Business Development Manager Job Description (2026): Duties, Skills and Salary
A business development manager finds and builds new sources of revenue: new markets, new partnerships, and new customer segments, rather than managing an existing book of accounts. The role sits ahead of the sales team, opening doors and shaping deals that account executives or account managers later close and run.
Business development managers work across SaaS, manufacturing, professional services and healthcare, and the job swings between strategic (identifying which markets or partners matter) and tactical (cold outreach, networking events, negotiating partnership terms). It overlaps with sales but is judged more on new opportunities created than on quota alone.
Business Development Manager job description template
Copy it, replace everything in [brackets] and cut what doesn't apply. Keep the requirements to what the job really needs.
Template · replace the [brackets]
Business Development Manager
[Company] · [City and office days, or remote with the countries or time zones you hire in] · [Full-time]
About [Company]
[Two or three sentences on what your company does, who it serves and why this team matters now.]
About the role
[Company] is hiring a business development manager to grow our presence in [market/segment]. You'll identify new partnership and customer opportunities, build relationships, and create a pipeline that [sales team] can close.
What you'll do
- Identify and prioritize new markets, partners or customer segments for growth.
- Build relationships with prospective partners and key accounts.
- Generate and qualify new business opportunities through outreach and networking.
- Negotiate partnership terms and structure deals that align with company strategy.
- Collaborate with marketing and sales on messaging for new segments.
- Track pipeline and opportunity status in [CRM].
- Represent the company at industry events and conferences.
- Report on business development metrics and market feedback to leadership.
What you'll bring
- [X]+ years in business development, partnerships or sales.
- Track record of building pipeline or partnerships from scratch.
- Strong negotiation and relationship-building skills.
- Comfort with outbound prospecting and networking.
- Proficiency with [CRM, e.g. Salesforce or HubSpot].
- Clear communication for pitching new ideas to partners and leadership.
Nice to have
- Experience in [industry, e.g. SaaS, manufacturing or healthcare].
- Existing network of industry contacts.
- Experience structuring and negotiating formal partnership agreements.
- Background in [sales / marketing / consulting].
What we offer
- [Pay range: e.g. $X–$Y base salary, plus bonus or equity if offered]
- [Uncapped commission or bonus, travel budget, flexible schedule]
- [Health cover, retirement or pension plan, paid time off, parental leave]
- [Work authorization: whether you can sponsor a visa or hire through an employer of record]
[Our process: a recruiter call, a pitch exercise on a hypothetical partnership or market, and a final conversation with sales and leadership.]
[Your equal opportunity statement, and how candidates can ask for adjustments during the process]
Put the pay range in the ad. Several US states, including California, Colorado, New York and Washington, require it in job postings, and the EU Pay Transparency Directive gives applicants the right to know the starting pay or its range before the interview.
Business Development Manager duties by seniority
What the job usually looks like at each level. Pitch the ad at one level and say which in the title.
Junior
- Generates leads and qualifies opportunities under a senior BDM's direction.
- Supports outreach campaigns and event follow-up.
- Learns the company's partnership and pricing structures.
Mid-level
- Owns a market or partner segment and builds its pipeline independently.
- Negotiates standard partnership terms with minimal oversight.
- Represents the company at events and with key prospective partners.
Senior
- Sets business development strategy for a region or segment.
- Negotiates complex, high-value partnership agreements.
- Mentors junior BDMs and aligns business development with company strategy.
Business Development Manager career path
- Business Development Representative
- Business Development Manager
- Senior Business Development Manager
- Director of Business Development
Business development manager is usually reached from sales or account management, where someone has learned to build relationships and close deals before moving to the earlier, more exploratory stage of finding new markets. Later moves include sales leadership, partnerships leadership or general management.
Similar roles
- Account Executive job description
Closes deals from an established pipeline rather than creating new markets.
- Sales Manager job description
Manages a sales team's existing quota and process rather than new market creation.
- Account Manager job description
Manages and grows existing client relationships rather than finding new ones.
- Solutions Engineer job description
Supports deals technically rather than sourcing and negotiating them.
Business Development Manager job description FAQ
What does a business development manager do?
Finds and builds new sources of revenue, such as new markets, partnerships or customer segments, and creates the pipeline that sales teams later close. It's focused on opening new opportunities rather than managing existing accounts.
What skills should a business development manager job description require?
A track record of building pipeline or partnerships, strong negotiation and relationship-building skills, comfort with outbound prospecting, and CRM proficiency. Industry-specific experience is a useful but optional extra.
What's the difference between business development and sales?
Sales roles like account executive typically close deals from an existing pipeline and manage ongoing quota. Business development focuses earlier in the process, on finding and creating new markets, partnerships or opportunities for sales to pursue.