Business Development Manager

Who Are You? You are a confident, relationship-driven sales professional who knows how to open doors, build trust quickly, and move opportunities forward. You are comfortable picking up the phone, starting conversations with people you have never met, and creating momentum from the first touchpoint.

You are naturally curious, strong with people, and able to understand what a prospective client needs before clearly connecting them to the right solution. You are also highly motivated by targets, growth, and results. You do not wait for leads to come to you.

You are proactive, organized, and comfortable managing a pipeline with discipline and urgency. You understand that business development requires consistency, resilience, and follow-through, and you bring the energy needed to keep prospecting, presenting, and closing. What's the Role?

As the Business Development Manager, you will be responsible for generating new business opportunities, managing inbound leads, and closing new client deals. This role requires a strong focus on outbound sales, including cold calling, prospecting, networking, and building your own pipeline. You will also follow up on qualified leads generated through marketing campaigns and work closely with the marketing team to refine your outreach strategy, improve lead quality, and support business growth.

This is a sales-driven role with clear annual targets and a strong focus on revenue generation. You will deliver presentations and demos, build relationships with prospective clients, represent the company at events and conferences, and work alongside other Business Development Managers to share insights, improve sales strategy, and drive consistent results. Marketing experience is a strong asset, especially experience selling marketing services, but proven sales ability and the ability to close new business are the most important requirements for success in this role.

Duties & Responsibilities Generate new business opportunities through cold calling, prospecting, networking, referrals, and strategic outreach. Follow up with inbound leads generated through marketing campaigns, website inquiries, events, and other channels. Build, manage, and maintain a healthy sales pipeline with clear next steps and strong follow-through.

Meet or exceed assigned sales targets, revenue goals, and client acquisition expectations. Conduct discovery calls with prospective clients to understand their needs, challenges, goals, and decision-making process. Deliver compelling sales presentations, demos, and proposals that clearly communicate the value of the company’s services.

Build strong relationships with prospects and move opportunities through the sales cycle from initial contact to close. Collaborate with the marketing team to improve lead quality, refine messaging, and support targeted outreach campaigns. Work alongside other Business Development Managers to share market insights, sales strategies, and best practices.

Conduct industry and market research to identify new business opportunities, emerging trends, and potential growth areas. Represent the company at industry conferences, events, trade shows, and networking opportunities. Support event preparation in collaboration with the marketing team, including outreach, follow-up strategy, and lead tracking.

Identify and develop strategic partnerships that support business growth and client acquisition. Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in the company CRM, including activity, pipeline status, notes, and next steps. Provide regular reporting on sales activity, pipeline progress, closed deals, and target achievement.

Manage travel, event, and business development expenses responsibly and in alignment with approved budgets. Required Experience & Skills Legally able to work in Canada and located in Calgary, Alberta. 5+ years of experience in sales, business development, outside sales, or a similar client acquisition role. Demonstrated success meeting or exceeding ambitious sales targets.

Proven experience generating new business through outbound sales, including cold calling and prospecting. Strong ability to build relationships quickly and communicate with confidence, professionalism, and credibility. Experience managing a full sales cycle from prospecting to close.

Strong presentation skills, including experience delivering demos, proposals, or sales presentations. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Strong organization and pipeline management skills, with the ability to manage multiple opportunities at once.

Experience using CRM software to track leads, manage activity, and report on sales performance. Ability to work independently while also collaborating with marketing, sales, and leadership teams. Strong business acumen and the ability to understand a prospect’s goals, challenges, and decision-making factors.

Experience attending, networking at, or speaking at industry events, conferences, or trade shows is an asset. Experience in marketing, digital marketing, or selling marketing services is considered a strong asset. A bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing, communications, or a related field is considered an asset.

Who is POD Marketing? POD Marketing is a full-service agency that works across marketing, consulting, and HR to help clients solve real business challenges. Behind that work is an incredible group of people.

We put just as much care into supporting our team as we do our clients, creating an environment where people feel trusted, supported, and inspired to do their best work. This role supports our eye care marketing division, where we work directly with optometrists and eye care practices across North America to help them attract patients, build trust in their communities, and grow their practices. At POD, culture isn’t about perks (though we have those too).

It’s about how you feel at work: accepted for who you are, encouraged to grow, and surrounded by people who want to see you succeed. That approach has earned us multiple awards, including recognition as one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures. What's in it for You?

At POD Marketing, we work hard, have fun, and genuinely support each other. We believe people do their best work when they feel valued, trusted, and balanced; and we’ve built an environment that makes that possible. You’ll enjoy three weeks of paid vacation, twelve flex days, a Passion Day to spend however you choose, and a company-wide MeMonday to prioritize mental health.

We offer a thirty-day remote work policy for when you need a change of scenery, twenty-six hours of paid volunteer time each year, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, and spending accounts. Growth and development are also a priority at POD. You’ll have access to our mentorship program, our in-house leadership development program, DiSC communication training, and ongoing learning opportunities designed to help you grow your skills and career.

You’ll also have regular one-on-one check‑ins, quarterly performance conversations, and a culture of continuous feedback that keeps you supported and clear on expectations. Our downtown Calgary office is bright, modern, and stocked with good coffee, snacks, and great people. We offer discounts with local vendors and a culture that’s collaborative, energetic, and built on trust and respect.

At POD Marketing, we believe in creating an inclusive work environment, which is why we’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We consider and evaluate all qualified candidates based on their qualifications without discrimination based on race, colour, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics. #J-18808-Ljbffr