Business Cultivation Lead

Business Cultivation Lead (Location: Miami, Florida, US or Mexico City, Mexico)

Curioso is a collective of architects, interior designers, and artists designing meaningful experiences around the world. Our award-winning projects represent a range of industries, including luxury hospitality, lifestyle hospitality, restaurant, wellness, multifamily, and professional spaces. We're a collaborative studio driven by curiosity, empathy, and an entrepreneurial spirit, with a diverse, multicultural team across our studios in Chicago, IL, and Mérida, Yucatán, México.

We're looking for a Business Cultivation Lead to join our team.

Position Overview

We are looking for a Business Cultivation Lead to work closely alongside our Managing Partner in identifying, pursuing, and winning the right work. This is a senior, independent role for someone who understands the luxury hospitality market deeply. We are looking for someone who has genuine relationships, sharp instincts about where a project is headed, and the discipline to manage a complex pipeline without losing momentum.

This person carries the business development function day-to-day. That means first outreach, relationship stewardship, RFP analysis, go/no-go discipline, fee structuring, and conference presence — with the judgment to know when to bring in others and when to move independently. You will not be executing someone else's strategy. You will be building it as part of a strategic team.

We are looking for someone who is bilingual, at home in both U.S. and Latin American hospitality markets, understanding what makes a studio like Curioso distinct — and why that distinction matters when you're sitting across from a developer who has ten firms in their inbox.

Responibilities

Pipeline & Market Intelligence

• Maintain a rigorous, current view of the pipeline: active pursuits, warm relationships, and longer-horizon opportunities, using CRM with discipline and consistency
• Monitor RFP activity, industry movements, and developer news across the U.S., Mexico, and CALA to identify opportunities before they become formal solicitations
• Track the competitive landscape: who is winning what work, where Curioso is well-positioned, and where we're underrepresented

Pursuit Strategy & Go/No-Go

• Lead the go/no-go evaluation for each incoming opportunity: assessing fee potential, scope fit, competitive position, client profile, and strategic alignment
• Develop pursuit strategy for each active proposal: what to lead with, what to show, who the right contact is, and how to frame Curioso's value in this specific context
• Build and manage the fee calculation process: understanding Curioso's internal cost structure, the right fee range for a given scope, and presenting a clear rationale internally before any number goes to a client

Relationship Development

• Maintain and grow a personal network of developers, operators, brand owners, architects, and consultants across U.S., Mexico, and CALA markets
• Lead first-contact outreach for new opportunities, representing Curioso with warmth, precision, and genuine curiosity about the project
• Own pre-proposal relationship conversations: discovery calls, site visits, and early alignment meetings — and translate what you learn into a pursuit strategy
• Represent Curioso at key industry conferences (BDNY, Hospitality Design, HVS events, regional events in Mexico and the Caribbean) with a clear plan for who to see and what to advance

Proposal & Pitch Leadership

• Lead the proposal process end-to-end: structuring the narrative, coordinating with the BD Designer on production, reviewing for accuracy and tone, and delivering on time
• Translate complex project information into clear, client-facing language — fee structures, scope definitions, process explanations — without losing the story
• Work with the Managing Partner to prepare for and lead presentations and shortlist interviews

Internal Alignment

• Keep studio owners and senior leadership aligned on pursuit status, decision points, and pipeline health — creating visibility without creating noise
• Flag misaligned opportunities early and frame the decision clearly: here's what we'd be saying yes to, here's what we'd be declining, here's why

Requirements

• 8 years of experience in business development, client relations, or strategic pursuit roles within luxury hospitality design, architecture, or a closely related field
• Genuine fluency in the luxury hospitality development landscape — you know the developers, operators, and brands that matter, and you understand how projects are financed, structured, and selected
• Bilingual in English and Spanish, with active relationships in Mexico and/or CALA markets
• Based in or willing to relocate to Miami, Florida, OR located in Mexico City or Mérida, with expectation of regular U.S. travel
• Strong analytical instincts: you can read a scope, calculate a fee, assess a competitive field, and make a clear recommendation
• A communicator who writes and speaks with clarity and precision
• Deeply curious about design, hospitality, culture, and place — this is not a role for someone who sells services they don't believe in
• Comfortable with ambiguity and a rigorous pace — this is a growing studio, not a process-heavy institution

What This Is Not

This is not a coordinator role with a senior title. We need someone who will have their own relationships, make their own calls, and build something — not someone executing a checklist. If you need to be told where to look for opportunities or how to frame a pursuit, this role is not the right fit.

We also need someone who is genuinely selective on our behalf. The discipline to say "this isn't the right project for us" is as important as the ability to close. Curioso's value position depends on the quality of our choices, not the volume of our proposals.

Compensation

Competitive base salary commensurate with experience. Performance alignment tied to studio growth. Benefits package included. Travel expected.