Construction Sales / Business Development

Business

Wins the work that everyone else on the project team eventually gets to build, relationship-driven sales in an industry where the next job usually comes from the last client.

What is a Construction Sales / Business Development?

A Construction Sales or Business Development professional identifies and pursues new project opportunities for a contractor, developing relationships with owners, developers, and architects to win work before it goes out to bid, or to be the contractor a repeat client calls directly without a competitive bid at all. Unlike estimating, which prices a specific project once it's identified, business development is responsible for finding and cultivating the relationships that produce those opportunities in the first place. No license is legally required for this role.

What they do

• Identify and qualify new project opportunities in the market
• Build and maintain relationships with owners, developers, architects, and repeat clients
• Lead or support the proposal and interview process for pursued projects
• Track a pipeline of prospective work and report on business development activity
• Represent the company at industry events, trade associations, and networking functions
• Coordinate with preconstruction and estimating once a pursuit moves toward a bid

A typical day

• 8:00 AMReview the pipeline and prioritize follow-ups on active pursuits
• 9:30 AMMeet with a developer to discuss an upcoming project before it's formally bid
• 11:30 AMCoordinate with the preconstruction team on a proposal due the following week
• 1:30 PMAttend an industry association lunch to build relationships with potential clients
• 3:30 PMUpdate the CRM and report pipeline status to company leadership

Skills

Software

Education

Required:

High school diploma or equivalent. No license is legally required for this role

Preferred:

Bachelor's degree in business, construction management, or a related field

Helpful:

Prior experience in estimating, project management, or a related construction role, which builds credibility with clients

Not necessary:

A sales-specific degree; many people in this role move over from estimating or project management rather than a dedicated sales background

Career progression

1. 1.Business Development Coordinator
2. 2.Business Development Manager
3. 3.Director of Business Development
4. 4.VP of Business Development or Chief Revenue Officer

Who hires for this role