Business Development Representative

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

Job summary

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) is seeking a Business Development Representative to independently identify and qualify opportunities, build client relationships, and contribute to pursuit execution within assigned accounts and markets. You will own smaller or less complex accounts, manage a personal pipeline, and engage clients in needs assessment and solution discussions.

You will develop trusted relationships with client contacts at working and mid-management levels, apply market knowledge

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• 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, 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 with the proposals team on submission strategy and content.

Skills

Business development

Client engagement

Opportunity identification

Pipeline management

Pricing discussions

Account planning

Relationship building

Strategic thinking

Communication

Ethical practices

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or related field

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:

Education and Experience

• 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.

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.