Business Development Associate

The Horticultural Society Of New York•New York, NY

30d•Onsite

About The Position

The Hort is seeking an energetic and dedicated Business Development Associate to help grow its client base across its main program areas: Horticulture, Education, Horticultural Therapy, and Public Programming. Reporting to the Senior Director of Business Development, the Associate supports the full business development lifecycle, from prospecting and lead generation through contract handoff, client onboarding, and ongoing account support. The role also includes conducting market research, contributing to business strategy, managing new projects, assisting with government relations research, and monitoring RFP/RFI opportunities for city and state funding. The ideal candidate is passionate about The Hort's mission and excited to advance it by bringing in new clients and strengthening existing relationships. The work requires flexibility, attention to detail, and a good sense of humor. The Horticultural Society of New York brings plants into the places where daily life happens, especially in neighborhoods with the least access to green space. We turn "unplantable" urban spaces (sidewalks, medians, traffic triangles, and streets) into gardens and plantings that last. We engage communities through learning, wellness, and paid work, so the benefits of plants are more accessible to New Yorkers across our city.

Requirements

1-3 years of relevant work experience in business development, horticulture, or similar field
Demonstrated experience networking and creating long-term trust-based relationships
Excellent interpersonal skills
Strong oral and written communication skills
Demonstrated success developing and closing targeted sales
Proficient in Microsoft Office and relevant software.
Strong organization and project management skills
Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects at once.
Must have strategic and analytical skills and the ability to "think outside the box"

Nice To Haves

Experience with HubSpot, or similar CRM systems, is a plus
Government Affairs experience

Responsibilities

Conduct market research on new clients depending on strategy and campaign
List generation
Inbound trafficking: outreach, meetings, and checking Hort Services/Info emails to follow up on new leads
Campaign deployment: tracking, coordinating communication, sales collateral, checklist/site list, and contract handoff to appropriate program area
Support conferences, offsite events, programming, and other business development tasks as needed
Research and compile targeted prospect lists of potential clients, including city agencies, elected officials, BIDs, property managers, and community partners
Update and maintain prospects list, maintain existing lists sales and outreach campaigns
Ensure seamless transition of new clients from the sales team to program/operations teams
Transition new clients to their assigned account lead, including scheduled satisfaction check-ins
Contract development: drafting, signing, renewals
Upselling and cross-selling: identify opportunities for added value
Campaign deployment focused on the existing client base
Relationship management
Cultivation communications
Create and review sales collateral
CRM Management
Regularly monitor the NYS Grants Gateway (grantsmanagement.ny.gov) and the Passport System for relevant city and state funding opportunities
Develop and maintain a system for tracking potential funding opportunities once identified
Other tasks, as directed