Business Development Associate

Digs Dog Care; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 67,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Job summary

Digs Dog Care is seeking a Business Development Associate to drive growth through acquisition. You will build relationships with resort owners, manage outreach, and coordinate discovery calls and meetings while operating in a fast-growing startup environment.

You will work closely with the Chief Development Officer and BD leadership to source opportunities, maintain a multi-channel outreach plan, and push high-potential targets through the selling cycle with persistence and creativity.

Qualifications

• 2-4 years in business development, client relationship environments.
• Cold calling experience is required.
• Pipeline development experience is required.
• Business development and sales experience in the pet services space is preferred.
• Ability to demonstrate value to a cold lead.
• Strong relationship-building skills with a warm sales approach.
• Excellent communication skills and organizational abilities.
• Grit, hustle and perseverance; strong business acumen.

Responsibilities

• Foster key relationships with acquisition targets in our deal pipeline via cold calling, networking, and creative relationship-building measures.
• Coordinate discovery calls and in-person meetings.
• Be methodical with outreach and engagement tactics, while recalibrating strategy as needed.
• Be agile in approach and manage multiple relationship-building strategies simultaneously.
• Work with the CDO and BD Directors to convert targets into deals.
• Be a thought leader within a startup environment.

Skills

Cold calling

Pipeline development

Pet services sales

Relationship building

Communication skills

Grit and perseverance

Education

2-4 years in business development/relationships

Job description

At Digs Dog Care, we are more than a collection of Pet Resorts—we are a pack with one vision: to build the most trusted dog care community. Here, teammates grow as leaders, pet parents experience legendary hospitality, and every dog thrives in a safe, spotless resort. As pets become family for more and more people, the demand for world-class care is only growing—and so is the need for passionate, skilled teammates. That is where you come in. Our mission is simple: elevate the standard of care for pets by expanding a network of exceptional resorts, empowering our teams with the training and tools to succeed, and earning the trust of pet parents for life. When you join Digs, you are not just starting a job—you are joining a community. We learn together, grow together, and celebrate every wag along the way.

The Role: Business Development Associate

We are looking to hire a Business Development Associate (BDA) to continue our significant growth trajectory through acquisition. This individual will report to the Chief Development Officer, and partner closely with the full Business Development team to implement the target acquisition strategy for Digs.

In this role, the BDA will spearhead the organization’s efforts to build our acquisition pipeline. They will leverage strong communication and interpersonal skills to develop warm relationships with resort owners. They will be cognizant of Better Than Homes’ ideal target profile, have an ability to canvas the market strategically according to that profile, and execute a thoughtful approach to engaging high-potential targets for acquisition. The ideal candidate will feel at ease managing many leads at various points in the outreach cycle concurrently and be comfortable working in a fast-paced and entrepreneurial environment. They will approach relationship building with creativity, flexibility, and an "out of the box", persistent mentality. They will be genuine and warm in their approach and communication style, and able to successfully engage leads. They will also be nimble enough to refine a strategy that is not getting the desired results, and creative enough to develop a new approach. Our ideal candidate is strategically minded and able to source opportunities in all stages of the selling cycle.

Culture is of utmost importance to us at Digs. We are looking for a candidate who is humble and collaborative and possesses a strong work ethic. We are driven by a desire to improve the lives of pets and those who love them and to build relationships with business owners who have dedicated their careers to taking care of pets. We are looking for a candidate who is passionate about people and pets and who will connect well with our target market. We are looking for someone who is energized to work for a fast-growing company that is still in its early years.

Key responsibilities

• Foster key relationships with acquisition targets in our deal pipeline via cold calling, networking, and creative relationship-building measures.
• Coordinate discovery calls and in-person meetings.
• Be methodical with outreach approach end engagement tactics, yet creative with recalibrating strategy and thinking outside of the box with outreach channels.
• Be agile in approach - assess activities and adjust as needed for maximum success.
• Manage multiple relationship-building strategies simultaneously.
• Be highly organized, resourceful, timely, and dependable.
• Work in tandem with the CDO and BD Directors to convert high-potential targets into deals.
• Be a key thought leader within a startup environment.

Qualifications

2-4 in business development, client relationship environments

• Cold calling experience
• Pipeline development experience
• Business development and sales experience in the pet services space preferred
• Ability to demonstrate value or benefit to a cold lead
• Strong relationship-building skills with a comfortable and "at ease" sales approach and demeanor
• Have the communication skills to compel even the most reluctant of targets
• Super organized and exceptional, warm communication skills
• Grit, hustle, and perseverance
• High-caliber business acumen

Compensation

Base + Commission + Equity

The pay range for this role is:

67,000 - 90,000 USD per year(Chicago HQ)