Cannabis Business Development Specialist

Vireo Health•Gloversville, NY

About The Position

We are seeking an energetic and experienced Business Development Specialist to join our growing dynamic team! Business Development Specialists are responsible for driving profitable growth through new business acquisition and strategic account management by identifying opportunities, building client relationships, and coordinating with cross-functional teams. The Business Development Specialist will be responsible for increasing brand awareness and wholesale sales through reviewing analytics, field marketing efforts, product training and patient/end-customer engagement. This individual will be dedicated to creating a dominant presence by managing positive store relationships, with all NY licensed medical and adult use dispensaries and staff. This position reports directly to the Director of Wholesale NY.

Requirements

High School Diploma.
Must be 21 years of age or older.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Excellent organizational and time management skills.
Excellent presentation skills.
Excellent collaboration skills.
Proficient or working knowledge in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Ability to work independently and as a team, both in person and remotely.
Ability to travel up to 50%-75% and overnights.
Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Clean driving record, and valid driver’s license required.
Access to a reliable vehicle to support regular job duties and customer deliveries as needed.
Long periods of prolonged sitting and standing.
Long periods of prolonged use of office equipment including computers and phones.
Able to stand up to 4 hours at a time.
Ability to lift up to 25 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in a similar role (preferred).
1+ years of sales/networking experience (preferred).
1+ years of cannabis industry experience (preferred).
Experience working in a sales role in a highly regulated industry preferred.
Experience with sales management or CRM software preferred.

Responsibilities

New Business Acquisition: Identify, research, and secure new business opportunities to expand Vireo's market position. Lead efforts to identify and acquire new customers, leveraging cross-functional teams to build trust and shorten sales cycles.
Strategy Development: Develop and execute sales strategies and creative sales plans, often leveraging advanced analytics to prioritize opportunities. Increase brand - category placement across all House and Partner Brands. House Brands (Vireo, Bouket, 1937, King & Queens, Small A$$ Buds, Hi Color- Hi AF) Branded Partners (Edie Parker, Claybourne, Curio Wellness, B-eazy, Redo, Voice of the Plant, Lions Order and Craft Cartel).
Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with account executives, potential clients, partners, and other internal stakeholders, overseeing the client onboarding process to ensure a seamless transition to the sales force.
Negotiation and Proposals: Coordinate the proposal process, prepare RFP (Request for Proposal) submissions, and negotiate contracts and agreements with new and existing clients.
Financial Analysis and Strategy: Analyze new business opportunities and existing customer profitability, and proforma "what if" scenarios to improve company profitability.
Performance Monitoring: Review and report on the performance of target accounts, develop action plans for improvement and monitor competitor activity.
Market Intelligence: Conduct market research, monitor industry trends, and gather intelligence on competitor activities to maintain a competitive advantage.
Collaboration: Work closely with cross-functional teams, including sales, merchandising, operations, and finance, to develop and pitch business proposals and ensure client needs are met.
Mentorship/Leadership: Mentor and train pop up /activation team members and engage in regular business reviews with regional teams.
Serve as a product expert and knowledgeable resource at pop-ups, vendor days, cannabis trade engagements, client events, and other hosted events as needed.
Successfully communicate values, ethos, and facts about our organization, brands, and products to customers, retailers, and others.
Prospect and maintain a highly organized schedule of regular on-site & off-site staff education meetings and events.
Engage with vendors and collect feedback on products; submit additional collateral requests based off feedback. Bring client feedback to company management; assist with improvements in strain/genetic literature, cannabinoid and terpene profile matrices, marketing, and sales tactics based on feedback.
Develop strong working knowledge of the NY Medical and Adult Use Marijuana Program and understanding of the competitive market, keeping industry knowledge current and up-to-date.
Identify and sustain key merchandising opportunities for accounts with dominant product placements and displays, ensuring execution and alignment with all sales programs.
Build rapport with customers and vendors and maintain a positive brand image.
Present and discuss sales and marketing collateral, brand values, products, cultivar genetic information and value adds.
Support Brand and Sales Specialists and Wholesale Manager by effectively communicating schedule, consumer feedback, customer needs, and by maintaining inventory levels on all point-of-sale items and collateral.
Serve and support Vireo as a brand representative for community outreach, industry events and trade shows as opportunities occur. Transport, set up, breakdown and maintain trade materials and table displays as needed.
Identify and follow up on leads via phone and email, documenting all attempts and outcomes of leads.
Maintain all applicable reports and records, including those mandated in NY.