Senior Business Development Manager

Senior Business Development Manager
Location: Baltimore, MD

Department: Sales

Reports to: VP of Global Sales

Position Overview
LifeStraw is looking for an experienced Senior Business Development Manager with strong CPG and retail experience to drive new business across our 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.

Key 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)

What You Bring

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 executionAbility 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

#J-18808-Ljbffr