Business Development Specialist

Business Development SpecialistGenerates qualified leads and books discovery calls so the closer can close — full stop.SectorFinancial Services — Fractional CFO & AccountingReports toFounder & CEO · works in tandem with the SalespersonTypePart-time to start, minimum 20 hrs/week · scales to full-time as pipeline growsHoursUS business hours · ET/PT overlap requiredLocationRemote — anywhere (US hours overlap required)ToolsApollo.io, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, GoHighLevel CRM, Gmail, TeamworkRole OverviewOur client has a capable closer whose calendar is not being filled fast enough. The salesperson is currently handling their own prospecting — that is the wrong use of their time. This role fixes it.The Business Development Specialist owns everything before the discovery call: identifying the right prospects, building awareness, starting conversations, qualifying interest, and handing a booked calendar invite to the closer. The target buyer is a business owner generating $3M–$10M in revenue, not yet working with a fractional CFO, and open to paying $5,000/month for the right financial partner. They are problem-aware. This role's job is to find them and get them to a conversation.Key ResponsibilitiesOutbound prospecting via Apollo.ioBuild targeted prospect lists using Apollo: company revenue range, headcount, industry, and relevant growth signalsWrite and manage multi-touch cold email sequences — subject lines, hooks, value framing, follow-ups that read as specific, not mass-sentMonitor sequence performance rigorously: open rates, reply rates, positive responses — test, iterate, improve every two weeksHandle inbox responses promptly: engage interested prospects, handle objections, move qualified leads toward a discovery callLinkedIn outreach via Sales NavigatorMaintain targeted lead lists in Sales Navigator, refreshed weekly by company size, title, and industryIdentify and prioritize prospects who have engaged with the client's LinkedIn content — likes, comments, follows — and reach out with personalized messagesWrite connection requests and InMails that reference something specific and real — not templatesCoordinate with the Marketing Manager to leverage high-performing content as a credibility asset in outreachQualification and handoffQualify all leads against ICP criteria: revenue range, business maturity, financial complexity, readiness for fractional CFO supportBook discovery calls into the CRM with a context note covering the prospect's situation, pain points, and any objections surfacedFollow up persistently on leads who expressed interest but have not yet bookedMaintain clean, current pipeline records in GoHighLevel at all timesReportingWeekly summary: contacts added, sequences active, emails sent, reply rate, calls bookedBring data-backed observations on what is and is not converting — with suggestionsWho Will SucceedThis is a high-ticket, high-trust sale. The firm's retainer starts at $5,000/month. The BDS needs to approach prospects with enough credibility and specificity that a financially sophisticated business owner takes the meeting — not because they were spammed, but because the outreach was relevant and the offer is compelling.Metrics-driven by nature — knows their numbers cold without looking them upWrites outreach that sounds human and specific even when running sequences at volumeUnderstands the difference between a lead and a qualified lead — does not book meetings just to hit a numberAccountable without being managed — reports what they committed to, flags problems earlyExperience & SkillsRequired: 2+ years in an outbound SDR, BDR, or lead generation roleRequired: Hands-on Apollo.io experience — sequence building, list management, response handlingRequired: LinkedIn Sales Navigator fluency — precise list building, InMail and connection request strategyRequired: Strong written English — outreach samples will be reviewed at screeningRequired: CRM pipeline discipline — clean records, consistent updatesRequired: AI-fluent — uses AI to research prospects, personalize outreach, iterate messagingPreferred: Experience in a BDR role for professional services, consulting, or financial advisoryPreferred: GoHighLevel CRM experiencePreferred: ZoomInfo or similar data enrichment experienceScreening Priorities for RecruitersRequest outreach samples — at least one cold email sequence and one LinkedIn message; filter hard on quality and specificityAsk what their best and worst performing sequences looked like and what they learned — look for data-driven iteration, not guessworkAsk how they handle a prospect who goes cold after initial interest — look for a structured follow-up approach, not giving up after one nudgeConfirm they understand high-ticket B2B prospecting — the posture required here is different from volume-based SaaS outreach90-Day Success MarkersConsistent outreach rhythm established at agreed weekly volume targetsQualified discovery calls being booked weekly — ICP-matched, showing up, real prob