Business Development Associate

Based in Houston, TX (hybrid / in-person expectations as appropriate); reports directly to senior leadership.

PlatinumBlack is a go-to-market strategy and marketing consulting firm that accelerates growth for B2B companies operating in highly technical industries. We combine business strategy, marketing, and creative execution to help our clients, and people, realize their ambitions.

We are looking for a smart, driven, and entrepreneurial Business Development Associate to help us scale our impact. This is a foundational inside sales role focused on building our CRM, identifying and cultivating new prospects, and supporting the growth of PlatinumBlack’s client base. You’ll work closely with senior leadership to connect with marketing, commercial, and business leaders at companies in sectors such as energy, cleantech, industrials, biotech, and advanced manufacturing.

This role is ideal for someone early in their career who is intellectually curious, highly organized, and ready to get after it. With consistent, demonstrated success over time, the right individual will have continued opportunities for growth, whether in outside sales, strategy, marketing, account management, and beyond.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain our CRM (HubSpot), including identifying and adding target companies and contacts aligned to our Ideal Client Profile.
• Execute structured and persistent outbound outreach via email, LinkedIn, and other channels to generate meetings and interest with CMOs, VPs, and other senior decision-makers.
• Research target companies and contacts to find relevant insights, triggers, and "ways in" that personalize and improve outreach quality.
• Write compelling outbound emails and follow-ups that are professional, value-adding, and on-brand.
• Conduct qualification calls to assess prospect needs and potential fit for PlatinumBlack services.
• Collaborate closely with leadership to refine outreach strategies and provide feedback on prospect response patterns and objections.
• Maintain complete and accurate activity records in HubSpot CRM and ensure high visibility into pipeline status and KPIs.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of messaging, sales cadences, and prospecting workflows.
• Stay up to date on industry trends across our target sectors to inform outreach and conversation strategy.
• Represent PlatinumBlack with professionalism, polish, and poise—both online and in person.

Qualifications

• 1–5 years of experience in sales, business development, or a similarly outreach-heavy role (internships count).
• A sharp, resourceful, and intellectually curious mindset—someone who figures it out and figures it out fast.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to craft thoughtful, concise, and persuasive outreach messages.
• Comfortable using LinkedIn for research, connection-building, and engagement with prospects.
• Familiarity with CRM tools like HubSpot, or the ability to learn them quickly and operate with discipline and precision.
• Based in Houston, TX, with knowledge of and/or connections in local industry (energy, cleantech, engineering) considered a strong plus.
• High degree of initiative and autonomy—thrives in a fast-paced environment and doesn't wait to be told what to do.
• Coachable and collaborative, eager to learn and grow into a larger role over time.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail—able to juggle multiple priorities without letting things slip.

What Success Looks Like

• A well-structured CRM that reflects PlatinumBlack’s Ideal Client Profile and supports efficient prospecting and reporting.
• Consistent, high-quality outbound activity that generates qualified conversations with senior marketing and commercial leaders.
• Demonstrated improvement in outreach effectiveness through testing, learning, and iteration.
• Strong command of PlatinumBlack’s positioning, services, and target industries.
• Trusted partnership with senior leadership, including proactive insights on what’s resonating in the market and where prospects are pushing back.

Why PlatinumBlack

At PlatinumBlack, you’ll work side-by-side with seasoned strategists, marketers, and creatives. You’ll have direct exposure to company leadership, contribute meaningfully from day one, and grow with a team that values intelligence, hustle, and follow-through. If you want to build your career in business development, strategy, or consulting—and be part of a firm shaping the future of technical B2B growth—this is the place to do it.

Role Details

This role may be structured as either full-time or contract, depending on candidate experience, availability, and mutual fit.

• Full-Time Option: A salaried position with competitive compensation, performance-based incentives, and benefits. This path is ideal for candidates looking to build a long-term career at PlatinumBlack with opportunities for growth and expanded responsibility over time.
• Contract Option: An initial contract engagement (e.g., 3–6 months) with clearly defined expectations, outcomes, and performance milestones. This option is well-suited for candidates seeking flexibility or a trial period, with the potential to transition to a full-time role based on performance and mutual interest.

Regardless of structure, this role is treated as a core, high-impact position with direct exposure to senior leadership and meaningful ownership over business development efforts.

About PlatinumBlack

For more than 20 years, we have developed market insights, improved business processes, unraveled complex market landscapes, created award-winning multi-channel marketing and advertising campaigns, and assimilated into 100 companies. Our success is predicated on helping clients find new growth opportunities and creating the marketing programs that capitalize on them. But we can’t do it without extraordinary teammates. Our culture centers around an entrepreneurial and enterprising spirit–we empower our people to bring their highest value and most audacious ideas to work with them every day. We encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration and proactive team players. We are all students, and we are all teachers. As such, we are invested in the growth and development of everyone who comes through our doors, so that each of us can make the greatest impact on the world we share.