Business Development Associate

EquipmentShare • Columbia, MO

9d • Onsite

About The Position

EquipmentShare is hiring a Business Development Associate at their Corporate Headquarters in Columbia, MO. This role is part of the Corporate Development team and sits at the core of their deal origination engine. The associate will be responsible for identifying, engaging, and advancing prospective targets from first contact through the early stages of a transaction. This role involves working closely with senior team members to build a robust pipeline and ensure no opportunity is missed. It is a high-impact, high-visibility role for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, is energized by outreach and relationship-building, and wants exposure to M&A and strategic transactions.

Requirements

• At least 1 year of experience in business development, corporate development, or a related field.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, economics. May consider relevant industry experience in lieu of formal degree.
• Hands-on experience managing pipelines and contact records in a CRM platform (HubSpot strongly preferred; Salesforce or Affinity also valued).
• Demonstrated ability to conduct rigorous market research and synthesize findings into clear, concise outputs.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to craft professional, compelling outreach and materials.
• Self-starter mentality — comfortable owning the outreach process independently with minimal oversight.
• Ability to present information to a varied and diverse group, with the ability to adapt the discussion based on your ability to read the experience level of the audience.
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality on sensitive topics.
• An employee must be able to sit and work on the computer for long periods of time.
• Employee will be required on an as needed basis, up to 25%.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with HubSpot workflows and sequences is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead Generation & Prospecting: Build and maintain a curated list of target companies aligned with the team's strategic priorities and investment thesis.
• Help conduct market mapping and sector research to identify acquisition, investment, or partnership opportunities.
• Track industry news, competitor moves, and market signals to surface new opportunities proactively.
• Outreach & Engagement: Execute personalized outreach campaigns via email, LinkedIn, and phone to engage founders, executives, and business owners.
• Craft compelling, tailored messaging that resonates with targets and clearly communicates strategic interest.
• Manage and track outreach sequences, follow-ups, and response rates in CRM.
• Iterate on outreach strategies based on conversion data and team feedback.
• Meeting Coordination & Pipeline Management: Schedule and prepare materials for introductory calls and exploratory meetings between senior team members and prospective targets.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in the CRM; track deal stages, next steps, and contact history.
• Own the top-of-funnel pipeline, ensuring consistent flow of qualified opportunities to the senior team.
• Update weekly pipeline reports and update the team on status, progress, and blockers.
• Early Deal Conversations: Participate in introductory calls and early-stage conversations with prospective targets.
• Gather and synthesize preliminary business information (financials, team, market position) ahead of deeper diligence.
• Help assess strategic fit and flag key risks or considerations in early conversations.
• General Deal Support: Coordinate with cross-functional teams (legal, finance, strategy) to support active deal processes as needed.
• Support due diligence efforts by organizing data rooms, tracking open items, and synthesizing findings.
• Take on ad hoc research, analysis, and project management tasks as the team's needs evolve.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Full medical, dental, and vision coverage for full-time employees
• Generous PTO + paid holidays
• 401(k) + company match
• Gym membership stipend + wellness programs (earn PTO and prizes!)
• Company events, food truck nights
• 16 hours of paid volunteer time per year
• Career advancement, leadership training, and professional development opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level