Business Development Specialist

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.