Business Development Manager

Are you passionate about education access for all students? Would you like to be a part of a unique and impactful school program and work with a wide-ranging variety of corporate partners?

SUMMARY:

The Business Development Manager position is responsible for the direct sales and business development of new Corporate Work Study Partner Organizations. This includes cultivating new job prospects, stewardship of existing corporate partner relationships for retention/expansion, onboarding new job partners, executing marketing tactics that help renew or secure jobs for the program, and constantly developing relationships and networking to achieve job targets. The position reports to the Vice President of CWSP. This position has a base salary, as well as potential for a goal-based annual bonus of up to 10% of base.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead CWSP revenue growth to generate a minimum of 33% to 50%+ of the school’s annual operating revenue.
• Increase the number of paid and funded work placements and sponsored job opportunities to ensure students are placed in revenue-generating work placements.
• Manage the sales cycle with new and current CWSP Partner prospects by building a robust pipeline; leading the identification of new prospects; securing face-to-face meetings; selling the program by communicating the mission/business case; answering questions and overcoming objections; and ultimately closing and signing contracts or funding agreements.
• In close collaboration with the fellow CWSP staff and Jobs Committee, increase and sustain job retention to 90%+ through the development and implementation of a robust and creative stewardship plan (events, outreach, social media, etc.)
• Collaborate closely with the Vice President, CWSP to ensure a comprehensive approach to business development strategies
• Use Salesforce to organize and analyze sales and Partner-related data
• Build/foster long-term external relationships with key community and corporate decision-makers.
• Engage Jobs Committee members, President, Vice President CWSP, and Vice President of Development in securing and retaining top CWSP Partners.
• Report at meetings of the Jobs Committee.
• Engage Jobs Committee member's contacts to identify new CWSP prospects and CWSP-related revenue sources.
• Generate new strategies (in collaboration with the CWSP team) to explore alternate revenue streams that are mission-aligned and sustainable.
• Provide regular updates regarding progress towards goals
• Establish both market and target customer strategies with the Vice President of CWSP, and the Jobs Committee.
• Spend a significant portion of time in the field both with individual accounts and co-traveling with the Vice President of CWSP and the President.
• Create an annual business development plan
• Ensure comprehensive strategies and metrics are in place to achieve desired revenue acquisition, growth, and Partner retention (including but not limited to C-suite engagement, revenue forecasting, and tracking, renewal/upsell targeting and closing, and sales pipeline reporting)
• Leverage the work of CWSP Relationship Managers with supervisors and students to ensure high job retention and expansion
• Appreciate and articulate the importance of the professional work experience to student success in high school, college, and career and the importance of CWSP Partners’ reciprocal learning opportunities as they partner with our young professionals
• Other duties as directed by the Vice President of CWSP.
  

  Build and Implement Successful Marketing and Communications Strategies

  • Provide messaging insights and sales strategy to inform the development of marketing materials.
  • Increase CWSP brand awareness across Twin Cities Metro and beyond through innovative and intentional low/no-cost strategic initiatives.
  • Collaborate closely with CWSP Relationship Managers and current CWSP Partners to highlight partnership ‘good news’ and growth opportunities within the Partners’ internal communications channels to grow the partnership and appreciate stakeholders.
  • Plan effective CWSP Partner recruitment and appreciation events (virtual and in-person as needed) and collaborate closely with team members to execute events.
  • Work with marketing to create new CWSP promotional materials and edit existing materials (brochures, one-pagers, short videos, social media templates, presentations, etc.)
  • Coordinate with Senior Marketing and Communications Manager & Vice President CWSP to establish metrics to monitor marketing and communications activities and determine effectiveness and impact.