Business Development Manager
Introduction
NACUBO is committed to diversity because it enriches and strengthens how we advance our mission, just as it does for institutions of higher education. We are fully focused on equality and believe deeply in diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin and all the other fascinating characteristics that make us different. Our goal is to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, to stay and do their best work.
Creativity and cross-team collaboration drive NACUBO's achievements and contribute to individual success. All staff members are encouraged to think creatively about how they and NACUBO can address mission, member needs, and challenges that will inevitably arise from time to time. They are also encouraged to develop and nurture strong partnerships throughout the association. These partnerships help individuals, teams, and the association accomplish the activities, goals and strategies of the organization and of individual positions.
Imagination, innovation, and curiosity are welcome, and all require some risk taking. NACUBO encourages staff to engage in bold thinking, to put forward new ideas and proposals, and to openly debate the risks - upside and downside - associated with new ideas.
Each member of the NACUBO staff is responsible for creating and sustaining esprit de corps across the organization.
To accomplish all of this, staff will need strong communication and strategic thinking skills. NACUBO is committed to nurturing these skills in all staff members.
Position Summary
The Manager, Business Development and Exhibits is one of the primary contacts for NACUBO's corporate partners, responsible for establishing, maintaining, and deepening relationships, with a goal of meeting revenue targets and increasing partner participation. This will be done through a holistic approach of aligning NACUBOs strategic priorities with corporate and other partners that financially support our organization. This position primarily secures support for our annual meeting and professional development workshops, as well as for our advertising and digital opportunities, publications, and research projects, with an aim to present comprehensive annual packages for consideration. This person will lead all tasks and responsibilities related to exhibit sales management and managing all advertising.
This person will establish close working relationships with stakeholders across the association and will interact seamlessly as a member of the business development team.
This person also has responsibility for the sales and management of two of the regional associations' Annual Meeting exhibit halls, as well as all exhibitor correspondence and marketing relating to these meetings.
Essential Functions
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Initiate, maintain and grow relationships with potential and current business partners, moving them toward consistently supporting the associations' mission across the year in a variety of opportunities that align with their work and further their goals. Collaborate seamlessly and positively as part of an internal sales team. This will include providing industry insights to help the association attract and retain corporate partners.
- Manage all advertising activities for NACUBO Current, as well as for website sponsorship. This will include sending and receiving proposals and contracts, tracking creative material, interacting weekly with the editor, and invoicing all placements appropriately.
- Work in eShow, create exhibit webpages and registration forms, assign booth space as sales are completed.
- Work closely with the annual meeting team (and with meetings team for EACUBO and SACUBO) to determine Expo components, color schemes, space allocation, exhibit hours, and exhibitor activities, etc.
- Work with the service contractor for each meeting, determine the design and layout of the exhibit show area, produce Exhibitor Service Kit.
- Prepare the exhibitor prospectus for distribution prior to each meeting's sales opening; ensuring effective communication of timelines, deadlines, deliverables, and pertinent details.
- Create all exhibitor correspondence including Exhibitor News Update and marketing efforts.
- Onsite at each meeting: Act as liaison with the exhibitors and decorator: manage exhibit hall, exhibitor lounge, and any temporary staff; direct all Expo components including placement of F&B stations, tables, etc.
- Manage post-show evaluation summary and analysis of exhibitor feedback.
- Accompany the meeting team on-site visits for floor plan development.
- For EACUBO and SACUBO annual meetings, submit RFPs to secure service contractors.
- Work with the accounting team on account receivables and manage revenue collection outreach to corporate participants with unpaid balances.
- Work with the membership/member engagement team on corporate partner membership with a goal of increasing the number of corporate clients who join the association as business partner members.
- Offer recommendations for the growth and improvement of our comprehensive corporate partner program based on conversations and feedback from our partners, ensuring that business development goals remain aligned with and supportive of NACUBO's strategic priorities.
- Act as the voice of our business partners, work with internal stakeholders to explore and uncover sponsor and exhibitor deliverables that will provide meaningful return and a positive experience for our partners.
- Work in coordination with the other team members, track business through the sales pipeline to allow for accurate revenue forecasting.
- Interact with meeting planners, designers, and content staff to ensure appropriate alignment, recognition, and benefit fulfillment for corporate partners supporting NACUBO activities.
- Maintain and manage prospecting lists and update client data as needed.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Competencies
1. Customer Focus: Meets the expectations and requirements of customers; follows up on requests and monitors customer satisfaction; works to understand customer needs; thinks beyond current requests to anticipate future needs or issues; serves in partnership with customers and advocates for customer needs as appropriate.
2. Strategic: Ability to understand the big picture, consider long-term implications, anticipate the issues, and take action to optimize the chances for success.
3. Consultative: Candidate must feel comfortable listening to corporate partner needs, synthesizing this information, and making recommendations for association business development strategies and priorities.
4. Initiative: Have the discipline to adhere to deadlines, and fulfill commitments to staff, business partners, and other stakeholders. Must be able to manage multiple responsibilities and meet sales goals and deadlines. Strong organization, scheduling, and time management skills. Self-motivated and self-directed in work habits.
5. Presence: The candidate will interact with corporate partners and stakeholders and must feel comfortable representing the organization and making recommendations. Ability to troubleshoot onsite issues. Excellent-customer focused attitude, especially when problem-solving.
6. Team Player: Freely shares information; seeks opportunities for collaboration with others; openly values the contributions of other team members; ability to accept constructive criticism; demeanor used when working with co-workers, supervisors, and members is appropriate and professional; does those things that need to be done, regardless of role.
7. Outcomes/Results Focus: Uses pre-determined outcomes to guide activities; is persistent in finishing projects and activities; pursues high-performance goals; changes process when needed to achieve goals.
Work Environment
This position works in a professional office environment. This position routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and copiers. This position works in a climate-controlled environment, but internal office temperatures may fluctuate.
Physical Demands
1. Sedentary work: Exerting up to 20 pounds occasionally.
2. To perform the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee may frequently be required to stand, walk, use hands and fingers to type, handle or feel, and reach with arms and hands. Vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time regular position. This position may be eligible for an alternate work arrangement (i.e., flextime), please refer to the Employee Handbook for details. There will be occasional evening and weekend work as job duties will require travel about six (6) times per year.
Travel
Travel is linked to NACUBO educational programs and occasionally linked to Business Partner development opportunities. Dates, when travel will occur, are planned well in advance.
EEO Statement
NACUBO is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Other Duties
Please note this position description does not cover, contain or list a fully comprehensive listing of duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee in this role. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, sales, and marketing, or other related field is required.
- Three to five years' experience in client management, exhibit, sponsorship, and advertising sales or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and education/training required.
- Working knowledge of tradeshows, Salesforce or other CRM applications, and/or sponsorship/exhibition management software.
- Better than a proficient understanding of Windows-based applications.
- Ability and desire to work to a budget and meet reasonable sales goals.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Customer service skills, positive and confident phone manner.
- Exceptional time management skills and ability to handle multiple deadlines.
- Desire to take ownership of projects from inception through implementation to completion, following up every step of the way.
- Proven ability to work both independently and contribute as a team member.
- Detail-oriented, proactive, self-starter, with a positive, hands-on attitude and a desire to grow and develop in the position, on the team, and within a higher education association.