Business Development Manager

Vatn Systems; Bristol (RI); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Vatn Systems in Bristol, RI is seeking a Business Development Manager (BDM) responsible for driving revenue growth, identifying new business opportunities, and maintaining client relationships. You will develop strategies to expand market presence, generate sales leads, and negotiate contracts.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree and 1-2 years of relevant experience, with skills in independent work and self-motivation. This full-time position requires frequent travel and the ability to work on military vehicles while handling challenging conditions.

Qualifications

• 1-2 years of experience in business development, sales, or related fields.
• Experience in government acquisitions is advantageous.
• Security Clearance eligibility for SECRET clearance and above is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Identify new business opportunities and manage client relationships.
• Develop marketing plans and execute strategies to promote products/services.
• Conduct market research to identify new business opportunities.

Skills

Independent work

Self-motivation

Sales experience

Language skills (Mandarin, Japanese, Korean)

Government acquisitions experience

Military experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or Sales

Job description

About Us

Vatn Systems is an autonomous underwater vehicle startup focused on developing cutting‑edge technology to support underwater exploration, research, and defense applications. Our team is passionate about creating innovative solutions that push the boundaries of what is possible underwater.

Job Overview

The Business Development Manager (BDM) is responsible for identifying new business opportunities, building and maintaining relationships with potential and existing clients, and driving revenue growth. The BDM will develop strategies to expand market presence, generate new sales leads, negotiate contracts, and manage partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

Client Acquisition & Relationship Management

• Organize and conduct a deliberate prospecting effort to identify potential clients and business partners to expand the company’s market reach.
• Generate, assess and attract new leads.
• Qualify leads and convert them into long‑term clients or partnerships.
• Build and maintain long‑term relationships with key clients, prospects, and stakeholders.
• Prepare proposals, quotes and Rough Orders of Magnitude (ROM).

Sales & Revenue Generation

• Coordinate demonstrations and experiments to support client understanding and requirements development.
• Support the Chief Revenue Officer in contract negotiation and contract closing.
• Support the Project Management Office with handover to initiate project execution.
• Maintain customer engagement to support repeat and follow‑on sales.
• Meet or exceed individual and team performance or sales targets.

Market Expansion & Product/Service Promotion

• Develop and execute marketing plans to promote new products or services to existing and new customers.
• Identify potential new markets for expansion and contribute to expansion plans.
• Support solution development alongside engineers and technical teammates.
• Attend industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities to stay current with market trends.
• Attend experiments, demonstrations and expositions.
• Conduct social media engagement on behalf of the company pending approval of messaging from the CRO.

Strategic Planning

• Develop and implement business development strategies to achieve company goals.
• Conduct market research to identify new business opportunities and trends.
• Analyze competitors, customer needs, and market conditions to guide business growth.
• Prepare and deliver presentations to clients, stakeholders, and leadership teams.

Collaboration & Teamwork

• Work closely with internal teams (Project Management, Engineering, Operations) to ensure that client needs are met.
• Provide feedback on product or service offerings based on client interactions and market demand.
• Ensure smooth handover of clients to account management or project management after deals are closed.

Reporting & Analysis

• Maintain accurate records of business development activities, including prospecting, meetings, and deal progress.
• Track sales metrics, report on progress to senior leadership, and adjust strategies as necessary.
• Prepare regular reports on business development activities, including leads, conversions, and revenue growth.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or equivalent experience.
• Experience: 1‑2 years of experience in business development, sales, or a related field or equivalent coursework at the undergraduate level. Experience in government acquisitions is advantageous.
• Skills:
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • High level of initiative and self‑motivation.
• Experience with Government Acquisitions is a plus.
• Military experience a plus.
• Language skills a plus, particularly: Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Korean.
• Security Clearance a plus, must be eligible for a SECRET clearance or above.
• Sales experience a plus.

Working Conditions

• Full‑time position with frequent travel required.
• Willing to travel extensively; both domestic and international.
• Willing to work on military watercraft, aircraft and land vehicles.
• Must be able to work on large and small boats.
• Must be able to wear PPE such as life preservers, helmets, protective clothing, eye protection and hearing protection.
• Must be able to lift 65 lbs.
• Must be able to stand for long periods (>3 hours) on wet, icy, unstable and uneven surfaces.