Business Development - Subject Matter Expert

RR Donnelley•Warrenville, IL

About The Position

The Business Development SME is a high-impact role responsible for driving sales growth by providing expert platform knowledge, competitive research, and strategic support to ensure the successful acquisition of new business. Serving as a brand ambassador, you will work in close partnership with Senior Sales Executives to manage the sales funnel, qualify high-value opportunities within specific verticals (such as Legal or Investment Banking), and represent the company at key industry events. RRD's current salary range for this role is $75,000 to $80,000/ year. The salary range may be adjusted based on the applicable geographic location of the hired employee, and the range may change in the future. At RRD, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions may vary based upon, but not limited to education, skills, experience, proficiency, performance, shift and location. Depending on the role, in addition to base salary, the total compensation package may also include participation in a bonus, commission or incentive program. RRD’s benefit offerings include medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, disability insurance, 401(k) with company match, life insurance and other voluntary supplemental insurance coverages, plus parental leave, adoption assistance, tuition assistance and employer/partner discounts.

Requirements

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, or a related field preferred.
Experience: 2+ years of relevant sales or business development experience with a track record of meeting engagement targets.
Communication Mastery: Exceptional verbal and written skills, with the ability to communicate highly complex scenarios with precision to all levels of the organization.
Technical Proficiency: Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office/Windows/MAC, Salesforce CRM, and sales engagement tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
Strategic Mindset: High degree of creativity, analytical skills, and the ability to prioritize business initiatives based on cost, benefit, and risk.
Independence: Works under minimal supervision with a high degree of self-direction.
Travel: Occasional travel (<30%) to R.R. Donnelley Corporate, other facilities, or industry events.
Physical Demands: Primarily a sedentary role (frequent sitting) with occasional standing, walking, bending, or twisting.
Environment: Must be able to multi-task in a fast-paced environment and take a leadership role in coordinating teams.

Nice To Haves

Industry Knowledge: Understanding of the printing industry is considered a plus.

Responsibilities

Strategic Growth & Prospecting: Establish and execute strategic activities to grow segment-specific sales and market share by leveraging industry research to initiate contact with high-value targets.
Sales Support & Qualification: Provide critical support throughout the sales cycle, including securing high-quality discovery meetings, preparing proposals, and conducting pre-meeting research for Senior Sales Executives.
Event Ambassadorship: Represent the company at trade shows, conferences, and networking events to build a "warm" pipeline through face-to-face engagement and manage related event logistics.
Market Analysis: Research and identify the best channels to improve market coverage and meet the unique needs of defined business segments.
Relationship Mapping: Identify key personas and decision-makers within target accounts to tailor value propositions and uncover areas for improvement during client meetings.
Pipeline & CRM Management: Actively utilize Salesforce to track activities and maintain data integrity, ensuring all stakeholders are informed of project status and success risks.
Collaboration: Coordinate and project manage subject matter experts for proposal responses and forecast customer demands to align with operational planning.