Business Development Senior Manager

Smithbucklin; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee-owned

Hybrid work environment

Job summary

Smithbucklin in Chicago (and Washington, DC) seeks a Business Development Senior Manager to join the New Business & Industry Relations team. You will cultivate relationships with senior decision makers at associations, lead the full sales cycle from prospecting to closing, and tailor solutions that deliver client value.

The role requires travel flexibility, a proven B2B sales record, and comfort with CRM tools like Salesforce and LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Experience working with associations, trade organizations or professional societies.
• 10+ years of experience in business development or sales in a B2B environment.
• Proven track record of winning new business and consistently hitting sales goals.

Responsibilities

• Build and grow relationships with senior decision makers at associations, trade organizations and professional societies.
• Lead the full sales process from prospecting and qualification to proposal development and deal closing.
• Bring informed ideas, sharp insights and creative solutions to every opportunity.
• Partner with business stakeholders and shape strategy for proposals and presentations.
• Represent Smithbucklin at conferences, tradeshows and industry events to build new connections.
• Monitor industry trends and competitive activity to identify and act on new opportunities.
• Use Salesforce, HubSpot and LinkedIn Sales Navigator to track sales activity, manage your pipeline and forecast revenue.

Skills

B2B sales

Executive relationships

CRM (Salesforce)

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Market analysis

Presentation skills

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Salesforce

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

HubSpot

Job description

Smithbucklin, a 650-person, employee-owned professional services company with more than 70 years of success serving the association market, with primary offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C., is looking for a Business Development Senior Manager to join our New Business & Industry Relations team in either our Chicago or Washington, D.C. office.

In this role you’ll help shape how we find, pursue and win new business. You’ll work directly with prospective clients to show how Smithbucklin’s services, including association management, education strategy and research, can help clients grow, advance and deliver better results for their members. You will also support uncovering opportunities for Smithbucklin Companies including 360 Live Media, a full-service events agency, and McKinley Advisors, an award winning association consulting firm. You’ll build strong relationships, manage opportunities from first conversation through closing and collaborate with teams across the company to deliver solutions that fit client needs and support growth. The role reports into the Head of Business Development & Industry Relations.

At Smithbucklin, we embody a culture driven by optimism, ambition, expertise, and thoughtfulness, where every team member is empowered to exceed expectations and deliver exceptional results for our clients. Join us in shaping the future of association management, where our values serve as the cornerstone of our success.

What You Will Do

• Build and grow relationships with senior decision makers at associations, trade organizations and professional societies
• Lead the full sales process from prospecting and qualification to proposal development and deal closing
• Bring informed ideas, sharp insights and creative solutions to every opportunity
• Partner with business stakeholders and shape strategy for proposals and presentations
• Represent Smithbucklin at conferences, tradeshows and industry events to build new connections
• Monitor industry trends and competitive activity to identify and act on new opportunities
• Use Salesforce, HubSpot and LinkedIn Sales Navigator to track sales activity, manage your pipeline and forecast revenue

This Role Might Be for You If You…

• Have a proven, high-impact track record in B2B sales and love the pursuit
• Thrive in a fast-moving environment and bring a sense of calm and confidence when the stakes are high
• Think creatively and find a path forward even when it is not obvious
• Use data to make smart decisions, and technology to work smarter and faster
• Have flexibility to travel to cultivate opportunities, attend industry events and meet prospect-driven deadlines

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Experience working with associations, trade organizations or professional societies
• 10+ years of experience in business development or sales in a B2B environment
• Comfortable building relationships with executives and board leaders
• Proven track record of winning new business and consistently hitting or exceeding sales goals
• Able to analyze markets, identify trends and anticipate prospect needs
• Experienced using Salesforce (or similar CRM) and LinkedIn Sales Navigator
• Exceptional communicator in writing, in person and in presentations; highly organized, self-motivated and collaborative.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office including Teams, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Highly organized, self-motivated and genuinely collaborative

Where Do You Fit?

Whether you are just beginning your career or are a mid- or senior-level professional, working at Smithbucklin will offer you countless opportunities to develop transferable skills, acquire meaningful knowledge and gain rich experiences at an accelerated pace. By working collaboratively with smart, ambitious, multi-talented, genuine and hardworking colleagues, you will build meaningful, deep and enduring relationships that will serve you well throughout your career, regardless of your chosen path. In addition, as a 100 percent employee-owned company, Smithbucklin offers all of our people - regardless of position or compensation - an equal chance to experience the fulfillment and reap the benefits of ownership. As owners, our employees control the destiny of Smithbucklin and are unified in the goal of building a great, enduring company.

Smithbucklin is a hybrid work environment with in-office days established as Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Employees will work a standard 40-hour week, with the possibility of additional hours based on project deadlines.

Smithbucklin considers several factors when determining compensation, including a candidate's recent coursework, training, experience, and certifications, among other considerations. The expected pay for this role is $110,000-120,000.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Smithbucklin, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status or any other protected status designated by federal, state or local law. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a reference and background investigation based on position.

Smithbucklin will not sponsor applicants for work visas and as a precondition of employment. You must be authorized to work in the United States permanently.