Position Overview:
The Business Development Specialist (BDS) is responsible for supporting membership growth by building and advancing a consistent pipeline of prospective members through structured outreach, targeted engagement, and activation of member-driven recruitment channels. The BDS works closely with internal teams and senior leadership to ensure that prospective members experience a clear, compelling introduction to NVC and its role in advancing regional priorities. Success in this role is measured by pipeline development, meeting generation, and contribution to new member growth.
Reports to: Senior Vice President, Member Engagement
Key Responsibilities:
- Pipeline Development & Prospecting
- Build and maintain an active pipeline of prospective member organizations through consistent identification, research, and qualification of target companies.
- Develop a working understanding of priority industries, companies, and stakeholders aligned with NVC’s strategic focus.
- Ensure all prospects are tracked with clear next steps and progression within the CRM.
- Outreach & Prospect Engagement
- Execute consistent, targeted outreach to prospective members through email, LinkedIn, and phone engagement.
- Initiate conversations with business leaders and decision-makers to introduce NVC and assess alignment.
- Maintain disciplined follow-up to convert outreach into meaningful engagement opportunities.
- Meeting Generation & Opportunity Development
- Generate and coordinate a steady cadence of meetings between prospective members and NVC leadership.
- Prepare internal stakeholders with relevant context and background on prospective organizations.
- Support follow-up and next steps to advance opportunities toward membership conversion.
- Membership Committee Activation
- Coordinate and execute recurring small-group NVC Connects sessions as a structured recruitment channel.
- Support activation of the Membership Committee as a referral and recruitment channel.
- Engage committee members to identify and introduce prospects
- Track referrals and ensure consistent follow-up to advance opportunities.
- Reporting & Pipeline Visibility
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date CRM records of prospect activity, outreach, and engagement.
- Provide regular updates on pipeline development, outreach activity, and meeting outcomes.
- Surface trends, insights, and opportunities within the prospect pipeline to senior leadership.
Key Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Communications, Public Affairs, or a related field preferred, or equivalent.
- 3 or more years of experience in business development, sales, recruiting, or similar client-facing roles.
- Demonstrated comfort with cold calling, prospect research, and initiating conversations with new contacts.
- Ability to manage competing priorities, maintain organization, and follow through on multiple opportunities simultaneously.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and maintain consistent activity levels.
Compensation:
Compensation is commensurate with experience and reflects the level of activity, accountability, and external engagement expected in this role.
- This role is well-suited for early-career professionals with experience in sales development, recruiting, or client-facing environments who are motivated by outreach-driven work, professional growth, and engagement with the Northern Virginia business community.