Business Development Manager

Role Summary
The Business Development Manager is a growth-focused role reporting to the Director of Sales. Simply put, this role is intended to bring in business that our client does not have today. The position is responsible for identifying, engaging, and converting new retail customers for our client, with a specific focus on expanding the company’s reach across mass retail, drug, grocery, discount, and department store channels.

This is a “new business” role, dedicated exclusively to establishing new client partnerships, new categories with existing clients, and overall new revenue streams.

The role requires strong prospecting, outreach, discovery, presentation and relationship-building capabilities, along with a deep understanding of how to position capabilities with private label brands, national brands, and exclusive brand programs. The Business Development Manager will lead new customer and new category conversations, work with internal cross-functional resources to support pitches and help drive opportunities to the point of handoff to the Account Management team.
This role is ideal for an entrepreneurial sales professional who thrives on making connections, establishing relationships, and helping retailers and brands envision new revenue and profit opportunities. The successful candidate will be self-motivated, organized, an active listener, a clear communicator and a trust builder who understands how to navigate complex organizations and bring forward solutions that align products and services with retailer opportunities.



Key Responsibilities
New Business Development
Proactively research, identify, reach out to and engage prospective retail client-partners aligned with category and channel strengths.
- Develop and maintain a pipeline of new business opportunities with clear progress tracking.
Prospecting & Outreach
- Own the client acquisition stage of the sales process, identifying multiple key contacts, initiating contact with prospects, scheduling meetings, and conducting deep discovery to uncover and qualify opportunities.
- Craft tailored outreach that reflects the value propositions that cater to retailer needs.
- Identify, plan, execute and attend trade shows, networking events, and other relevant industry activities to uncover new business opportunities, strengthen industry presence, and cultivate key client relationships.

Opportunity Management
- Partner with the Director of Sales to identify, prioritize, advance and secure high-potential leads and opportunities.
- Leverage inputs from Product Development, Finance, Marketing and Client

Sales Pitch Development
- Collaborate with internal cross-functional teams (i.e., product development, marketing, finance, etc.) to develop compelling presentations, introductory materials, and entire programs.
- Present capabilities clearly and persuasively in first-call or follow-up meetings, and through the entire new client/category acquisition process.

Pipeline Reporting & Insights
- Maintain detailed records of lead activity and status.
- Provide regular reporting and insights on outreach effectiveness, client acquisition process momentum, conversion metrics, and overall pipeline health.

Industry & Category Research
- Tune in and stay current on competitive movement, category trends, and retail strategies/tactics.
- Leverage this knowledge to shape outreach strategy, plans and identify category gaps/opportunities.

Key Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or a related field.
- 5+ years of experience in business development, sales, or account management, preferably in retail or consumer goods.
- Proven track record of acquiring new clients and driving revenue growth across multiple retail channels.
- Strong prospecting, networking, and relationship-building skills with the ability to engage senior-level decision makers.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation abilities.
- Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Self-motivated, goal-driven, and able to work independently in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment.
- Proficient in CRM systems, sales tracking, and Microsoft Office tools.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
- Willingness to travel for client meetings, trade shows, and industry events