Senior Business Development Manager

Tavern Research•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The Senior Business Development Manager is responsible for building and converting pipeline, owning smaller deal cycles end-to-end, and strengthening the operational foundation of Tavern’s sales function. This role sits at the center of our commercial engine, ensuring Principals can focus on high-impact strategy while pipeline and deal execution continue to move forward. You will generate and qualify opportunities, run defined-scope deals independently, and partner closely with Principals on larger, more complex engagements. Your work ensures that senior team members can stay focused on high-impact strategy while deals continue to move forward efficiently. You will be expected to learn from every interaction and continuously improve how you source, position, and close work.

Requirements

3 to 5 years of experience in political campaigns, advocacy organizations, political tech, or related B2B sales environments
Strong understanding of the political ecosystem and a desire to support Democratic campaigns and organizations
Experience generating pipeline and managing sales cycles for defined-scope or mid-complexity deals
Strong communication skills with the ability to engage senior stakeholders
Ability to quickly learn and explain technical concepts
Highly self-directed with strong organizational discipline
Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, early-stage environment

Nice To Haves

Track record of hitting pipeline or revenue targets in a consultative environment
experience in polling, paid media, campaign operations, or digital advertising

Responsibilities

Sales Execution
Own the full sales cycle for defined-scope engagements, from prospecting through close
Partner with Principals on larger or more complex opportunities, ensuring clean handoffs and strong coordination
Conduct consultative discovery and translate client needs into the right Tavern solution
Develop fluency in Tavern’s methodology to confidently address client questions
Consistently meet or exceed pipeline and revenue targets
Identify expansion opportunities and partner with Principals to execute
Pipeline Development
Build relationships across campaigns, PACs, agencies, and advocacy organizations
Generate high-quality pipeline through outbound outreach, networking, and industry engagement
Cultivate partners and consultants to drive warm introductions
Qualify inbound leads and convert interest into opportunities
Represent Tavern at industry events and within the political tech ecosystem
Sales Operations & Collaboration
Serve as a key connector between Principals and active pipeline, ensuring visibility, momentum, and strong communication
Maintain accurate CRM records and sales forecasts
Participate in pipeline reviews and revenue planning
Support proposal development, RFP responses, and contract preparation
Coordinate contract execution and approvals with the CBO
Capture client feedback to inform product and positioning
Ensure smooth handoff to Client Delivery after close