Business Development Executive/Manager

Talent Switch; Kuala Lumpur; Hybrid; MYR 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading startup ecosystem company in Kuala Lumpur is seeking a Business Development professional to identify new business opportunities and build strong relationships with founders. The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of relevant experience, a strong network, and an entrepreneurial mindset. This role offers a competitive base salary, uncapped commission, and the opportunity for significant professional growth in a flexible, remote-friendly environment.

Benefits

Highly competitive base + uncapped commission

Potential stock options

Significant professional growth

Flexible remote-friendly environment

Comprehensive health insurance

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years in business development or partnerships roles.
• Proven experience in the startup ecosystem, both local and regional.
• Strong network in the startup scene and understanding of founders' pain points.

Responsibilities

• Identify and cultivate new business opportunities through your network.
• Build and maintain strong customer relationships as a trusted advisor.
• Develop and execute sales strategies tailored to founders' needs.
• Drive sales and revenue growth by hitting quarterly targets.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to refine offerings.

Skills

Business development

Relationship building

Entrepreneurial mindset

Cloud fundamentals (AWS, GCP, Azure)

Excellent English communication

Job description

Who We Are Looking For

We want builders, not just sellers. Ideal candidates combine an entrepreneurial mindset with deep empathy for founders and hands‑on experience inside the startup/venture ecosystem. You might currently be (or previously have been):

• A founder or early‑stage operator who has lived the fundraising and scaling journey
• A venture capital or private equity analyst/investor who regularly evaluates startups
• An ecosystem builder at an accelerator, incubator, corporate venture arm, or startup program
• A partnership/BD professional who already opens doors at top startups and scale‑ups across the region

Qualification Requirements

• Minimum 3 years in business development, partnerships, or ecosystem‑building roles with regular direct engagement with founders and C‑level executives
• Proven experience inside the startup ecosystem (founder, accelerator/incubator operator, venture capital/private equity analyst or associate, corporate venture, etc.) – local and regional exposure required
• Demonstrated entrepreneurial mindset: you think like a founder, spot opportunities early, and are comfortable operating in ambiguity
• Existing strong network in the local + regional startup scene and genuine understanding of founders real pain points (fundraising, hiring, scaling infrastructure, burn‑rate pressure, etc.)
• Ability to independently build and develop new relationships that convert into revenue
• Cloud fundamentals (AWS, GCP, or Azure) is a strong advantage but not mandatory – we can teach the tech if you already speak founder fluently
• Track record of consistently hitting or exceeding revenue/targets
• Excellent English communication & presentation skills; at least conversational proficiency in the local language (e.g., Bahasa Malaysia in Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia in Indonesia)

Job Responsibilities

1. Identify and Cultivate New Business Opportunities
   • Leverage your founder/VC/accelerator network to open doors at high‑potential startups
   • Proactively attend events, run warm intros, and build a high‑quality pipeline
   • Stay ahead of ecosystem trends and spot emerging verticals/sectors early
2. Build and Maintain Strong Customer Relationships
   • Become the trusted advisor to founders on cloud economics, growth hacks, and ecosystem connections
   • Deeply understand each startups stage, runway, and technical needs to deliver tailored solutions
3. Develop and Execute Sales Strategies
   • Craft outreach and positioning that resonates with time‑poor founders
   • Run sharp demos and ROI conversations focused on burn‑rate reduction and scalability
   • Co‑create sales collateral with marketing that speaks directly to startup challenges
4. Drive Sales and Revenue Growth
   • Consistently hit or beat quarterly and annual ARR quotas
   • Negotiate and close win‑win deals that lock in long‑term partnerships
5. Collaborate with Cross‑Functional Teams
   • Feed real founder insights back to technical, product, and customer‑success teams
   • Help refine our Friend to Startups offerings based on what you hear in the market

Benefits

• Highly competitive base + uncapped commission (OTE 8–12K USD equivalent)
• Potential stock options for outstanding performers
• Significant professional growth and fast‑track career progression
• Flexible remote‑friendly environment
• Comprehensive health insurance