Business Development Specialist

HUBZone applicants are strongly encouraged to apply. (HUBZone Map) 

Position Summary: The Business Development Specialist is responsible for proactively engaging existing and prospective federal government clients in the IT sector to identify sales opportunities and support the Wildflower sales team. This role focuses on outbound prospecting, customer engagement, opportunity development, and supporting Account Managers throughout the sales process. The specialist will identify customer needs, schedule qualified meetings, conduct follow-up activities, coordinate pricing and quotes, and maintain accurate pipeline information. This role serves as a foundation for developing the skills and knowledge needed to advance within the sales team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Research & Prospecting:
   1. Outbound Prospecting: Conduct outbound calls and emails to existing customers, prospective customers, and targeted federal accounts to identify potential IT requirements and sales opportunities.
   2. Customer & Project Research: Research customer organizations, current initiatives, technology projects, procurement activity, and other relevant information to develop an understanding of the customer's environment. Use this information to make outbound engagement relevant, informed, and personalized to the customer's specific needs and priorities.
   3. Organizational Mapping: Research and develop organizational maps of target and existing customer accounts to identify key decision makers, influencers, technical stakeholders, procurement personnel, and relationships between contacts. Maintain accurate organizational information within the company's CRM and use account intelligence to identify opportunities for deeper customer engagement.
2. Sales Development:
   1. Conduct customer discovery conversations to identify and qualify current and anticipated technology requirements, projects, procurement timelines, funding considerations, and potential sales opportunities. Communicate relevant findings to the appropriate Account Manager or sales leader to support opportunity development.
   2. Meeting Generation: Schedule qualified sales meetings with Account Managers for existing accounts and sales leadership for new target accounts.
   3. Sales Follow-Up: Follow up with customers after meetings, quotes, and other sales activities to maintain engagement and advance opportunities through the sales process.
3. Sales Execution & Support:
   1. Research product availability, lead times, and pricing from manufacturers and distributors. Assist with preparing, coordinating, and delivering customer quotes in accordance with established pricing and approval processes.
   2. Account Support: Assist Account Managers with customer communications, opportunity tracking, research, and other activities necessary to develop and close sales opportunities.
   3. Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with Account Managers, suppliers, procurement, technical resources, and other internal teams to support customer requirements and sales opportunities.
4. Pipeline & Performance Management:
   1. Pipeline Management: Create, update, and maintain sales opportunities in the company's CRM, ensuring accurate customer information, opportunity status, estimated value, and next steps.
   2. Documentation: Maintain accurate records of customer interactions, opportunity activity, pricing, quotes, organizational relationships, and follow-up actions in the company's CRM and ERP systems.
   3. Meet established performance expectations for outbound activity, customer engagement, qualified meetings, opportunity identification, pipeline development, and follow-up. Track progress against assigned goals and adjust activities as needed to support sales objectives.
5. Any other duties needed to drive to our Vision, fulfill our Mission, and abide by our Values.

Job Qualifications/Requirements:

1. High School diploma or equivalent is required; some college coursework or a 2-year degree is preferred
2. Prior experience in sales, lead generation, customer service, business development, or a related role is preferred
3. Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to engage customers professionally
4. Demonstrated persistence, professionalism, initiative, and resilience when engaging customers and managing follow-up activities
5. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple opportunities and follow-up activities
6. Ability to make outbound calls, conduct basic discoveries, and develop professional customer relationships
7. Ability to use CRM and ERP systems and Microsoft Office applications effectively
8. Ability to learn technology products, understand customer requirements, and effectively communicate opportunities to Account Managers
9. Ability to work collaboratively with team members at all levels to support sales objectives