Business Development Manager

Whitley Penn, one of the nation's leading audit, tax, and advisory firms, is looking for a Business Development Manager to join our team. The Business Development Manager is a senior-level individual contributor responsible for driving strategic revenue growth through proactive market development and consultative selling. In this role, you will work with firm leaders to identify new business, develop targeted outreach strategies, and advance complex sales opportunities.

Whitley Penn has become one of the fastest growing public accounting firms by providing exceptional, personalized service that reaches far beyond traditional accounting. In addition to Audit and Tax solutions, we offer a wide range of Advisory and Consulting services. We work in collaborative teams with an emphasis on an open-door policy, entrepreneurial thinking, and a well-built culture. At Whitley Penn, we learn, innovate, and achieve by sharing knowledge, embracing new ideas, and working together. We're looking for professionals who think like owners and want to be part of shaping a high-growth firm.

Position Details:

• Title: Business Development Manager
• Classification: Full-time; Exempt
• Department: Growth
• Location: Houston
• Office Expectations/Hours: Fully in-office position; general work schedule is Monday - Friday, 8 hours/day between 8am to 5pm with overtime, as needed. Travel within the market on a regular basis and with occasional out-of-market travel expected.

What You Will Do

• Partner with the Head of Business Development to establish and build a business development function in a new market
• Work with local office, firm, service line, and industry team leaders to effectively and efficiently identify and target gaps in the market and key companies currently not served by the firm and convert opportunities to success for the firm
• Work closely with firm's marketing team to develop effective, targeted outreach strategies and go-to-market plans
• Build and maintain a disciplined, high-quality pipeline aligned with growth targets
• Originate new sales opportunities by consistently and systematically initiating sales calls and securing meetings
• Identify key decision makers at client and prospect organizations and lead executive-level discovery conversations to uncover their business challenges, service capabilities, strategic priorities, and ROI drivers; develop and execute strategies to position the firm as a solution provider
• Control and execute the sales plan and process, including coordination of all necessary internal and external resources to best position the firm to secure the business
• Meet sales production targets and goals with minimal oversight and direction
• Establish, build, and maintain effective and collaborative long-term client relationships with executives
• Support local office, firm, and industry team leaders in identifying and maximizing cross-selling additional services to existing clients where appropriate
• Represent the firm externally in a professional and relationship sell-based manner
• Participate in professional organizations and informal networks to develop, build, and sustain robust professional relationships
• Actively work networking contacts, professional affiliations, industry groups, and other professional services relationships that could be leveraged to identify opportunities for the firm
• Regularly (daily) and consistently use CRM system to ensure that data reporting, customer information, and sales activity/pipeline are up to date

What You Need to Get Here

• Bachelor's degree; advanced degree/MBA is a plus
• Minimum of 5+ years of business development or consultative sales experience in professional services environment with a strong emphasis on new market or territory build out
• Proven track record of originating net-new opportunities, generating revenue, and winning complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles
• Strong business acumen and a fundamental understanding of accounting concepts; prior experience in Accounting or Finance is preferred
• Demonstrated ability to independently create pipeline, advance opportunities, and close business with minimum oversight
• Highly disciplined in pipeline management and follow-through
• Experience leveraging a CRM tools for pipeline management, reporting, and sales execution
• Experience leveraging social media and digital platforms to proactively identify, access, and engage executive-level prospects
• Strong communication, presentation, influencing, and negotiation skills
• Executive presence, credibility, and professionalism in C-suite and Board-level conversations
• Entrepreneurial, self-directed, and results-oriented mindset with a strong bias towards action
• Relationship-driven
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, influence across complex internal organizations and drive measurable outcomes
• Existing network of Boards of Directors and C-Suite Officers of mid-market companies, private equity decision makers, and other professional services relationships that can be activated to generate opportunities

Why Whitley Penn

Our total rewards are incredibly competitive. We work hard and recharge so that we can be our best selves for our clients. Explore some of our benefits below:

• Firm Paid Medical Insurance (Free Employee Only Coverage on 2 of 3 plans)
• Voluntary Dental and Vision Insurance
• 17 Annual Firm holidays, with extended breaks around July 4th and year end
• 20 days PTO
• Paid Maternity and Parental Leave
• 401(k) with Profit Sharing
• Discretionary Bonus Program
• Health & Wellness Program
• Pet Insurance

Whitley Penn is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to age, race, creed, gender, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Whitley Penn is a participant in E-Verify please follow the link to review disclosure notifications: https://www.dropbox.com/s/olsr5xgsgxsntu3/E-Verify%20Notices.pdf?dl=0. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.

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