Business Development Associate

Business Development Associate (BDA)

Motivate is seeking an ambitious, high-energy Business Development Associate (BDA) to build new business opportunities. Operating under a flexible hybrid work model, this role blends the autonomy of working from your home office with targeted in-office collaboration, prospect meetings, and event attendance right here in the San Francisco Bay Area, with the potential to develop into other markets as opportunities present themselves.

In this role, you'll take charge of market research, lead generation, and early-stage relationships. You will track down matching opportunities, build connections with key public and private decision-makers, and open the door to highly profitable, long-term customer partnerships.

About the Role - Key Responsibilities

Lead Generation & Prospecting

• Target Account Pipeline: Connect with new prospects to keep our pipeline full and active across three key focus areas: micromobility operators, curbside/infrastructure asset owners (EV networks, station operators), and government/institutional buyers of labor-heavy field services (BIDs, municipalities, transit agencies).
• Deep Account Research: Investigate specific named organizations, named contacts, and unique decision-making structures rather than just identifying general industry information.
• Outbound Outreach: Reach out to prospects across different channelswhether that means sending a cold email, dropping a friendly line on LinkedIn, hopping on a phone call, or getting a warm introduction from our executive team.
• Industry Networking: Attend relevant trade shows, municipal meetings, and industry events to capture inbound leads and build community trust.

Qualification & Handoff

• Discovery Conversations: Conduct initial calls to uncover prospect needs, timelines, budgets, and specific internal decision processes.
• Unit Economics Evaluation: Qualify all leads against Motivate's operational fit, ensuring we only pursue work we can deliver profitably.
• Opportunity Briefs: Prepare clean, high-impact briefs detailing who the prospect is, what they need, why we fit, and the clear path to contract.
• Context-Rich Handoff: Maintain involvement through the pipeline transition to ensure a warm, detailed handoff to senior leadership for closing.

Pipeline Management & Intelligence

• Metrics & Iteration: Regularly track and share outreach stats and adjust messaging as needed to continuously sharpen and improve what is and isn't working.
• Market Tracking: Monitor micromobility expansions, municipal RFPs, and infrastructure investment trends (such as IIJA curbside funding and EV buildouts).
• Competitive Intelligence: Flag what angles competitors are taking and surface recurring prospect objections or messaging gaps.

Team & Technology

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Partner closely with senior leadership to align outreach with business priorities, and coordinate with operations to accurately represent our service capabilities.
• CRM Ownership: Own the system end-to-end, ensuring every contact, conversation, and strategic next step is thoroughly logged and current.
• Tech Stack Mastery: Navigate LinkedIn Sales Navigator like a pro and use smart email campaigns that feel personal and authentic for outreach. Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and CRM platforms.

About You - Minimum Qualifications & Competencies

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Communications, Urban Planning, or a related field (or equivalent practical work experience).
• Sales Track Record: Demonstrated hands-on experience in business development or outbound prospecting, with a proven ability to independently research and build lists, build out outreach tracks, and book meetings.
• Presentation & Pitching Excellence: Ability to organize, prepare, and clearly deliver compelling sales pitches that communicate our value proposition and win client buy-in.
• Self-Directed Execution: Results-oriented mindset with the grit to manage a busy pipeline without dropping threads, creating structure where none exists.
• Location: Must be based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Preferred Qualifications

• Industry Familiarity: Background in urban mobility, EV infrastructure, field services, sustainability, or government contracting.
• Target Audience Experience: Prior experience working with or selling to municipalities, BIDs, transit agencies, or large real estate portfolios.

Work Conditions & Environment

• Hybrid Framework: Balanced combination of home office, company office location, prospect meetings, and event attendance.
• Travel Requirements: Travel as needed to client locations, industry conferences, and regional networking events.
• Schedule: Flexibility to occasionally work extra or non-business hours, including evening or weekend availability when needed.

About Motivate

We are the premier micromobility service operations and infrastructure experts, delivering bikeshare operations management services to many of the nation's largest cities. With decades of agile and scalable fleet development experience, we ensure optimal system performance and the highest level of customer satisfaction available.

Motivate is led by a group of seasoned operational experts, creative leaders, and sustainability-minded teams. Our leaders come from logistics industry giants, military operations, and the automotive industry. All our team members bring passion, drive, and determination to each role across the organization. Together, we support our clients in getting the job done, at scale.

At Motivate, exceptional service is our North Star. We take pride in working together to keep communities moving and connected to the work, the play, the people, and the places they love most.

Financial Incentives

We believe in rewarding the hustle required to build an enterprise pipeline from scratch. Our hybrid compensation model includes:

Base + Bonus + Commission: Enjoy the financial stability of a strong base salary, coupled with a performance-driven target bonus and uncapped commission incentives

Work Perks

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
• Life, accidental death, long-term and short-term disability insurance options
• Paid time off and sick time
• Paid parental leave
• 401k retirement plan with company match
• Hybrid/flexible work arrangement
• Opportunities for growth

Interested? Apply Now!

The above description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the role. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities to accomplish Motivate's mission.

Motivate LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants are considered for positions and are evaluated without regard to mental or physical disability, race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, or any other legally protected status under applicable law. We also provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state and local law, as well as individuals who need an accommodation because of pregnancy or their sincerely held religious beliefs. If you require assistance or reasonable accommodation during any aspect of the application process or performance of your job, please contact the People Team or the hiring manager.

Motivate LLC will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.