Business Development Lead

Causeit is looking for a business development leader to leverage their existing network to grow revenue from our Digital Fluency offerings, especially in the next six to eighteen months. Additionally, this team member will refine our offerings and launch new marketing efforts to set us up for sustained growth in the coming years. 

Causeit and its Offerings

Causeit, Inc. is an innovation consultancy and futurist think tank based in Portland, Oregon. Our offerings raise the level of Digital Fluency in organizations through dynamic programs, experiences, and content. We help mid-sized to global clients understand and apply the thinking, skills, tools, data, and business models driving digital transformation and prepare leaders to navigate our digital future with purpose. The revenue and learning we gain from our paid engagements also allow us to provide low- and no-cost educational content to broader audiences as part of our social impact commitment.

Causeit engagements range from one-time catalytic events (like keynote speaking) to highly-customized, longer-term projects that combine live experiences, licenses to the Causeit Guide to Digital Fluency, program design, and focused professional services.

Scope of Responsibilities

  • Prospect for new business through networking and content marketing

  • Respond to RFPs (requests for proposals) and lead interest conversations with prospective clients and partners to assess fit

  • Conduct early stage intake to get a sense of potential scope and goals of new opportunities

  • Project manage a business development cadence with CEOs and other members of the team and ecosystem 

  • Co-manage Causeit’s CRM (customer relationship management) system

  • Co-create productization, outreach, and delivery strategies

  • Work with strategic partners to co-create and cross-promote content and events 

  • Execute high-level ecosystem strategies defined by or co-created with Causeit CEOs to generate brand gravity

  • Advance Causeit’s brand and relationship ecosystem with effective use of provocative questions, hosted events, matchmaking campaigns, or other strategies

Objectives & Key Results

  • Attraction and closing of $4,000,000 in new or extended engagements in the first year of employment 

  • Increase in active engagement between Causeit and ecosystem members through online channels, events, and live conversations

  • Increase in leads that are a good fit, with some understanding of what makes Causeit different and what we can do for/with them

  • Increase in actionable feedback from potential clients and post-engagement participants which enables continuous development of products and experiences that are relevant, timely, and engaging

  • Confirmation from clients and prospects that our proposals and programs reflect their needs and goals

  • Decrease in the length of proposal phase and number of proposal revisions for new opportunities 

  • Reduction in time it takes to assess and match client needs to our capabilities during the sales process 

  • Reduction in amount and scope of pivots and customizations both in the sales process and during program or product delivery 

  • Leverage your network of contacts to share our offerings

Skills

Technical Skills

  • Competent in using CRM software with industry best practices 

  • Skilled in setting up new projects and engaging with existing workflows in project management tools (Asana or equivalent)

  • Fluent in current standard enterprise software and tools, including but not limited to Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Slack, Mac OS X, iOS, Keynote, and all mainstream social media platforms   

Reading, Writing & Presentation

  • Ability to communicate complex information in writing and diagrams (project briefs, status updates, customer journeys, program flows, etc.)

  • Professional written English skills in business and conversational settings  

  • Able to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers, colleagues, clients, and the general public

Cultural Literacy and Communication Skills 

  • Aware of standards for business communication and professionalism amongst North American and European-style businesspeople, including reasonable times for follow up and polite, effective email communication

  • Skilled at acquiring additional cultural information as needed for new clients

  • Understands implications of cultural issues such as age, gender, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, class, learning differences, and spirituality/religion, as well as other facets and issues of diversity

  • Adapts behavior and tailors communication appropriately to meet widely-varying business situations and client communication styles 

  • Asks respectful and effective clarifying questions of intent and decision principles from leaders both inside and outside the business

Business Skills 

  • Understanding and experience with enterprise L&D and IT organizations

  • Ability to assess, articulate and appropriately assert self in business meetings, including with executives

  • Skilled in basic networking activities in service of business development

  • Ability to draft and edit proposals and contracts

  • Intermediate to advanced knowledge of common business terms, situations, challenges, and goals in a global enterprise context

Management Ability 

  • Able to solve both practical and theoretical problems and deal with a variety of concrete and intangible variables in situations where only limited standardization exists 

  • Able to understand the implications of project changes and work with a senior project manager to adjust scope, schedule, and cost impact

  • Able to identify, understand and transform conflict 

  • Able to motivate self and others 

  • Able to professionally advocate for needs and desires, including work-life balance and productive work environments 

  • Requests team support and works with the business to meet needs

Logistics & Exchange

This position is a global role and will likely best suit those comfortable with working across US East Coast and European time zones. Travel could increase to up to 40% as safety improves, though we endeavor to utilize remote technologies wherever possible.

Pay based on performance, with a blend of base pay, commission and health coverage. Please inquire for details.