Senior Business Development Officer - Accounting & Business Advisory

SAVANT; Rockford (IL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) with company match

Generous paid time off

Savantiversary day

Summer Hours

Parental leave

Job summary

Savant is seeking a Senior Business Development Officer to accelerate growth across Accounting & Business Advisory and Savant Wealth. You will personally develop channels, cultivate referral relationships, generate opportunities, and close engagements in tax, accounting, and business advisory services while shaping the growth function's strategy and processes.

This senior individual-contributor role requires building scalable sales processes, defining pipeline stages, and partnering with

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• At least seven years of business development, sales, or relationship-management experience in professional services or related field.
• Proven track record of developing channels, building client and referral relationships, generating opportunities, and closing revenue.
• Experience defining pipeline stages, growth metrics, and scalable sales processes.
• Executive presence and credibility with senior leaders, advisors, CPAs, business owners, and Centers of Influence.

Responsibilities

• Generate, cultivate, and close new Accounting & Business Advisory engagements across tax planning, accounting, and business advisory services.
• Build relationships with prospective clients and Centers of Influence, including attorneys, bankers, insurance professionals, business owners, and other referral partners.
• Partner with Savant Wealth advisors and Accounting & Business Advisory leaders to create cross-service opportunities and strengthen our integrated growth model.
• Qualify opportunities, respond to inquiries and proposals, and maintain an active, well-documented pipeline in the firm’s CRM.
• Develop territory plans, focus lists, and consistent market-based activities that build awareness and generate revenue.
• Educate Savant advisors and principals on Accounting & Business Advisory’s capabilities and equip them to identify and make qualified referrals.

Skills

Business development

Sales

Relationship management

Executive presence

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

CRM tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

Outlook

Job description

Savant is looking for a Senior Business Development Officer who is equal parts builder and producer. As our foundational growth hire, you’ll personally develop channels, build referral relationships, generate opportunities, and close new tax, accounting, and business advisory engagements—while helping shape the strategy, processes, and operating model that will scale Accounting & Business Advisory’s growth function. You’ll also connect opportunities across Accounting & Business Advisory and Savant Wealth, helping clients experience the full value of one integrated firm.In this role, you can expect to focus in the following areas:Generate, cultivate, and close new Accounting & Business Advisory engagements across tax planning, accounting, and business advisory services.Build relationships with prospective clients and Centers of Influence, including attorneys, bankers, insurance professionals, business owners, and other referral partners.Partner with Savant Wealth advisors and Accounting & Business Advisory leaders to create cross-service opportunities and strengthen our integrated growth model.Qualify opportunities, respond to inquiries and proposals, and maintain an active, well-documented pipeline in the firm’s CRM.Develop territory plans, focus lists, and consistent market-based activities that build awareness and generate revenue.Educate Savant advisors and principals on Accounting & Business Advisory’s capabilities and equip them to identify and make qualified referrals.Growth Function DevelopmentPartner with Growth and Accounting & Business Advisory leadership to define business development strategy, priorities, and the future-state operating model.Build repeatable processes for lead generation, qualification, assignment, follow-up, and conversion.Establish pipeline visibility, activity expectations, operating rhythms, and meaningful growth metrics.Identify the channels, markets, referral relationships, and cross-service opportunities with the greatest potential.Develop scalable tools, messaging, meeting materials, and sales practices, and help prepare the function for future growth and additional business development resources.A couple things to note about our Senior Business Development Officer position:This is a senior individual-contributor role with the opportunity to take on broader leadership responsibility as the business development function scales.You’ll thrive here if you are comfortable creating structure, testing approaches, and producing results without waiting for perfect clarity.Travel to markets to meet with prospects, referral sources, and internal partners is expected approximately 25–50% of the time.Prior people leadership is welcome but not required; the immediate priority is hands-on business development and function building.The Senior Business Development Officer position typically requires the following qualifications:Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.At least seven years of business development, sales, or relationship-management experience in professional services or a closely related field.A proven record of personally developing channels, building client and referral relationships, generating opportunities, and closing new revenue.Experience building or materially improving a business development function, territory, channel, or go-to-market process.Experience defining pipeline stages, growth metrics, operating rhythms, and scalable sales processes.Working knowledge of tax, accounting, business advisory, wealth management, or another sophisticated, referral-driven professional-services environment; a CPA is not required.Executive presence and credibility with senior leaders, advisors, CPAs, business owners, and Centers of Influence.Strong communication, listening, collaboration, and relationship-management skills.Proficiency with CRM tools and Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.A client-first mindset, team-oriented approach, and ability to operate effectively in an evolving environment.What Sets Savant ApartCollaborative, integrated model across advisory, tax, and planning—no silosGrowth-oriented firm, offering meaningful opportunities for career development and long-term impactValues-driven culture, grounded in excellence, integrity, lifelong learning, respect, growth, and servant leadershipMajority employee-owned, giving our team a shared stake in our long-term successOur Total RewardsAt Savant, we invest in our people—supporting both their well-being and long-term growth.We take a market-based approach to compensation. The expected base salary range for this role is $110,000 - $170,000. Actual compensation is determined on an individual basis and considers factors such as relevant experience, skills, qualifications, geographic location, and market conditions. In addition to base salary, this role offers a lucrative performance-based incentive compensation opportunity designed to meaningfully reward strong business development results and revenue generation.Core Benefits (Effective Day One):Medical, dental, and vision coverage with multiple plan optionsHealth Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA)Company-paid life insurance, AD&D, and disability coverageFinancial & Long-Term Rewards:401(k) with company match (Roth and Traditional options)Team-based incentive opportunities and recognition programsTime Away & Flexibility:Generous paid time off, plus at least 10 paid holidaysAnnual “Savantiversary” daySummer Hours (shorter work weeks during the summer)Parental leave, personal leave, and other life-event supportWell-Being & Everyday Perks:Employee Assistance Program (EAP)Wellness reimbursements (e.g., gym memberships)Flexible “Dress for Your Day” approachWe’re happy to share more details about our benefits and total rewards during the hiring process.Take your career to new heights, apply today!All applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from agencies and/or search firms for this job posting.The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of the incumbent in this position. Any combination of equivalent education and work experience will be considered.Savant Capital LLC, is an Equal Opportunity Employer