Business Development Associate

Appone; New York (NY); On-site; USD 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Transit Benefits

401(k) Plan

Job summary

The Horticultural Society of New York seeks a proactive Business Development Associate to grow our client base across Horticulture, Education, Horticultural Therapy, and Public Programming. You will support the full business development lifecycle, from prospecting to contract handoff, onboarding, and ongoing account support, reporting to the Senior Director of Business Development.

Ideal candidates bring 1–3 years in business development or a related field, strong networking and communication

Qualifications

• 1-3 years of relevant work experience in business development, horticulture, or similar field.
• Demonstrated experience networking and creating long-term trust-based relationships; excellent interpersonal skills.
• Strong oral and written communication skills and ability to close targeted sales.

Responsibilities

• Conduct market research on new clients according to strategy and campaign.
• List generation and inbound outreach to follow up on new leads.
• Coordinate campaign deployment, sales collateral, and contract handoff to appropriate program area.
• Support conferences, offsite events, programming, and other business development tasks.
• Maintain prospect lists and CRM records; update campaigns regularly.
• Manage onboarding and transition of new clients to account leads; schedule check-ins.
• Develop and maintain client relationships; identify upsell opportunities.
• Monitor NYS Grants Gateway/Passport System for funding opportunities.

Skills

Business Development

Networking

Communication

Project Management

Independent Work

CRM Systems

Tools

HubSpot

Job description

About the Organization The mission of The Horticultural Society of New York is to improve human lives through horticulture. Our social service and public programs create green spaces in all neighborhoods as a vital part of social infrastructure, train people for jobs that grow and sustain green communities, and develop fresh approaches to improve New Yorkers' health, well-being, and environment through horticulture.

EOE Statement We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Business Development Associate

The Hort is seeking an energetic and dedicated Business Development Associate to help grow our client base across our main program areas: Horticulture, Education, Horticultural Therapy, and Public Programming. Reporting to the Senior Director of Business Development, the Associate supports the full business development lifecycle, from prospecting and lead generation through contract handoff, client onboarding, and ongoing account support. The role also includes conducting market research, contributing to business strategy, managing new projects, assisting with government relations research, and monitoring RFP/RFI opportunities for city and state funding. The ideal candidate is passionate about The Hort's mission and excited to advance it by bringing in new clients and strengthening existing relationships. The work requires flexibility, attention to detail, and a good sense of humor.

The Horticultural Society of New York brings plants into the places where daily life happens, especially in neighborhoods with the least access to green space. We turn "unplantable" urban spaces (sidewalks, medians, traffic triangles, and streets) into gardens and plantings that last. We engage communities through learning, wellness, and paid work, so the benefits of plants are more accessible to New Yorkers across our city.

Responsibilities

New Business Development

• Conduct market research on new clients depending on strategy and campaign

• List generation

• Inbound trafficking: outreach, meetings, and checking Hort Services/Info emails to follow up on new leads

• Campaign deployment: tracking, coordinating communication, sales collateral, checklist/site list, and contract handoff to appropriate program area

• Support conferences, offsite events, programming, and other business development tasks as needed

Prospect Research/Pipeline Support

• Research and compile targeted prospect lists of potential clients, including city agencies, elected officials, BIDs, property managers, and community partners

• Update and maintain prospects list, maintain existing lists sales and outreach campaigns

Client Onboarding

• Ensure seamless transition of new clients from the sales team to program/operations teams

• Transition new clients to their assigned account lead, including scheduled satisfaction check-ins

Existing Business & Account Management

• Contract development: drafting, signing, renewals

• Upselling and cross-selling: identify opportunities for added value

• Campaign deployment focused on the existing client base

• Relationship management

• Cultivation communications

• Create and review sales collateral

• CRM Management

RFP/RFI Research

• Regularly monitor the NYS Grants Gateway (grantsmanagement.ny.gov) and the Passport System for relevant city and state funding opportunities

• Develop and maintain a system for tracking potential funding opportunities once identified |

• Other tasks, as directed

Qualifications

• 1-3 years of relevant work experience in business development, horticulture, or similar field

• Demonstrated experience networking and creating long-term trust-based relationships Excellent interpersonal skills

• Strong oral and written communication skills

• Demonstrated success developing and closing targeted sales

• Proficient in Microsoft Office and relevant software.

• Experience with HubSpot, or similar CRM systems, is a plus

• Strong organization and project management skills

• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects at once.

• Must have strategic and analytical skills and the ability to "think outside the box"

Preferred Qualifications

• Government Affairs experience

Physical Requirements.

• Able to use a computer for extended periods of time.

• Ability to travel around the city via public transportation to attend client meetings or conduct site visits

Benefits

The Hort offers all Full-Time regular employees a generous Paid Time Off package, term life insurance policy, and Employee Assistance Program. Pre-tax benefits include transit, Flexible Spending Account, medical, dental, and vision insurance. A 401(k)-retirement plan is available after one year of service.

Additional Details

• Salary: $55,000 - $65,000 annual salary

• Employment Classification: Full-Time Regular

• Reports To: Senior Director of Business Development

• Work Location: In person- Midtown Office

• Schedule: Monday through Friday, with occasional evening and weekends as necessary

Full-Time/Part-Time Full-Time

Req Number BUS-26-00001

This position is currently accepting applications.