Business development manager jobs encompass a wide variety of industries and responsibilities within companies. Some business development manager duties actually deal more with sales and marketing. Other jobs in this field are more concerned with reaching out to potential business partners and supporters. Technology companies and retail companies are usually eager to hire business development professionals, and usually offer a great deal of business development manager jobs.
Some jobs that are posted for managers in this field are actually sales manager positions. Business development tends to overlap with sales responsibilities, so those who fulfill these roles are expected to know how to lead a sales team and how to motivate these employees to reach benchmarked goals each quarter. These managers are also typically adept at closing sales deals, particularly when sales are business to business transactions rather than business to customer transactions.
For companies that are not business to business companies, gaining new customers will be the primary goal of a professional in one of the many types of business development manager jobs. Duties of this position will sometimes not only involve training and managing junior employees but also making sales calls. A managerial position is a client-facing position, so professionals in these positions are good at explaining the product to new customers and convincing them of its efficacy.
The traditional definition associated with business development manager jobs involves establishing partnerships with companies whereby all parties mutually benefit. A business development manager's job is to research companies that could help his or her company reach sales, marketing, or revenue goals. Business development deals could also involve sharing infrastructure and software among two or more companies. The manager will often be responsible for presenting the company's business model, overall vision, and need for strategic partnerships.
Technology companies make good use of professionals in business development manager jobs. These companies are often interdisciplinary, relying on many types of programs and components to make their products work or run properly. Due to this need, business development managers help companies by connecting potential partners with products that could improve their product line or website offerings.
No matter what sort of business development job it may be, the education requirement is usually a four year undergraduate degree. Many of the manager positions in business development will also require a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree. Experience working in business development, either as an analyst or associate, is typical for business development managers.