Senior Business Development Manager

LifeStraw • Baltimore, MD

13h • Onsite

About The Position

LifeStraw is looking for an experienced Senior Business Development Manager with strong CPG and retail experience to drive new business across key sales channels. This role is focused on identifying, engaging, and closing new retail and distribution partners across Mass, Outdoor, Club, and Specialty markets. The right candidate knows how to build pipeline from scratch, navigate retail buyers, and convert opportunities into purchase orders that can scale. This is a high-impact role that reports to the VP of Global Sales and offers executive visibility and room to grow. At LifeStraw, the company is mission-driven, redefining safe water access through innovation, impact, and sustainability. Every product sold contributes to their humanitarian programs, and every team member contributes to their global footprint. They are committed to building a team culture that reflects their work and values, fostering collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, and attention to detail. Employees are expected to live the values: Fighting for Good; Living, Working, and Creating with Impact in Mind; Erring on the Side of Action; and Leaving Everything Better. Contributions to LifeStraw’s impact on people and planet, including local volunteering and sustainability efforts, are also expected.

Requirements

• 7 - 12+ years of CPG sales or business development experience, with a focus on retail channels
• Proven track record of opening new retail or distribution accounts and driving initial sell-in
• Experience selling into Mass, Outdoor, Club, or Specialty retail channels
• Strong understanding of retail economics: pricing, margins, promotions, assortment, agreements and buyer expectations
• Demonstrated ability to build pipeline from scratch and consistently convert opportunities into revenue
• Confident, effective communicator with the ability to engage buyers and close business
• High ownership mindset - operates independently with clear accountability to results
• Strong organizational discipline across pipeline management, follow-up, and execution
• Ability to work cross-functionally with sales, marketing, and supply chain to support new account launches
• Ability to travel for buyer meetings, trade shows, and market development

Responsibilities

• Identify, prioritize, and actively pursue target accounts aligned to LifeStraw’s channel and product strategy
• Generate and close new business across priority retail and distribution channels
• Build and maintain a consistent, high-quality pipeline across retailers and distributors
• Lead outbound prospecting efforts with discipline (target lists, outreach cadence, event follow-up)
• Own the full new business cycle: prospecting, buyer engagement, pitch, negotiation, initial sell-in
• Develop clear, retailer-ready sell-in pitches (assortment, pricing, margin, promo framework)
• Partner with channel leaders to ensure alignment on targets, assortment, and channel guardrails
• Drive intial purchase orders and ensure accounts are “handoff ready” (forecast, launch plan, expectations set)
• Maintain accurate pipeline tracking, activity reporting, and contribution to forecast
• Represent LifeStraw in buyer meetings, trade shows, and industry events
• Provide structured market feedback (retailer needs, competitive landscape, channel opportunities)

Benefits

• Executive visibility and room to grow

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed