Business Development Executive - Retail Solutions

Avant Imaging and Integrated Media Inc.; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

AIIM, a Toronto-based provider of large-format printing and integrated retail campaigns, is seeking a proven business development professional to hunt new opportunities in Canada’s top retailers and agencies.

You will own the full sales cycle from prospecting to signed contract, build a targeted account plan, and work hybrid from our Toronto office while pursuing a national territory, with a first-year revenue target of $750,000 and uncapped commission potential.

Qualifications

• Three years of successful business development or full-cycle sales within retail marketing.
• Proven track record of meeting sales targets and closing net-new business with multi-location retailers or agencies.
• Understanding of retail campaign planning, store-level execution, versioning, production timelines and distribution.
• Ability to prospect independently and convert opportunities into commercially sound agreements.
• Strong presentation, proposal development and negotiation skills.
• Disciplined CRM, pipeline management and forecasting practices.
• Ability to work from AIIM's Toronto office on a hybrid basis with a Canada-wide territory.

Responsibilities

• Build and execute a target-account strategy centred on Canada's top 500 retailers and the agencies that support them.
• Generate opportunities through focused prospecting, referrals, industry knowledge and strategic outreach.
• Engage decision-makers across retail marketing, brand, operations and agency production.
• Lead discovery conversations to understand calendars, store networks, versioning requirements and distribution challenges.
• Work with AIIM's teams to develop complete retail solutions.
• Manage presentations, proposals, RFPs, pilot projects, negotiations and contracting through to a signed agreement.
• Maintain a disciplined pipeline, accurate activity history and reliable sales forecast in HubSpot.
• Successfully target a first-year revenue of $750,000.

Skills

Prospecting

Negotiation

Sales forecasting

CRM discipline

Job description

AIIM is hiring a proven business development professional with experience creating and closing opportunities within retail marketing.

The primary target market will be Canada's top 500 retailers, with a focus on national and regional multi-location organizations across grocery, pharmacy, liquor, apparel, home improvement, convenience, automotive, restaurant, quick-service and specialty retail.

The role will also target retail marketing agencies, shopper marketing agencies, experiential agencies and brand-activation firms that support major retailers and consumer brands.

This is not an entry-level sales position, and it is not an account-management role. It is a 100% new-business hunting role for an experienced seller who understands retail marketing, multi-location campaign execution and the importance of delivering the right materials to every location, on time and on brand.

You will own the complete sales cycle from initial prospecting through signed contract. You will not inherit an established portfolio. Your first-year target will be $750,000 in new revenue.

The opportunity

Multi-location retailers require more than print. They need a partner capable of managing campaign versioning, production, kitting, distribution and installation across hundreds of locations, often within demanding timelines.

AIIM can support an initial campaign and then help turn that opportunity into a repeatable monthly, seasonal or recurring retail program.

You will be able to sell:

• Large-format printing: Window, wall and floor graphics, posters, banners, decals, rigid signage, point-of-purchase materials, displays, wayfinding, environmental graphics and other in-store campaign materials.
• Multi-location retail rollouts: Campaign versioning, prepress, production, store-specific packing, kitting, fulfillment, distribution and installation coordination.
• Direct-mail marketing: Data preparation, audience targeting, personalization, printing, postal preparation and mailing for customer acquisition, loyalty, retention, store traffic and promotional campaigns.
• Sequential marketing campaigns: Coordinated communications using personalized mail, email and SMS in a planned sequence based on timing, response or customer action.
• Kitting and fulfillment: Promotional kits, store-opening kits, merchandising materials, sales kits, display components and campaign materials assembled and distributed to individual locations.
• Digital storefronts: Controlled online ordering environments that allow stores, franchisees or authorized users to order, personalize and replenish approved marketing materials while maintaining brand consistency.

This is an opportunity to sell more than individual print projects. The objective is to win recurring programs that support monthly campaigns, seasonal promotions, new product launches, store openings, brand changes and ongoing retail execution.

What you will own

• Build and execute a target-account strategy centred on Canada's top 500 retailers and the agencies that support them.
• Generate your own opportunities through focused prospecting, referrals, industry knowledge and strategic outreach.
• Engage decision-makers across retail marketing, brand, visual merchandising, store operations, procurement, real estate, facilities, loyalty and agency production.
• Lead discovery conversations to understand campaign calendars, store networks, versioning requirements, distribution challenges and opportunities for recurring programs.
• Work with AIIM's large-format, direct mail, data, estimating, production, fulfillment and installation teams to develop complete retail solutions.
• Manage presentations, proposals, RFPs, pilot projects, negotiations and contracting through to a signed agreement, then transition the new client to AIIM's onboarding and account teams.
• Maintain a disciplined pipeline, accurate activity history and reliable sales forecast in HubSpot.

What success looks like

During your first 90 days, you will learn AIIM's capabilities, develop a prioritized target-account plan and begin building qualified opportunities with multi-location retailers and retail-focused agencies.

Your first-year objective is to close $750,000 in new revenue while developing a strong pipeline of recurring retail campaigns.

Success in this role is not measured only by winning one-time projects. The goal is to turn initial opportunities into repeatable monthly, seasonal and national rollout programs.

What you bring

• At least three years of successful business development or full-cycle sales experience within retail marketing, retail solutions or a closely related industry.
• A demonstrated record of achieving sales targets and closing net-new business with multi-location retailers, retail brands or retail-focused agencies.
• A practical understanding of retail campaign planning, store-level execution, versioning, production timelines, kitting, distribution and installation.
• Experience navigating complex sales involving marketing, procurement, operations and other stakeholders.
• The ability to prospect independently, conduct effective discovery and convert opportunities into commercially sound agreements.
• Strong presentation, proposal-development and negotiation skills.
• Disciplined CRM, pipeline-management and forecasting practices.
• The ability to work from AIIM's Toronto office on a hybrid basis while managing a Canada-wide territory.

Experience selling large-format print, national retail rollouts, direct mail, kitting and fulfillment, digital storefronts or integrated retail marketing programs is strongly preferred.

Compensation and earning opportunity

The base salary for this position is $65,000 to $75,000, based on experience. In addition to base salary, the position offers uncapped commission earned on new revenue under AIIM's sales compensation plan. There is no ceiling on commission earnings, giving successful performers a genuine opportunity to earn substantial income as they build the territory and close new business.

Why AIIM

AIIM gives experienced sellers an established production and execution platform behind every opportunity.

From our approximately 103,000-square-foot Toronto facility, AIIM provides large-format printing, direct mail, data services, digital communications, kitting, fulfillment and multi-location campaign support through one organization.

You will be supported by experienced specialists across large format, data, estimating, production, fulfillment, installation, operations and client experience, allowing you to focus on what you do best: creating opportunities and winning recurring retail programs.

AIIM is committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Accommodation is available upon request throughout the recruitment and selection process.