Commercial Business Development Manager, Northeast Region

Zip Water North America•, NJ

2d•$120,000 - $140,000•Remote

About The Position

Zip Water is a globally recognized leader in premium hydration technology, with a strong presence across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and other mature international markets. Known for design-forward, high-performance systems, Zip has helped define the category of integrated boiling, chilled, and sparkling water solutions in both residential and commercial environments. As Zip continues to expand in North America, the business is focused on introducing this globally established category to a new market — building awareness, driving specification, and partnering with the architecture and design community to bring innovative hydration solutions into the built environment. This role is primarily responsible for building the Zip category across North America through education, specification influence, and market development. At this stage of the business, success is less about closing existing demand and more about creating it — by educating the A&D community, influencing design decisions early, and generating long-term project pull-through. This is a highly proactive, hunter-style role that requires operating in an early-stage environment, building relationships from scratch, and developing new tools and approaches along the way.

Requirements

5–10+ years of experience in business development, specification sales, or A&D engagement
5–10+ years of experience in commercial construction, building products, or related industries
Experience working with architects, designers, engineers, or specifiers
Proven ability to operate in a highly self-directed, ambiguous environment
Strong communication and presentation skills (especially in educational settings)
Comfortable with travel across the region

Nice To Haves

Experience working with or managing rep agency networks

Responsibilities

Drive specification activity early in the design cycle
Build relationships with key specifiers to increase adoption in project designs
Identify priority firms, verticals, and markets to focus specification efforts
Track project influence from design through to installation (pull-through visibility)
Lead efforts to educate architects, designers, and engineers (A&D) on Zip’s technology and applications
Deliver CEUs, lunch-and-learns, and in-office presentations
Drive demo unit placements within specifier offices to build familiarity and preference
Build relationships with industry associations and design communities
Develop and refine education content, presentations, and engagement strategies, often building materials from scratch
Position Zip as a thought leader and premium solution in the category
Act as a proactive market builder, expanding existing opportunities while developing new relationships and areas of growth
Operate effectively within an evolving business environment, leveraging existing structure while contributing to ongoing development and refinement
Build, test, and refine new approaches to specifier engagement, education programs, and demo strategies
Create and share repeatable playbooks and tools that can scale across regions
Partner with manufacturer rep agencies to scale A&D coverage and specification activity
Train and support reps on how to lead with education and specification selling
Collaborate with Territory Sales Managers (TSMs) to align on spec activity, project pipeline, and sales execution where it drives the greatest impact
Help define best practices for spec-driven selling across markets
Support engagement with developers, owners, and project stakeholders
Help convert specification activity into real project opportunities
Maintain a balance between long-cycle specification influence and near-term project wins
Represent Zip at trade shows, industry events, and design forums
Expand Zip’s presence within A&D and commercial real estate communities
Contribute to case studies and proof points where applicable
Reinforce Zip’s positioning as a design-forward, premium brand