Business Development Representative

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS); Houston (TX); Remote; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

401K plan

Job summary

ABS, the American Bureau of Shipping, seeks a Business Development Representative to independently identify and qualify opportunities, build client relationships, and drive pursuit execution within designated accounts. You will manage a personal pipeline, engage clients in need assessment, and help shape deal strategy and pricing discussions.

The role emphasizes relationship building with working and mid-management contacts, collaboration with proposals teams, and expansion of opportunities

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business or related field required.
• Typically 2–4 years in business development, sales, or account management.
• Experience in a professional services, consulting, or technical sales environment preferred.

Responsibilities

• Independently identify and qualify opportunities within assigned accounts and markets.
• Build trusted relationships with client contacts at working and mid-management levels.
• Contribute to deal strategy, pricing discussions, and account planning.
• Manage pursuit activities and collaborate with proposals team on submission strategy and content.
• Own smaller or less complex accounts and drive day-to-day client engagement.

Skills

Client engagement

Opportunity qualification

Pipeline management

Relationship building

Pricing discussions

Cross-functional collaboration

Market knowledge

Account planning

Communication skills

Sales cycle navigation

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or related field

Tools

CRM system

Job description

The Business Development Representative is a client-facing position responsible for independently identifying and qualifying business opportunities, building client relationships, and contributing to pursuit execution within assigned accounts and markets. The role owns smaller or less complex accounts, manages a personal pipeline, and engages clients in needs assessment and solution discussions. The Business Development Representative develops trusted relationships with client contacts at the working and mid-management level, applies market and competitive knowledge to support client conversations and pursuit positioning, and contributes to deal strategy, pricing discussions, and account planning.

What You Will Do:

• Independently identify and qualify business opportunities within assigned accounts and markets.
• Apply go/no-go criteria to assess fit, probability, and strategic alignment, and maintain an organized personal pipeline.
• Build trusted relationships with client contacts at the working and mid-management level.
• Earn repeat engagement through dependability, relevant industry knowledge, and consistent follow-through.
• Expand personal network within assigned accounts.
• Participate in developing deal strategy for assigned opportunities.
• Contribute to pricing discussions and competitive positioning.
• Manage pursuit activities within scope and partner effectively with the proposals team on submission strategy and content.
• Take ownership of smaller or less complex accounts and drive day-to-day client engagement.
• Develop basic account plans that identify key contacts, current work, and near-term growth opportunities.
• Identify expansion possibilities within assigned accounts and bring them forward.
• Conduct straightforward needs assessments and map client challenges to appropriate company services.
• Engage technical and delivery resources to shape solutions and articulate company's value proposition clearly in client-facing conversations.
• Manage a personal pipeline and track progress against assigned revenue or activity targets.
• Understand basic pipeline metrics - stage distribution, conversion rates, and coverage - and keep opportunity data current and realistic.
• Own data quality for assigned accounts and opportunities in CRM.
• Keep opportunity records current - stages, values, close dates, and next steps reflect reality, not aspiration.
• Use CRM data to inform personal planning and activity prioritization.
• Apply market and competitive knowledge to support client conversations and strengthen pursuit materials.
• Demonstrate solid understanding of client industries, key trends, and competitive dynamics within assigned markets.
• Maintain sufficient knowledge of adjacent company service lines to recognize cross-sell opportunities within assigned accounts.
• Introduce relevant capabilities when natural openings arise and connect with BD peers in other service lines to facilitate warm handoffs.
• Apply basic pricing and margin awareness in deal development.
• Discuss the business value of company services with clients and understand how discounting, scope changes, and delivery complexity affect profitability.
• Apply commercial discipline in deal development with clean qualification documentation, sound scoping, and defensible pricing.
• Follow established commercial processes and approval workflows without cutting corners.
• Understand how personal revenue targets and account assignments connect to broader sector and regional growth objectives.
• Contribute relevant client feedback and market observations to planning discussions when asked.
• Present company's capabilities and value proposition clearly in client-facing conversations.
• Tailor communication style and content to the audience and build professional credibility through preparation and subject matter knowledge.

What You Will Need:

• Bachelor's degree in business or related field is required.
• Typically 2 to 4 years of experience in business development, sales, account management, or a related commercial function is required.
• Experience in a professional services, consulting, or technical sales environment is preferred.

It Would Be Nice If You Had:

• Business experience in manufacturing and/or technical service industry.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Developing acumen for business development and client engagement, with the ability to independently identify and qualify opportunities, build client relationships, and contribute to pursuit execution.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted working relationships with client contacts and earn repeat engagement through reliability, relevant knowledge, and consistent follow-through.
• Solid understanding of assigned client industries, key market trends, and competitive dynamics, with the ability to apply that knowledge in client conversations and pursuit positioning.
• Practical knowledge of business development processes, including opportunity identification, qualification, account planning, pricing fundamentals, pipeline management, and pursuit coordination.
• Ability to collaborate with technical, delivery, and proposals teams to shape client solutions, understanding the perspectives and constraints of cross-functional partners and building influence through reliability.
• Ability to communicate clearly and persuasively in client-facing settings, tailoring messaging to the audience and articulating company's value proposition with confidence.
• Strong personal accountability by taking ownership of account and pursuit outcomes, follows through on commitments to clients and internal partners, and adjusts approach when current methods are not producing expected results.
• Ability to allocate time across accounts and opportunities based on potential value and stage of pursuit, avoiding disproportionate investment in low-value or low-probability activities.
• Results-oriented mindset focused on delivering against revenue and activity targets, not on activity volume alone. Recognizes when current methods aren't producing expected results and adjusts approach accordingly, understanding that sustained effort without outcomes is insufficient.
• Ability to persist through rejection and slow-moving sales cycles without losing energy or engagement. Adapts approach based on client feedback and competitive dynamics, and treats losses as learning opportunities rather than personal failures.
• Commitment to ethical business practices, in full accordance with relevant corporate policies. Identifies basic commercial risks and refuses to misrepresent company's capabilities or make commitments the company cannot honor.
• Working knowledge of the ABS Health, Safety, Quality and Environmental Management System.

Salary range: $100K to $120K.

Reporting Relationships:

Reports to a manager, director or executive level position

Travel:

While the position is remote, regular travel (50%+) to client sites is a core part of the role.

Working Conditions:

Work is primarily performed in a professional office setting, with regular travel for client meetings, industry events, and internal business meetings. The role may also require occasional visits to field sites, including client locations, shipyards, and field offices, as needed. Position may require domestic and international travel, as well as participation in business activities outside normal working hours, including client-related events and meetings.

ABOUT US

We set out more than 160 years ago to promote the security of life and property at sea and preserve the natural environment. Today, we remain true to our mission and continue to support organizations facing a rapidly evolving seascape of challenging regulations and new technologies. Through it all, we are anchored by a vision and mission that help our clients find clarity in uncertain times. ABS is a global leader in marine and offshore classification and other innovative safety, quality, and environmental services. We're at the forefront of supporting the global energy transition at sea, the application of remote and autonomous marine systems, cutting-edge technical solutions, and many more exciting advancements. Our commitment to safety, reliability, and efficiency is ever-present, guiding our clients to safer and more efficient operations.

About Our Benefits

ABS Group proudly offers a variety of industry-leading benefits designed to enhance the life and well-being of our employees and their families. These benefits include, but are not limited to, medical insurance (PPO and HD), dental and vision insurance, Health Savings account (HSA), Flexible Savings Account (FSA), life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, disability leave programs, parental leave program, paid holidays, and paid vacation time. The Company provides an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) that offers additional support in personal wellness, including work-life services. ABS Group also offers a 401K plan with a generous company match, subject to plan requirements.

Equal Opportunity

The ABS Group of Companies is committed to the equal employment opportunity of its employees and prohibits discrimination against any employee or qualified applicant based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status or veteran status, or other non-work-related characteristics that may be protected under the law of the Federal Government or specific state employment laws.

Other

This job description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with the job of the incumbent. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the principal job elements essential for making a fair decision regarding the pay structure of the job.