BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (Product Manager & Technical Sales)

For over fifty years, our client has provided sophisticated business-to-business services to a long list of Fortune 500 Companies.  Based in the Chicago area, this highly regarded company combines financial services with management consulting and a full range of supplemental services that offer productivity efficiencies and cost savings to large, national accounts.  The entrepreneurial culture is client-driven and results-oriented.  For individuals with top performance, the opportunities for professional development, career challenge, and long term security are significant.

This highly visible position will lead business development activities to increase sales of supplemental products (e.g. risk management and insurance, collision and safety, telemetrics and GPS technology, fuel efficiency and green initiatives, fleet management and truck upfitting). These services are sold as additional product offerings that expand an existing client relationship or as part of a product suite in a proposal to new clients. 

The Business Development Manager will be responsible for achieving business growth goals (revenue and profitability) and marketing goals (market image and client satisfaction) for designated products.  As the in-house subject matter expert, he or she will lead product management initiatives and also drive technical sales activities in a complex, team selling environment. This role will involve direct client interface, plus internal collaboration with sales, account management, various operations departments and external vendors.  The mix of activity is expected to be one third product management and two thirds sales, but it could vary significantly from day to day.  25-35% travel to client locations and industry events is likely. 

Product Management

• Act as market advocate to define ongoing client requirements for service features and partner with operating departments or outside suppliers to ensure services meet or exceed those requirements.
• Become the subject matter expert with in-depth product knowledge; and function as the go-to person for operating areas, other sales managers, and client inquiries.
• Keep abreast of industry trends; research and maintain information about competitors’ actions, capabilities and performance.
• Develop measures and reports to monitor product performance; translate data to demonstrate product value that supports client needs.
• Lead projects to enhance and update products as appropriate; and support overall marketing efforts to achieve established business objectives.

Technical Sales

• Identify key decision makers and analyze prospect information to develop effective sales strategies.
• Collaborate with account managers and sales executives to coordinate client communications within a team selling environment.
• Establish and develop relationships to gain full understanding of prospect needs, and drive the sales process to maintain momentum and motivate decision makers to act.
• Develop and present compelling product demonstrations and sales proposals, support request for proposal activities, and negotiate pricing (within defined boundaries).
• Maintain a current and accurate database of target companies with sales approach and status for each prospect, and keep management fully informed with regular reporting.

The ideal candidate is a dynamic, team player who has at least seven years of sales and marketing experience with complex business services or technical products.  Specific industry experience is not needed if the individual demonstrates strong learning capabilities and the ability to perform in a challenging intellectual environment. A bachelor’s degree is required, MBA desirable.

This unique role requires outstanding interpersonal and communications skills, plus excellent business acumen and strategic thinking abilities.  We are looking for two key areas of experience: demonstrated success in technical sales with strong listening, probing, analysis, problem solving, presentation, and negotiation skills; and proven ability to develop and execute a product marketing plan from promotion and pricing through product development and market launch.

The right person will be resourceful and creative.  He or she should have good project management skills that include planning, time management, and organization.  Intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm, flexibility, resilience, and humor are important characteristics.  The individual we seek is a self-starter, who is results-oriented and driven to succeed.  He or she must be able to fit into an organization that prides itself on customer responsiveness, integrity and high performance.

Hanna Associates is a retained executive search firm working on an exclusive basis for this confidential client.  Compensation target is $125K ($80K base and $45K bonus) plus full employee benefits.