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Business Development Manager

Sun Communities & Sun Outdoors, Southfield, MI, United States


Job Summary
The Business Development Manager leads, develops, and supervises the Business Development Specialists. This role manages daily departmental functions, supports field teams, and maintains a high standard of customer experience throughout the sales and leasing journey. The Business Development Manager implements processes, reporting, and performance tracking to drive results, resolve escalated issues, and ensures compliance with lending regulations and licensing requirements. This position partners with senior leadership to enhance operational effectiveness, support occupancy goals, and maintain competitive positioning in the market.

Job Duties

Oversees the staffing, development, scheduling, and daily operations of the Business Development Specialist (BDS) team by providing leadership, direction, and guidance on day‑to‑day responsibilities. (Essential)

Collaborates with BDS to ensure excellent customer experience throughout the sales and leasing journey, including managing follow‑up processes with each community, ensuring timely follow‑up on unclosed approvals, and increasing overall closing percentages. (Essential)

Manages key day‑to‑day departmental responsibilities, including but not limited to rental program home pricing (as requested), appraisal ordering, tracking and invoicing, lender communications, enhancement requests, incentive requests, and cost‑of‑sales. (Essential)

Implements and maintains reporting and tracking processes to monitor sales and leasing performance, analyze the sales funnel, and identify opportunities for improvement. (Essential)

Coordinates team member selection and development and ensures team members comply with appropriate policies and procedures.

Other duties as assigned.

Fosters a culture of collaboration, compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement within the Business Development department.

Manages and streamlines the end‑to‑end sales and leasing process; from application through closing, by identifying and executing on opportunities for operational improvement.

Oversees system enhancement projects and updates that directly impact day‑to‑day departmental operations.

Resolves escalated customer issues related to sales, leasing, or financing to ensure timely and satisfactory outcomes.

Oversees the development of training resources and processes for field teams to meet and exceed performance goals related to sales and leasing, while ensuring they remain knowledgeable about financing options and effective sales techniques.

Stays informed on lending regulations, loan products, market trends, housing demand, competitor activity, and financing rates to provide guidance to the department and support effective customer service.

Maintains all required sales licensing and ensures compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.

Partners with senior leadership and marketing to develop programs and initiatives that support customer retention and maintain high occupancy across communities.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED (Required)

Bachelor's Degree in Sales or Marketing (Preferred)

5 years in marketing or sales management (Preferred)

6 months in experience in home sales or leasing (Preferred)

Excellent customer service and negotiation skills

Exceptional verbal and written communication skills

Strong organizational, problem solving and multitasking skills

Must have a valid driver's license

Experience in using Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.)

Excellent problem solving skills

Ability to successfully lead others to live Sun's culture and produce quality results

Benefits
At Sun Communities, you will be part of an industry‑leading organization where you will be challenged, inspired, rewarded and transformed. We place a high priority on our team members, and this is a big part of what sets us apart. We will ask you to give us your very best every day, and will challenge you with interesting work, stretch assignments, a collaborative and supportive work environment and plenty of learning and growth. In exchange, we will reward you with great pay, advancement opportunities, paid time off, great benefits, and flexibility.

Comprehensive Medical and Prescription coverage with 4 plan options so you can choose the plan that best meets the needs of you and your family

Comprehensive Dental and Vision Plans

On‑Site Fitness Center

Voluntary Health and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts

Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance and Dependent Life

Short and Long‑Term Disability Coverage

401(k) Plan with Sun matching contribution

Employee Assistance Program

Identity Theft Insurance

Legal Assistance Plan

Pet Insurance

Tuition Reimbursement program providing financial support to team members who further their formal education

Vacation RV Site Discounts for team members when visiting SunRV Resorts across the nation

Team Member Perks & Discounts program with hundreds of discounts on things like travel, merchandise, mobile phone service, and more

Up to six weeks of paid parental leave for the birth of a child, adoption, or placement of a child

Paid Time Off including ten holidays, vacation, personal, sick time, bereavement and pay for jury duty

Apply for a Corporate Headquarters (HQ) position, located in the Metro Detroit, Michigan market today.

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