Business Development Representative

Columbia Books & Information Services; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia Books & Information Services is seeking a Business Development Representative to drive revenue across sponsorships, advertising, and data products for CEO Update, Association TRENDS, and NonProfit Pro. You will engage existing and prospective clients, schedule meetings, and support the sales cycle.

This hybrid role reports to the Director of Advertising, Sponsorships & Partnerships and offers opportunity for advancement into senior sales or account management.

Qualifications

• 0-3 years of experience in B2B sales or business development, media/events/association industry a plus.
• Proven ability to prospect, manage a pipeline, and close new business.
• Strong communication skills and ability to present to senior-level decision makers.

Responsibilities

• Conduct proactive outreach to existing clients and prospective partners to generate sponsorship, advertising, and data opportunities.
• Research target organizations and decision-makers to support sales conversations.
• Collaborate with the Director of Advertising, Sponsorships & Partnerships to prioritize accounts.
• Schedule discovery meetings, sales presentations, and follow-up conversations.
• Maintain CRM records and track outreach activity, outcomes, and next steps.
• Support preparation of sponsorship proposals, media kits, rate cards, and client research.

Skills

Prospecting

Pipeline management

Closing deals

Outbound calls

Communication skills

CRM experience

Target driven

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Business Development Representative (BDR)

About Us

CEO Update, Association TRENDS, and NonProfit Pro are leading information and events brands serving the association and nonprofit community. We provide news, data, analysis, and best-in class events that help association executives and industry partners succeed.

We are seeking a Business Development Representative to drive revenue across sponsorships, advertising, data products for CEO Update, Association TRENDS, and NonProfit Pro. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building long‑term relationships, consultative selling, and developing new relationships in the association industry.

Position Summary

The Business Development Representative will be responsible for growing sponsorship, advertising and data revenue and three primary brands: CEO Update, Association TRENDS, and NonProfit Pro.

The majority of the BDR’s efforts will focus on working with the Director of Advertising, Sponsorships & Partnerships to maximize new and existing relationships.

The Business Development Representative (BDR) supports revenue growth by proactively engaging existing and prospective clients, identifying opportunities, and generating qualified meetings for the sales team. This role is responsible for outreach through phone, email, and other channels; maintaining timely follow-up; and helping move prospects through the early stages of the sales process.

Key responsibilities include scheduling meetings, creating and maintaining accurate opportunity records in the CRM, documenting client interactions, and providing administrative support throughout the sales cycle. The BDR works closely with sales leadership to ensure consistent, organized, and responsive experience for clients and prospects.

This is a revenue-generating role with clear targets, strong sales support, and ample room to grow into a more senior sales or account management position.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct proactive outreach to existing clients, former advertisers and sponsors, and qualified prospective partners to generate sponsorship, advertising, and data‑sales opportunities for CEO Update, Association TRENDS, and NonProfit Pro.
• Research prospective organizations, decision‑makers, industry trends, and relevant partnership opportunities to build targeted outreach lists and support effective sales conversations.
• Work closely with the Director of Advertising, Sponsorships & Partnerships to identify priority accounts, develop outreach strategies, and advance new and renewal revenue opportunities.
• Schedule qualified discovery meetings, sales presentations, and follow‑up conversations for the Director and other appropriate sales team members.
• Create, update, and maintain lead, contact, account, activity, and opportunity records in the CRM, ensuring data is complete, accurate, current, and consistently documented.
• Track all outreach activity, responses, meeting outcomes, next steps, and prospect feedback to maintain a clear and reliable sales pipeline.
• Support the development and preparation of sales materials, sponsorship proposals, media kits, rate cards, campaign summaries, client research, and follow‑up communications.
• Assist with the administrative coordination of the sales process, including meeting scheduling, proposal routing, contract tracking, internal handoffs, and follow‑up reminders.
• Help manage existing client and partner relationships by supporting renewal outreach, identifying upsell and cross‑sell opportunities, and ensuring timely communication throughout the relationship.
• Meet or exceed defined activity, meeting‑generation, pipeline, and revenue targets, while regularly reporting progress, opportunities, and obstacles to sales leadership.
• Collaborate with editorial, marketing, events, operations, and data teams to understand available inventory, audience value, campaign offerings, and partner‑delivery requirements.
• Maintain a professional, responsive, and consultative experience for all prospective and current clients, representing the three brands consistently and effectively.

Qualifications Required

• 0-3 years of experience in B2B sales, business development, or account management (media, events, SaaS, or association industry experience a plus).
• Demonstrated success in prospecting, managing a pipeline, and closing new business.
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal) with the ability to present persuasively to senior‑level decision makers.
• Comfortable making outbound calls, sending targeted emails, and using LinkedIn and other tools to identify and engage prospects.
• Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple opportunities, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Results‑oriented mindset with a focus on hitting and exceeding revenue targets.

Preferred

• Experience selling event sponsorships, advertising, or marketing solutions.
• Familiarity with the association and nonprofit sector and the vendors who serve it.
• Experience working with a CRM (e.g., Salesforce) and basic sales reporting.
• Understanding of consultative/solutions‑based selling and long‑term account development.

Success Metrics

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Meetings Generated and kept
• Pipeline coverage, activity levels, and forecast accuracy.
• Retention and expansion of returning and new sponsors and advertising partners.

Work Environment and Reporting

• Reports to: Director of Advertising, Sponsorships & Partnerships
• Location: Hybrid: On‑site in Arlington, VA Tuesday and Thursday.Remote work Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
• Travel: Occasional travel to conferences and events to support onsite sponsor relationships and sales, as needed.