Business Development Specialist

The Specialist, Business Development will be responsible for building and managing outbound pipeline activity, securing meetings with qualified prospects, and partnering with the VP of Business Development to shape compelling, well-researched proposals. This is a highly collaborative, hands-on role that combines rigorous research with relationship-building and sales support — a great fit for someone early in their sales career who wants to grow into a bigger business development leadership role.

Responsibilities

Meeting Generation and Outreach

• Research and identify prospective clients that align with 1021 Creative's target accounts including brands, media companies, market research buyers, and B2B2C tech platforms
• Conduct deep, thoughtful research on each prospect's business, culture, and pain points to craft outreach that gets a response
• Own outbound prospecting across email, LinkedIn, and other digital and social channels to secure qualified first meetings for the VP of Business Development
• Track response rates and continually refine outreach messaging and targeting to improve meeting conversion
• Qualify inbound and outbound leads by understanding their needs, timeline, and budget before scheduling a meeting

Proposal Development

• Partner with the VP of Business Development to build compelling, well-researched proposals and pitch materials tailored to each prospect
• Pull together relevant cultural intelligence, case studies, and market research to strengthen proposals and sales narratives
• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure proposals accurately reflect 1021 Creative's capabilities and service offerings

Database & Pipeline Management

• Maintain an accurate, up-to-date database of accounts, contacts, and outreach activity in the CRM
• Support weekly and monthly pipeline reporting and deal forecasting alongside the VP of Business Development

Cultural & Digital Fluency

• Stay closely tuned to culture, digital trends, and social platforms to identify smarter prospects and sharper outreach angles
• Act as a brand ambassador for 1021 Creative, conveying a genuine understanding of our capabilities and culture in every interaction
• Work closely with the marketing and editorial teams to source insights and sales materials that engage prospects

Creative & Marketing Support

• Plan and host field events including dinners, meetups, and local gatherings
• Support production of business development newsletter, by pulling together content, coordinating sends, and tracking engagement
• Bring a creative eye to outreach and event follow-up, helping translate cultural intelligence into materials that resonate with prospects

Required experience

•  2-3 years of B2B2C sales experience, ideally within a services, media, research, or tech platform business
• A proven track record of researching prospects effectively and converting outreach into booked meetings
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including outreach and proposal writing
• Genuine love of culture and a strong pulse on digital and social platforms
• Familiarity with CRM and work-management tools such as Monday.com to manage pipeline, content, and outreach activity
• Comfortable using AI tools to speed up research, drafting, and outreach — without relying on them in place of your own judgment or creativity
• Some experience or interest in planning small events or gatherings a plus
• Highly organized, self-motivated, and comfortable working independently in a remote-first environment
• Strong collaborator who can work closely with a VP-level leader and cross-functional teams