Business Development Manager Job Description

Key skills

Responsibilities

• • Identify and evaluate new markets, partnerships, and revenue opportunities
• • Build and nurture strategic relationships with partners and prospective clients
• • Structure and negotiate deals and partnership agreements
• • Develop business cases and proposals for new growth initiatives
• • Open new channels and markets beyond the core sales motion
• • Collaborate with sales, product, and leadership to align on growth strategy
• • Represent the company at industry events and with senior external stakeholders
• • Track pipeline and report on the progress of growth initiatives

Requirements

• • 5+ years in business development, partnerships, or strategic sales
• • Demonstrated success opening new markets, channels, or partnerships
• • Strong deal-structuring and negotiation skills
• • Strategic and commercial acumen with an entrepreneurial mindset
• • Excellent relationship-building and executive-level communication
• • Comfort operating in ambiguity where the path is not predefined

Nice to have

• • Experience in your industry with existing relevant relationships
• • A track record of landing significant partnerships or new channels
• • Experience working with C-level stakeholders externally and internally
• • Background blending strategy and hands-on closing

What to look for in a great Business Development Manager

Look for entrepreneurial, strategic thinkers who can both spot opportunities and execute on them — many candidates are strong on one dimension but weak on the other. The best business development managers create new growth rather than just working existing pipeline, so probe for examples of markets, channels, or partnerships they opened from scratch. Relationship-building at a senior level is essential since the role often involves executive stakeholders. Comfort with ambiguity is a key trait, since business development frequently operates where the path is unclear. Persistence and deal-structuring skill separate those who generate ideas from those who actually land them.

Interview questions to ask a Business Development Manager

Ask the candidate to describe a new market, channel, or partnership they opened, probing how they identified it, built the relationship, and structured the deal. Present an ambiguous growth scenario and ask how they would approach it with limited initial direction. Probe deal-structuring with a question about a complex negotiation they led. Ask how they prioritize among many potential opportunities. Finally, ask about a major opportunity that did not work out and what they learned, which reveals judgment and resilience in a role where many bets do not pay off.

Where to source Business Development Managers

Senior business development roles are usually sourced through referrals, executive networks, and direct outreach rather than job boards. LinkedIn searches filtered by partnership or business development experience in your industry help identify candidates with relevant relationships. Industry events and conferences are productive since strong BD professionals tend to be visible and well-connected. For roles requiring existing relationships, prioritize candidates with a track record in your specific market. References from past partners and clients are valuable, since the role's success depends heavily on credibility and relationship strength.