take pride in doing things the right way.

This role represents an exciting evolution for us.

We are creating our first-ever external business development role
, and we are looking for the right professional to help us thoughtfully build it.

This is a sole-contributor role responsible for driving new business through consultative selling of retained search partnerships in the heavy equipment industry. You will have the autonomy to shape how this role works day to day, while partnering closely with leadership to establish the structure, cadence, and foundation for long-term success.

If you thrive in environments where you’re trusted, supported, and expected to help build not just execute, this role will feel energizing.

• Drive new client acquisition by selling retained executive and professional search services within the heavy equipment industry
• Build and manage your own pipeline through strategic outreach, networking, and industry presence
• Plan and execute approximately one week of travel per month (to start), including:
• Setting your own appointments
• Conducting in-person meetings with prospective clients
• Following up and closing retained search agreements
• Develop relationships with senior leaders, owners, and decision-makers at dealerships and equipment-related organizations
• Collaborate closely with the President and internal team to:
• Refine messaging and value proposition
• Help establish processes, tools, and structure for the role
• Provide feedback on what’s working and what’s not
• Represent Herk & Associates professionally at industry events, conferences, and client meetings
• Maintain accurate activity and pipeline tracking to support forecasting and growth planning
• Confident operating as a sole contributor without ego
• Comfortable representing a small business with a big reputation

• 5+ years of sales or business development experience, preferably within:
• Dealership environments
• Industrial, construction, or related B2B sectors
• Proven success closing complex or consultative sales
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately one week per month (initially)
• Based in the U.S. and within reasonable distance of a major airport

This role is ideal for someone who wants:

• To leave behind high-pressure, quota-only sales cultures
• To build something meaningful inside a respected, values-driven firm
• To have influence, flexibility, and visibility
• To be trusted as a professional not micromanaged

If you’re energized by growth, relationships, and the chance to shape a role from the ground up, we’d love to talk.