Business Development Specialist

---

Job description

Department: Business Development

Reports to: Manager, Strategic Accounts

Role: The Business Development Specialist works in a team environment, supporting and collaborating with the Customer Facing Sales, Customer Service, and Marketing Teams. We build key customer relationships, identify business opportunities, and maintain extensive knowledge of current market conditions. Our job is to increase and qualify sales opportunities, to build pipeline and ensure a smooth customer experience. We find new sales leads through trade shows, business directories, client referrals, marketing campaigns and networking. Key qualities of a BD Specialists are outgoing, friendly, well-spoken, ready to meet new people, strong business acumen and ready to qualify the deal- converting a qualified prospect into a qualified lead/opportunity. At the end of the day, we ensure AHS is fulfilling its vision of "Creating Superior Customer Experiences".

Primary Objective: The primary responsibility of the BD Specialist is to generate interest from potential clients and develop long lasting relationship with new customers. The BD Specialist must be able to create & plan persuasive approaches and pitches that gain attention and leads towards convincing potential clients to do business with AHS. The person in this role must be able to develop bonding & rapport with new clients, qualify business needs and provide the support that will continually improve the relationship. The BD Specialist works with mid and senior level management and engineering staff. The main duties of the BD Specialist can be summarized as follows:

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls, emails and zoom meetings.
• Ask questions to understand customer needs and requirements.
• Transition qualified lead/ opportunities to the Customer Facings Sales Team for further development and closure.
• Develop a robust pipeline of opportunities.
• Plan detailed presentations that educate and demonstrate innovative solutions that meet the customer's ROI goals
• Identify potential clients and the decision-makers at all levels of the client organization.
• Research and build trusting relationships with new clients.
• Handle objections by listening, clarify and work through challenges to a positive conclusion. Recognize and adapt to a variety of personality styles to persuade & negotiate.
• Present and follow-up on new products and services to enhance existing relationships.
• Work with engineering team and other internal colleagues to meet customer goals.
• Document details of activities to provide accurate and consistent communication internally and with the customer.
• Enter all notes and project activity in Salesforce.
• All other duties as assigned

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, psychology, communications, and/or any equivalent education that demonstrates expertise in customer engagement.
• Well-developed phone presence and motivated to initiate conversations is essential
• Attention to detail in notes
• Excellent communication skills, written, phone and zoom
• Project management skills
• Ability to travel as necessary to customer sites, tradeshows, etc.
• Experience with Salesforce
• Experience with Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PPT, Outlook, Teams)
• Knowledge of Material Handling Industry is a benefit
• Experience in one or more of the following verticals is preferred:
• Food and Beverage / Grocery
• Pharmaceutical / Health Care / Medical Supply
• E-Commerce
• Wholesale
• Occasional overnight travel is required

***Job requirements listed indicate the minimum level of knowledge, skills, and/or ability necessary to perform the job proficiently. This job description is not an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. Employees may be required to perform other job-related duties as requested by their supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodations. ***