Business Development Manager Job Description Template
Jatin Kashyap
Growth Lead, Acrapath
Copy this business development manager job description template with responsibilities, KPIs, skills and incentive wording, plus tips for every stage of growth.
Key Takeaways
A business development manager job description should state 3 things clearly: which markets or partners the person will open, what revenue or pipeline they own, and who they will manage.
BDMs are judged on new business: new accounts, partnerships, pipeline value and revenue, usually over a quarterly or annual target.
Most BDM roles ask for 4–8 years of sales or business development experience, with a record of closing larger deals.
Spell out fixed pay, incentives and travel. Experienced BDMs compare these first.
Copy the template below and customise it in about 10 minutes.
A good business development manager can change the shape of your company: new markets, bigger customers, partnerships that bring in steady revenue. A poor hire in the same seat burns months of salary and leaves an empty pipeline behind.
That's why the business development manager job description matters. "BDM" means very different things in different companies, from a senior field salesperson to a partnerships lead. If your post doesn't say which, you'll get applicants for all of them.
This guide gives you a copy-ready template, the responsibilities and KPIs to include, and how to set requirements for your stage of growth.
What Does a Business Development Manager Do?
A business development manager creates new revenue for a company by finding and winning new customers, markets or partnerships. They research opportunities, build relationships with decision-makers, lead complex negotiations and hand over or manage accounts once they close. Many also lead a small team of business development or sales executives.
BDM roles usually fall into one of three types. Name yours in the job title or summary:
BDM type | Main focus | Typical KPIs |
|---|---|---|
New-business BDM | Winning new client accounts | New accounts, revenue, deal size |
Partnerships BDM | Channel, reseller or strategic partners | Partners signed, partner-sourced revenue |
Market-expansion BDM | Opening a new city, region or segment | Market launched, first customers, pipeline |
Business Development Manager Job Description Template
Copy this into your job post and replace the square brackets. The structure matches our guide on how to write a job description.
Job title: Business Development Manager [New Business / Partnerships / Region]
Location: [City or region, travel expectations]
Employment type: Full-time
Reports to: [Head of Sales / Founder / Business Head]
About us: [Two or three sentences on what you sell, who your customers are and how you're growing.]
About the role: We're hiring a Business Development Manager to grow our business with [target customer type or partners] in [market or region]. You'll own the full cycle, from finding opportunities to closing deals worth around [typical deal size], and you'll [lead a team of X / work alongside our sales team]. In your first year, success looks like [specific goal, e.g. 15 new enterprise accounts or a new city launched].
What you'll do:
Identify and prioritise new customers, markets or partners in [segment]
Build relationships with senior decision-makers and influencers
Lead discovery, proposals, pricing discussions and negotiations
Own a quarterly target of [revenue / new accounts / pipeline value]
Build and maintain a healthy pipeline in [CRM]
Work with marketing on campaigns, events and lead generation
Coordinate with delivery or operations for smooth onboarding
[Coach and manage X business development executives]
Report on pipeline, forecasts and market insights to leadership
What you'll bring:
[4–8] years in B2B sales or business development, ideally in [industry]
A record of winning new accounts and meeting or beating targets
Experience selling to [senior buyers / procurement / specific roles]
Strong negotiation, presentation and written skills
Comfort with CRM tools, forecasting and pipeline reviews
Nice to have:
An existing network in [industry or region]
Experience managing or mentoring a small team
[Language skills for target markets]
What we offer:
Fixed salary: [range], plus incentives: [structure and timing]
On-target earnings: [range]
[Travel allowance, health cover, other benefits]
Ownership of a market or segment, with a path to [Senior BDM / Head of Sales]
How to apply: [Steps and timeline. For example: "Send your CV and a short note on the biggest deal you closed and how."]
Responsibilities and KPIs to Get Right
The most useful thing you can write is how success will be measured. Choose two or three main KPIs and put them in the role summary.
Revenue KPIs: new revenue closed, average deal size, revenue from new accounts.
Pipeline KPIs: qualified pipeline value, opportunities created, win rate.
Partnership KPIs: partners signed and active, partner-sourced revenue.
Team KPIs: team target achievement and ramp-up time for new hires, if they manage people.
Be realistic about sales cycles. If enterprise deals take six months, a monthly revenue target in the first quarter will put off the experienced BDMs you want.
Setting Requirements for Your Stage
Early in your sales journey: hire a hands-on BDM who can sell personally, build a repeatable process and work without much support. Network and hustle matter more than team management.
With an existing sales team: look for someone who can open bigger accounts and coach executives, and who is comfortable with forecasting.
Entering a new market: prioritise local market knowledge, language and an existing network.
For junior pipeline-building roles, a sales executive may fit better and cost less. Compare with our sales executive job description template before you decide.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using "BDM" for a cold-calling role. Senior candidates apply, feel misled and leave.
No target or deal size. Candidates can't judge if the role fits their experience.
Vague incentives. Experienced BDMs walk away from "attractive incentives" with no detail.
Ignoring travel. State how much field travel is expected.
No support described. Say whether they'll have marketing, pre-sales or a team behind them.
Interviewing BDM Candidates
Ask candidates to walk you through two closed deals in detail: how they found the opportunity, who was involved, what went wrong and how they closed. Probe the numbers. Strong BDMs remember their deal sizes, cycles and win rates. Our guide to sales interview questions to ask includes role-play prompts that work well for this level, and the wider list of interview questions to ask candidates covers behavioural questions.
Before the interview stage, a quick, structured shortlist saves time. See how to screen resumes for a seven-step process.
Conclusion
A clear business development manager job description says which type of BDM you need, what they will own, how success is measured and how they will be paid. Copy the template, name the market and the main KPI, explain incentives and travel, and describe your hiring steps.
That's how you attract BDMs who have done the job before, not just held the title.
Want a shortlist faster? Hire verified sales and business development professionals through Acrapath.
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Frequently asked questions
What should a business development manager job description include?
Include a company intro, the type of BDM role (new business, partnerships or market expansion), the main target and deal size, 7–9 responsibilities, required experience and skills, pay with incentives, travel expectations and the hiring process. Clear KPIs make the post far more effective.
What KPIs are used for a business development manager?
Common BDM KPIs are new revenue closed, new accounts won, qualified pipeline value, win rate, average deal size and partner-sourced revenue. If the BDM manages a team, team target achievement is often added. Choose two or three main KPIs to list in the job post.
How many years of experience does a business development manager need?
Most BDM roles ask for 4–8 years of B2B sales or business development experience, with a record of winning new accounts. Roles focused on large enterprise deals or team leadership may ask for more. Use a range rather than a fixed minimum.
What is the difference between a BDM and a sales manager?
A business development manager focuses on creating new business: new customers, markets or partners. A sales manager usually leads a sales team and is responsible for overall team targets and processes. In smaller companies one person may do both, so describe the real work clearly.
Should a BDM job description mention travel?
Yes. Many BDM roles involve regular client visits or trips to new markets. Stating the expected travel, for example "about 40% of the month on the road", prevents late drop-outs and helps candidates who enjoy field work find you.
