Business Development Specialist

Phalen Leadership Academies•Boston, MA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Business Development Specialist is the engine of Skilled US's employer revenue pipeline. This is a front-line, externally facing role responsible for identifying, prospecting, pitching, and closing employer partnership agreements across healthcare, IT, clean energy, and the trades — the sectors where Skilled US's community college certificate programs produce credentialed, job-ready scholars. This role works directly alongside the VP of Post-Secondary & Employer Partnerships, taking on an expanding portfolio of employer relationships as the team grows. In the near term, the Specialist/Manager owns Tier 2 healthcare outreach, IT employer development, and the clean energy sector, while the VP focuses on anchor health system relationships. Over time, this person is expected to grow into independent ownership of a full sector pipeline and eventually move into a senior BD or VP role as Skilled US expands to additional states. The Skilled US employer partnership model is straightforward: employers commit to hiring Skilled US scholars who complete certificate programs at our community college partners, and in return they receive a pre-screened, career-ready, community-rooted talent pipeline they cannot build on their own. This role's job is to find the right employers, make that case compellingly, and close the agreement. It is an outbound, high-activity, relationship-driven role — not a reactive or administrative one

Requirements

2+ years of experience in business development, employer partnerships, workforce development, talent acquisition, staffing, or a closely related field — with demonstrated success moving from prospect to closed agreement
Proven ability to manage a high-volume outbound pipeline with consistency, follow-through, and accurate CRM discipline
Strong presentation and communication skills — comfortable leading employer meetings independently and delivering a concise, credible pitch to HR directors and senior operations leaders
Experience working with or selling to employers in healthcare, IT, or workforce development contexts strongly preferred
Genuine comfort with a high-activity, metrics-driven role where results are tracked weekly and expectations are explicit
Proficiency with CRM tools (Salesforce, HubSpot, or equivalent) and standard outreach platforms including LinkedIn Sales Navigator
Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment while staying tightly coordinated with a small, interdependent team

Nice To Haves

Existing relationships with HR or workforce development contacts at Boston-area healthcare systems, IT employers, or community health organizations
Experience in a workforce development organization, staffing firm, or community college workforce partnership context
Familiarity with WIOA on-the-job training reimbursements, employer tax credits (WOTC), or employer co-investment models
Bilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply
Experience working with adult learners, non-traditional students, or low-income populations at any point in their career