Vice President of Business Development

Do you want to work for a fast‑growing company where employees share in business success through an Employee Stock Ownership Program? Are you energized by building national account strategies, winning complex multi‑stakeholder deals, and leading a hunter‑oriented business development team? Do you thrive in roles where you can shape market strategy, expand enterprise relationships, and unlock extensive, untapped revenue potential? ABOUT THE COMPANY School Outfitters is a Cincinnati‑based, 100% employee‑owned company transforming how learning environments are designed, furnished, and supported across the United States. Recognized as a Cincinnati Top Workplace for 14 consecutive years, the company has grown into a national leader serving early childhood programs, K‑12 schools, higher education, and specialized learning environments. With a mission‑driven culture and a reputation for exceptional customer service, School Outfitters partners with 97% of the nation’s top 1,000 school districts. For leaders seeking a growth‑oriented environment where ownership mentality, customer obsession, and strategic expansion intersect, School Outfitters offers a rare and exciting opportunity! WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING As the Vice President of Business Development, you will play a critical role in driving School Outfitters' next phase of growth. This is a hands‑on business development leadership role for someone who wants to remain personally engaged in opening doors and winning major accounts while setting the strategy, standards, and accountability for the broader business development function. Strategic Account Growth Identify, pursue, win, and expand large national and regional B2B accounts. Develop account penetration strategies and multi-location expansion plans. Build and maintain executive‑level relationships with key decision‑makers. Identify opportunities to increase wallet share and expand relationships within strategic accounts. Lead account planning and growth reviews for high‑value opportunities and customers. Develop a clear strategy and path to purchase for complex enterprise opportunities. New Business Acquisition Personally lead the pursuit of major net‑new business opportunities and remain actively engaged in opening doors and winning new accounts. Develop aggressive target‑account strategies focused on high‑potential national and regional customers. Generate and maintain a sustainable enterprise pipeline through proactive outbound prospecting and relationship development. Open doors with senior‑level decision‑makers and navigate complex, multi‑stakeholder sales processes. Pursue opportunities capable of generating significant net‑new revenue and demonstrate clear personal ownership of results. Identify strategic partnerships, emerging market opportunities, and new customer segments that can accelerate growth. Challenge established approaches and develop creative strategies to position School Outfitters as the vendor of choice. Executive‑Level Selling Build credibility and trusted relationships with senior executives and key decision‑makers. Lead executive business reviews, strategic planning conversations, and high‑level customer engagements. Navigate complex organizations with multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and lengthy sales processes. Lead consultative sales conversations that uncover customer pain points, priorities, decision criteria, and buying processes. Translate customer needs into a clear path to purchase and an actionable strategy to win. Demonstrate strong presentation, negotiation, and commercial judgement throughout complex sales cycles. Lead, coach, and develop a high‑performing business development team focused on net‑new revenue and strategic account growth. Establish clear performance expectations, accountability, and standards for prospecting and pipeline development. Coach team members on enterprise selling, executive relationship development, prospecting, and account expansion. Lead pipeline reviews and opportunity strategy sessions, providing direction on the most important opportunities. Lead from the front by remaining personally engaged in major pursuits while enabling the broader team to manage, support, and grow accounts that have been won. Partner effectively with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and other internal teams to bring the right resources to major opportunities without diluting ownership or urgency. Customer Engagement & Field Leadership Spend significant time in the field developing relationships with prospects, customers, and executive decision‑makers. Lead customer visit strategy and participate in executive business reviews and strategic planning sessions. Use active listening to uncover customer pain points, priorities, decision criteria, and buying processes. Quickly identify the path to purchase and determine how to position School Outfitters to win. Clearly communicate customer insights and requirements to internal partners to ensure efficient solution development and execution. Maintain strong follow‑through on commitments made to customers and internal teams. Travel, nationally, approximately 60‑70%, to pursue major opportunities and strengthen high‑value relationships. Strategic Pipeline & CRM Management Establish disciplined standards for prospecting, pipeline development, opportunity progression, and CRM accuracy. Use HubSpot or comparable CRM data to monitor activity, opportunity progression, pipeline quality, and large‑deal strategy. Lead regular pipeline and opportunity reviews focused on action, accountability, and revenue outcomes. Ensure customer intelligence and opportunity strategy are clearly documented and transferable across the organization. Create disciplined handoffs as accounts transition from business development into ongoing account management and growth. Monitor industry trends, competitive activity, customer needs, and emerging market opportunities to identify areas for growth. Assess where School Outfitters has the strongest opportunity to expand its presence, including new customer segments, verticals, and strategic accounts. Translate market intelligence into actionable business development strategies, target‑account priorities, and approaches that differentiate School Outfitters in the marketplace. Challenge established assumptions and approaches when data, customer insight, or market dynamics point to a stronger path for growth. Bring a strong understanding of commercial drivers, competitive positioning, and customer buying behavior to major business development opportunities. IDEAL CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE 7+ years in business development, strategic sales, or commercial leadership with proven revenue growth results. 3+ years at VP level with a proven track record of successful net revenue generation as an individual contributor, and leading a team for net new revenue. Demonstrated success winning and managing strategic accounts of $1M+ annually. Experience selling into complex, multi‑stakeholder environments Strong CRM discipline (HubSpot or Salesforce). Willingness to travel - up to 50‑60% nationally. Experience developing scalable sales processes and enterprise pipelines. KEY PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES Relentless Drive: highly motivated by opening doors, winning new business, and moving quickly toward the next major opportunity. Executive Presence: Communicates with credibility and conviction and is comfortable challenging the status quo when supported by sound judgement. Hunter Mentality: Remains personally engaged in prospecting and major pursuits rather than relying primarily on inbound opportunities or the broader team to generate growth. Strategic Thinking: Sees the full opportunity within an account, identifies the path to purchase, and converts strategy into clear action. Leadership & Coaching: Sets high standards, provides accountability, and leads from the front while enabling the team to execute. Active Listening: Quickly identifies customer pain points, priorities, and decision criteria and uses those insights to shape the path to purchase. Relationship Building: Building executive relationships to create and win opportunities, not simply to maintain existing accounts. Accountability & Follow‑Through: Owns prospecting intensity, pipeline quality, customer commitments, and revenue outcomes. Results‑Focused Collaboration: Uses Sales Marketing, Operations, and other internal partners strategically to win business without diluting ownership, urgency, or accountability. Resilience & Adaptability : Responds constructively to losses and setbacks, adjusts strategy when needed, and maintains urgency through complex sales cycles. THE PAYOFF Play a highly visible role in shaping School Outfitters’ next phase of growth. Personally pursue major enterprise opportunities while building the strategy and discipline behind a high‑performing business development function. Have a meaningful voice in how School Outfitters expands into new customers, markets, and strategic accounts. Work with a collaborative executive team while having the autonomy to challenge conventional approaches and pursue new growth opportunities. Join a 100% employee‑owned company where leaders are expected to operate with an owner’s mindset and share in the long‑term value they create. OUR COMMITMENT TO CANDIDATES Gilman Partners is committed to strengthening leadership teams and elevating talent in our communities—and that means all qualified applicants will receive consideration. You do not have to meet every qualification in this job description to apply. If you’re drawn to the position and believe your experience makes you a good fit, we encourage you to apply. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS Role is based in Cincinnati. Onsite presence is essential when not traveling due to the highly interactive and collaborative nature of the role. #J-18808-Ljbffr School Outfitters