Business Development Manager - Industrial Real Estate

Job Summary

The Business Development Manager - Industrial Real Estate is responsible for identifying and developing early-stage business opportunities across the Southeast by building strategic market intelligence and cultivating influential industry relationships. This role partners closely with Sales, Operations, and Marketing to proactively identify companies entering, expanding, or investing within the region. Through engagement with economic development organizations, industrial real estate professionals, developers, contractors, and site selection consultants, the Market Development Manager creates qualified growth opportunities and strengthens Carolina Handling’s market presence across key verticals and target geographies.

Responsibilities:

Intelligence network development

• Build and maintain relationships with economic development organizations in all five states
• Develop preferred-partner relationships with top industrial real estate developers and tenant-rep brokers
• Establish connections with the leading industrial general contractors operating in the territory
• Engage site selectors and location consultants who advise companies choosing South East locations

Market monitoring & lead generation

• Monitor building permit activity across target counties for industrial construction >
  40,000 sq ft
• Track job postings in target states for warehouse, DC, logistics, and operations leadership roles
• Follow economic development announcements, incentive packages, and site selection news across NC, SC, GA, AL, and FL Panhandle
• Monitor trade press for target verticals: e-commerce/fulfillment, automotive, advanced manufacturing, food & beverage, and 3PLs
• Track industrial real estate lease transactions and spec building absorption in target markets

Pipeline management & handoff

• Log all signals and prospects in CRM with source, company profile, estimated timeline, square footage, and vertical classification
• Qualify prospects against ideal customer profile before passing to sales team
• Facilitate warm introductions from network contacts to qualified prospects
• Maintain active BD pipeline with a target of 20+ qualified opportunities at any given time
• Deliver weekly intelligence briefing to sales leadership summarizing new signals, pipeline updates, and network activity

Market positioning & partnerships

• Represent the company at economic development events, industrial real estate conferences, and vertical trade shows
• Co-host facility planning events or educational sessions with ED organizations and GC partners
• Develop and maintain a BD leave-behind: one-page positioning as the Southeast's material handling resource
• Collaborate with marketing on case studies and content relevant to target verticals

What You’ll Need for Success

• Work Ethic: Accountability, time management, self-motivation, attention to detail, and a commitment to continuous learning.
• Team Mindset: Empathy, alignment with customer needs, effective communication, respect for customers, and flexibility to accommodate changing requirements.
• Coachability : Curiosity, openness to feedback, and a proactive approach to personal and professional development.
• Active Problem Solving: Critical thinking skills and the ability to identify and implement effective solutions to challenges.
• Influential Decision Making: Ability to play a significant role in decision-making processes to support customers and collaborate with other Applications Engineers.
• Role Model: Providing guidance and support to junior Associates, serving as an example of excellence in the role.
• Relationship Building : Strong skills in fostering cross-functional relationships within the organization, collaborating effectively with various departments.

Requirements

All potential hires are subject to pre-employment checks which include but are not limited to background checks, drug screenings, and motor vehicle record checks.

• College degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• 3-5 years of experience in business development, economic development, commercial real estate, industrial sales, or closely related field
• Strong understanding of the industrial real estate market and/or economic development ecosystem in the Southeast
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and in a team environment.
• Adept at assimilating and disseminating information in a professional manner.
• Demonstrate a team approach and work with others in pursuing common goals.
• Demonstrate analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrate resourcefulness and judgment to resolve routine problems relating to assigned projects.
• Good organizational skills with high-level self-structure, producing accurate work with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage large volumes of information accurately and effectively.