Business Development Specialist

Summary

Business Development Associate is responsible for identifying, nurturing, and developing potential sales leads to drive revenue growth. This role involves proactive and reactive engagement with prospects, understanding their needs, and guiding them through the sales funnel to convert them into loyal customers.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Lead Generation: Identify and qualify potential leads through various channels such as referral, networking events and conferences, and inbound marketing.
2. Prospect Engagement: Initiate contact with leads, build relationships, and maintain regular communication to understand their needs and preferences.
3. Training: Responsible for upskilling internal stakeholders and Vanguard Crew on topics related to charitable giving, the philanthropic landscape and other related areas.  
4. Lead Nurturing: Develop and implement strategies to nurture leads through personalized follow-ups, providing relevant information, and addressing inquiries.
5. Sales Funnel Management: Track and manage leads through the sales pipeline, ensuring timely follow-up and progression towards conversion.
6. Collaboration: Work closely with the sales team to align lead cultivation efforts with overall sales strategies and goals.
7. Reporting: Maintain accurate records of lead interactions and provide regular reports on lead status and conversion rates

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience.  Master’s degree or master’s Level Certificate, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP ®) or Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) preferred.
• 5-7 years of corporate, non-profit, or equivalent sales or fundraising experience required; at least 3 years of successful UHNW client or sales experience preferred. 
• Proven ability to think and perform strategically, bringing innovative solutions to complex UHNW client or prospect situations.
• Proven ability to successfully develop strong working relationships; takes an enterprise-first approach.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to synthesize communication in order to bring the right message to a target audience.  
• Detail oriented, highly organized, collegial, articulate, and outgoing.
• Adaptability and flexibility to work in a dynamic sales-oriented environment.
• Thrives in a fast-paced environment, able to manage seasonality, tight and changing deadlines
• Produces high quality work under minimal supervision and direction.
• Excellent team player and ability to flex with the changing needs of the organization. 
• Conducts self with high degree of professionalism at all times.
• Intellectual curiosity.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office suite, Salesforce experience a plus.
• Travel to support growth initiatives including key client/prospect meetings, conferences, events, and education across channels.
• Maintain the highest level of integrity, professionalism, and ethical standards in all activities 

• Strong verbal and written communication skills. 
• Able to interact effectively with financial institutions, management, and co-workers and ability and willingness to participate in a team environment.  
• Ability to achieve and maintain high level of efficiency with reconciliation and record keeping software.   
• Advanced Excel skills and proficient with other Microsoft Office products.   
• Works independently and collegially, with minimal supervision.