The Business Development Specialist is a forward-thinking customer service and relationship building professional with sales skills who understands the habits and personalities of our membership/event attendees and will create, sell and track completion of supplier partnerships, member benefits, and exposure opportunities for business partners, sponsors, exhibitors, suppliers, and advertisers. The specialist strives to provide concierge experiences for NAEP business partners and is singularly focused on nurturing existing relationships and building new ones.  They must provide timely responses to inquiries as the main point of contact; development of unique experiences meeting both parties’ goals; have a strong attention to detail and the ability to meet time sensitive deadlines. This is not purely a sales role. Instead, this is a role focused on relationship building.  Understanding the unique needs of supplier partners in the higher education procurement ecosystem is not required but will be a significant differentiator for interested candidates. 

Responsibilities

• Develop a sponsor and business partner relationship program to nurture existing partnerships and develop new ones.
• Create and sell annual prospectuses for the National Annual Meeting, year-round sponsorship opportunities, and District/Region Fall Meetings. Incorporate Business Partner Membership benefits and provide enhancement opportunities for the future of this program. Coordinate design of professional sales material with Marketing Specialist. Engage with leadership and event management to confirm feasibility of sellable opportunities.
• Track the sale of sponsorships and exhibitor booths; coordinate the execution of each sponsorship.
• Serve as the main point of contact between the business partners and NAEP. Understands when a situation/conversation requires elevation to a Director/Board Member/CEO.
• Develops relationships with sponsors and exhibitors. Serve as a guide to prospective sponsors to match the best sponsorship opportunity to meet their unique needs.  Brainstorm custom sponsorship opportunities.  Ensures sponsors and partners feel like a part of the NAEP community. 
• Conducts follow-up meetings with sponsors as a post event and/or end of year wrap up to evaluate the execution, perceived value, interest for next year and to gather overall feedback. Disseminate feedback in a report to leadership.
• Coordinate meetings, as needed, with leadership, NAEP staff or NAEP members as needed to complete a sale or a deliverable.
• Collaborate with leadership, marketing and events management to create annual sponsorship prospectus for the Association and its events.
• Serve as an intermediary between business partners and our third-party publications providers who sell advertising for our print and online publications. Discuss and track compliance of advertising sales goals for the third party.  Promote advertising opportunities during discussions with business partners.

Skills and Abilities 

• Ability to manage large projects from start to finish within established timelines
• Creative problem solver who can work independently, along with the judgment to seek supervision and/or input from others, when appropriate
• Comfortable engaging conversations with business partners to increase their business support and participation.
• Strong customer support orientation, a demonstrated professional demeanor, and the ability to maintain confidential information when appropriate.
• Self-motivated; works well in a remote environment
• Ability to manage time effectively, multi-task, and meet multiple time-sensitive deadlines.
• Detail-oriented yet also able to see the “big picture”
• Strong interpersonal skills; capable of effectively communicating with a diverse range of individuals.
• Desire for continuous learning and professional growth

Essential Functions

20% Prospectus Development

Research potential ideas and validate the value of current offerings. Develop a cost analysis for each proposed level or item to ensure we are pricing correctly. Work with marketing to create attractive collateral. Setup sales programing in the event management system, working with the events manager and software provider.

50% - Sponsor, Partner, Exhibitor Development, Sales, and Relationship Maintenance   

Develop and update contact lists for business partner opportunities.  Schedule meetings to discuss prospectus with high level sponsors/partners, as well as meetings on request regardless of participation level.  Coordinate a kickoff webinar to announce and discuss high level details about the various participation opportunities.  

20% - Execution of Deliverables

Follow up with suppliers for the collection of various collateral needed to execute deliverables (e.g. logos). Update team members on status and coordinate completion of items with various team members depending on the type of work. Collaborate with team to set realistic deadlines for completion.   

10% - On-site Events and Other Duties as Assigned

Attend on-site events hosted by NAEP, providing assistance for event activities as assigned. Travel is required.

Assist in special projects and complete other duties as assigned, including but not limited to participating in committees or groups to promote NAEP. Participate in professional development opportunities relevant to the position.

Application Process

To be considered for this position qualified applicants MUST submit the following with the application:

Screening Questions:

• Describe your customer service and relationship building experience, especially with respect to clients or customers with a long-term relationship.
• Describe your sales experience, direct or indirect.
• Why are you interested in this position?

Required Documents:

• Resume
• Cover letter (optional)
• Three (3) Professional References

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (business, marketing, communications, hospitality, etc….) from an accredited institution. An equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.
• Four (4) years of experience providing customer service, focusing on long term business relationships and development of new relationships.
• Two (2) years of experience in sales. Will consider experience as an intermediary between a sales rep and the client/customer. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications – Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint, PowerPoint.
• Professional experience developing long-term business relationships.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and proficiency in verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding the higher education procurement landscape.
• Experience in a demanding customer service focused position, building trust with customers.
• Professional experience working with or in the non-profit sector, member-driven association, higher education or procurement/purchasing/supply chain.
• Experience with various association software platforms: event management system, association management system, and/or learning management system.
• Background in event sales.

Travel Required

• Expected to travel a minimum of 3-4 times per year to support events and/or for professional development opportunities