Role summary
Avenue Z is looking for a sales focused individual contributor to open doors, create pipeline, and close high-value relationships across priority markets within the Shopify ecosystem of applications and ecommerce services. This is a hands-on business development role for a first-hire builder who can source opportunities directly, convert executive conversations into qualified deals, and use partnerships as a force multiplier for revenue growth.
This role is not a people-manager role on day one. The mandate is to build the market, establish a repeatable outbound motion, and create a durable pipeline across priority verticals, strategic accounts, investors, founders, platforms, and ecosystem partners.
What this role owns
- Build and manage a consistent pipeline of qualified new business opportunities across target sectors, accounts, and partner channels.
- Develop sales referral relationships with founders, CMOs, growth leaders, platform partners and other high-value referral sources.
- Create and run a disciplined outbound motion across introductions, meetings, follow-up, and conversion.
- Turn ecommerce industry tools technologies, relationships, and market insight into revenue-producing sales opportunities.
- Identify, structure, and advance strategic partnerships that accelerate client acquisition, revenue expansion, and market access.
- Work closely with leadership to prioritize target accounts, sectors, and relationship pathways.
- Own the front end of the deal cycle from sourcing through early commercial discussions and handoff into contracting and delivery.
- Maintain strong CRM hygiene, pipeline tracking, forecasting, and next-step discipline.
- Represent the firm in high-value meetings, conferences and selective industry events where real business can be generated.
- Help refine the company’s business development playbook based on what is working in market.
Core responsibilities
New business origination
- Build a weekly cadence of prospecting, introductions, meetings, and follow-up activity based on overlapping segments with partners.
- Source opportunities through direct outreach, warm networks, channel partners, using partner tools such as Crossbeam and Partnerstack, and industry relationships.
- Develop account plans for high-priority targets and multi-thread relationships into decision-makers.
- Partner with internal leaders to shape outreach strategy, meeting narratives, and conversion plans.
- Be the main point of contact for inbound and outbound referral new business opportunities.
Partnership development
- Identify technology partnerships that can create distribution, referrals, co-selling opportunities, or strategic market credibility.
- Build relationships with platform partners, complementary service providers, founder communities, venture networks, and industry connectors.
- Evaluate partnership opportunities based on practical revenue impact rather than brand visibility alone.
- Drive partnership conversations forward with clear commercial intent, ownership, and follow-through.
- Open co-marketing opportunities with partners that strengthen market presence, deepen relationships, and support pipeline generation.
Deal advancement
- Lead early-stage commercial conversations and help move opportunities from interest to active pipeline.
- Coordinate internal stakeholders around pitch preparation, capabilities positioning, and proposal strategy.
- Keep momentum across every live opportunity with clear next steps, timelines, and executive communication.
- Surface pipeline risks, stalled deals, and market feedback quickly and clearly.
Market presence and intelligence
- Represent the company externally with credibility, polish, and strong commercial instincts.
- Attend high-profile events and conferences selectively, turning participation into meetings, introductions, partnership conversations, and pipeline.
- Bring back market intelligence on buyer needs, competitive dynamics, and emerging opportunity areas.
- Help leadership refine go-to-market priorities based on real signals from the field.
What success looks like
- A consistent flow of qualified meetings with target accounts and high-value referral sources.
- A measurable pipeline tied to defined revenue targets.
- Strong conversion from first meeting to active opportunity.
- High-quality strategic partnerships that create real commercial leverage.
- Clean pipeline visibility, reliable forecasting, and strong operating discipline.
- A repeatable business development motion that can later be scaled with additional hires.
Ideal profile
- 4+ years of business development, partnerships, strategic sales, or growth experience.
- Proven ability to open doors and create pipeline through direct relationship-building.
- Experience selling strategic, consultative, or high-value service offerings.
- Demonstrated success turning networks, meetings, and market presence into revenue.
- Strong judgment on where to spend time and which opportunities are worth pursuing.
- Highly organized operator who can manage outreach, pipeline, and follow-through without heavy infrastructure.
- Comfortable building from scratch in an ambiguous environment.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Preferred experience
- Experience in agency, consulting, marketing services, media, digital transformation, or adjacent advisory businesses.
- Experience in ecommerce ecosystem including understanding the market leading tools such as Attentive, Klaviyo, Shopify, Gorgias, Rebuy, Recharge and other applications that drive revenue uplift for Shopify based websites.
- Experience with partnership platforms such as Euler, Partnerstack or Crossbeam.
- Established network across brands, growth-stage companies, investors, founders, or strategic partners.
- Familiarity with CRM management, pipeline reporting, and outbound business development systems.
- Exposure to partnership-led growth, channel development, or ecosystem strategy.
Compensation
- Job type: Full-time
- Base annual salary: $70,000 to $80,000 per year
- Total compensation potential: $125,000+ with commissions, equity incentives, and benefits
Benefits
- Medical, vision, and dental plan
- 401(k) with 4% employer match
- Unlimited paid time off
- Professional development stipend
- High-energy, collaborative environment