Commercial Development Associate - Tulsa

Manna•Tulsa, OK

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Manna is expanding its drone delivery service into the United States and is seeking a Commercial Development Associate to prepare new U.S. markets for launch. This role focuses on external engagement, including securing local vendors and partners, and interacting with customers and local communities prior to service introduction. The Associate will be responsible for ensuring new markets are commercially viable, locally understood, and ready for rollout, requiring direct engagement with property owners, merchants, partners, and local stakeholders who may be new to drone delivery.

Requirements

Experience in vendor management, procurement, business development, or a sales-related role.
Experience introducing a new service, platform, or physical operation into U.S. markets.
Experience working directly with external stakeholders such as landlords, property owners, vendors, partners, or local authorities.
Experience progressing agreements, contracts, or partnerships where there is limited precedent or an undefined playbook.
Strong negotiation and contract management skills.
Strong analytical skills, with the ability to assess vendor performance and identify areas for improvement.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain unfamiliar concepts clearly and without jargon.
Willingness to travel regularly and spend time on the ground in new locations.

Nice To Haves

Experience in logistics, supply chain, or e-commerce.

Responsibilities

Identify, evaluate, onboard, and manage local vendors throughout their lifecycle, from initial contact to live agreement and ongoing relationship management.
Negotiate commercial terms with vendors, including pricing, menus, promotions, and service levels, to optimize value for Manna and its customers.
Support the Operations team in securing launch sites by providing local market and vendor insights and assisting with property owner engagement.
Engage directly with decision-makers to explain the service's operations and address any concerns.
Establish and manage partnerships with aggregators as needed.
Ensure participating vendors understand the service operations before customer introduction.
Monitor vendor performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and service levels, proactively resolving any issues.
Identify vendor clusters in candidate cities and suburbs to inform potential new base locations and explore opportunities beyond food as new categories emerge.
Collaborate with Corporate Affairs and Communications on early customer and community engagement, serving as a local point of contact and addressing inquiries.
Keep the Customer Service team informed about new vendors, menus, specials, and promotions to ensure accurate customer information.
Work with communications, support, and marketing teams to ensure consistent local messaging, and coordinate with Operations, Finance, and Legal to align vendor relationships with business needs and compliance.
Maintain accurate vendor pipeline and records, and capture learnings from early U.S. market entry to improve future expansion processes.