Business Development Representative

Columbia Southern University

Job Description

Job Title: Business Development Representative

Department: Business Development

Reports to: Director of Business Development

FLSA: Exempt

Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM CST (days and hours worked are subject to change as needed) Monday through Thursday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST; Friday 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM CST (extended hours when requested).

Location: Remote

Job Summary

Under the supervision of the Director of Business Development, this role reports to the Director of Business Development and is responsible for developing and managing strategic partnerships with employers, government agencies, and industry contractors across Middle and Northern Alabama and Southern Tennessee. This role serves as the primary liaison to employers, government entities, contractors, and community stakeholders, with an emphasis on expanding employer-based education partnerships, driving enrollment referrals, and developing customized program opportunities.

Essential Job Tasks Additional duties may be assigned.

Identifies, engages, and secures new Learning Partners (LP) and Companies of Interest (COI) across the territory, with emphasis on aerospace, defense, government contracting, manufacturing, public sector, and healthcare.
Manages a full partnership pipeline from initial contact through MOU execution, onboarding, and sustained engagement, navigating the procurement and legal review processes common to large contractors and government agencies.
Maintains active membership in the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce and relevant regional organizations (Manufacture Alabama, Alabama Aerospace and Defense Council, SHRM chapters, ACCMA); selectively engages Birmingham Business Alliance and Nashville Area Chamber to support corridor partner development.
Attends networking events, legislative receptions, and industry forums on a consistent basis to build trust with business and government leaders.
Engages city, county, and state stakeholders, including legislators and congressional representatives to position CSU as a workforce development partner.
Cultivates relationships with Redstone Arsenal leadership, Space Command, NASA Marshall, and affiliated commands to grow CSU’s presence in the federal civilian and contractor education market.
Plans and executes on-site informational sessions and tabletop events at employer locations, coordinating with internal academic associates to deliver program-specific content.
Pursues speaking invitations at business networking groups, leadership meetings, city/county employee briefings, and industry association gatherings.
Follows up on event leads with a structured communication cadence to convert interest into enrollments.
Develops and maintains a sound plan and set of procedures to facilitate efficient reporting and archiving information in relation to Learning Partners and COIs.
Travels as needed for Learning Partner visits, conferences, and events.
Conducts research and utilizes LinkedIn, Live Alumni, online search tools, and internal databases to discover, qualify and develop new Learning Partner opportunities and identify COIs.
Collaborates internally with and supports University Relations Team Members, Academic Associates, and University Leadership in the growth and development of CSU Industries and Programs.
Promotes CSU programs with industry-specific messaging tailored to the workforce needs of defense contractors, federal agencies, and advanced manufacturers.
Identifies custom program or short-course opportunities, working with CSU academic leadership to scope and propose solutions for specific employer skill gaps.
Distributes program content, success stories, and institutional updates to the regional network to sustain top-of-mind awareness.
Maintains accurate LP, COI, and prospect records in Salesforce CRM, including contact notes, pipeline status, and follow-up commitments.
Provides weekly activity summaries and monthly territory reports to the Director of Business Development.
Collaborates with University Relations, Marketing, Academic Deans, and Admissions to coordinate events, materials, and outreach campaigns.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Knowledge

Business Development - Identifying and developing new opportunities in complex, multi-stakeholder environments with long sales cycles.
Regional Industry Fluency - Working knowledge of aerospace, defense, government contracting, and technology sectors in the Huntsville economy; familiarity with Redstone, NASA, Space Command, and Cummings Research Park preferred. Awareness of Birmingham and Nashville corridor employers is a plus.
Higher Education & Employer Partnerships - Understanding of tuition assistance programs, employer education benefits, and the MOU/Learning Partner framework.
Technical Knowledge - Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Salesforce CRM, LinkedIn, and virtual meeting platforms.
Strategic Planning - Ability to develop and execute a territory plan balancing short-term activity with long-term relationship investment.

Skills

Excellent written and oral communications skills.
Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability and personality to work collaboratively, accept responsibility, and motivate colleagues.
Critical Thinking - Uses logic and reasoning to look at different types of information in order to make conclusions and work through problems.
Interpersonal Skills - Communicates and interacts with people effectively while being aware of social perceptions.
Time Management/Organization - Organize and manages one’s own time to accomplish assigned tasks
Strong leadership, delegation, and teaming skills.
Public Speaking - Presents and speaks publicly at conferences, presentations, and/or meetings.

Abilities

Ability to analyze concepts, methods and costs of research, exhibition, education and other projects.
Ability to effectively plan, focus, and execute to bring improvement to current ways of doing business.
Ability to prioritize prospective partners and COI relationships based on institutional strategies.
Sound judgment and integrity.
Willingness to try new approaches and take appropriate risks.
Personal energy and enthusiasm and the ability to energize and motivate others.

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree required; Business, Communications, Marketing, or related field preferred.
Minimum 3+ years of business development, sales, or partnership management experience with a demonstrated track record.
Existing professional network in the Huntsville/North Alabama business, defense, or government community strongly preferred.
Defense or aerospace industry experience, or familiarity with the Redstone Arsenal contractor community, is a significant advantage.

Equipment Used

Furnished office equipment including computer, telephone, and printer.
Software used includes Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Blackboard, Salesforce and internal database software.
Reliable and secure internet is required for this position.

Work Environment

The position is remote and should have an established office with secure and reliable internet. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

When on campus, the work environment would be within a climate-controlled office setting mostly sedentary with frequent sitting, occasional walking and lifting, and frequent near vision use for reading and computer use. Noise level is generally moderate.

The environment will change drastically while traveling to events and will require extended periods of standing, walking, and the ability to assemble and disassemble displays at conferences, events, etc. The employee must regularly lift and/or transport up to 50 pounds. The noise level is generally moderate.

Supervisory Responsibilities

There are no supervisory responsibilities for this position.

Pay Transparency Statement

In accordance with applicable state and local pay transparency laws, applicants who reside in a jurisdiction with designated pay transparency requirements and for whom this position is available on a remote basis may be entitled to receive additional information regarding the compensation range and benefits associated with this role. Such information will be provided upon request, as required by law. Please contact CSU-Recruiting@columbiasouthern.edu.

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