Business Development Representative

Business Development Representative

Citizen Media Group is an IRS-registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization which houses two distinct public-facing entities: The Philadelphia Citizen and Philadelphia Magazine. Administrative, editorial and other business functions are shared across brands. The Philadelphia Citizen — a producer of digital content, thought-leader events, and civic engagement opportunities — exists to reinvigorate democracy in the American city where it was born and to replicate the highest ideals of Aristotle's polis: autonomy, self-governance, equality, tolerance, independence in our products and in our DNA as an organization. Philadelphia Magazine — a print magazine and digital content legacy media brand — is the premier guide to how to take advantage of all the city and region offers, from its culture, its food, its eds and meds, its environs, its people, its must-read stories, and its storied sports teams.

Position Overview

The Business Development Representative (BDR) plays a critical role in generating new business opportunities for Citizen Media Group across our media properties, including Philadelphia Magazine, Be Well Philly, Philadelphia Wedding, phillymag.com, The Philadelphia Citizen, and more. This role focuses on prospecting, qualifying leads, and fueling the sales pipeline for advertising and integrated media solutions across print, digital, social, mobile, and experiential platforms. BDRs will work in a fast paced, collaborative environment and support the sales team by identifying potential clients—particularly within the Medical, Dental, and Health categories in the Philadelphia DMA.

Key Responsibilities

• Outbound Prospecting : Identify new business opportunities and media partnerships through cold calling, emailing, and social selling.
• Lead Qualification : Research potential clients, assess business needs, and qualify leads before handing them off to senior sales team members for deeper engagement. Utilize internal tools, including our CRM, 'Best' lists and event attendees to prospect and generate targeted lead lists.
• Pipeline Generation : Consistently meet or exceed monthly and quarterly targets for qualified meetings, sales ready leads, and opportunity creation. Support sales forecasting and provide timely updates and administrative accuracy.
• Relationship Building : Develop early stage relationships with marketing decision makers, physicians, dentists, health industry leaders, and advertising agencies. Assist in preparing integrated proposal materials in collaboration with marketing.
• Market Research : Stay current on media industry trends, the competitive landscape, and emerging digital platforms. Identify category growth opportunities and collaborate with the team to generate new initiatives.
• CRM Management : Maintain accurate and detailed interaction records in CRM systems such as Salesforce or HubSpot, as well as relevant internal databases like MagHub. Log outreach activity, update lead statuses, and ensure data quality for reporting.

Required Skills & Qualifications

Communication Excellence: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to persuasively articulate value, build rapport, and engage prospects.

Persistence & Drive: Highly motivated, goal oriented, and resilient—able to work through rejection and maintain consistent outreach. Demonstrated ability to work in a fast paced environment with grace under pressure.

Media Familiarity: Exposure to digital marketing, advertising sales, content distribution, or integrated media campaigns is a significant advantage. Ability to think creatively in meeting client goals.