Business Development Associate

The Business Development Associate strengthens customer relationships, supports field operations, and drives growth within assigned markets. This role serves as the primary liaison between our customers and internal teams, ensuring construction, purchasing, and warranty partners receive exceptional service, timely communication, and consistent follow-through. Key Responsibilities Develop an understanding of the market and major players; use tools such as Zonda and business journals to increase market knowledge and awareness. Attend IES training sessions and ride along with KEP personnel to gain knowledge of all three trades and KEP operations. Attend industry trade events for networking and market awareness. Maintain strong long‑term relationships with construction, purchasing, and warranty teams to ensure our work meets scheduling and quality guidelines. Allocate time approximately: 45% with construction teams, 45% with purchasing teams, 10% with warranty teams. Attend construction and purchasing meetings to ensure we are delivering the quality expected from KEP. Build and maintain a schedule to periodically meet with customers across assigned cities through scheduled visits and drop‑ins. Utilize approved sales assets to provide occasional appreciation items to customers. Organize quarterly luncheons with construction and purchasing teams to gather feedback and strengthen relationships. Maintain a schedule of four days in the field and one day in the office for internal and external collaboration. Ensure end‑to‑end customer satisfaction, track and report insights gathered from customer discussions, and follow up on the resolution of any issues. Track customer satisfaction metrics and assist in implementing improvement plans when necessary. Attend weekly meetings to review findings from the previous week and outline the upcoming schedule. Share feedback and insights from customer meetings with the KEP team; collaborate with internal teams and market managers to keep operations on track. Escalate urgent matters to the appropriate internal team members and provide weekly feedback on pricing discussions uncovered during customer meetings or calls. Use CRM systems to maintain accurate and up‑to‑date records, document customer interactions, and update project information. Maintain accurate monthly expense reporting and documentation. Qualifications Strong interpersonal and relationship‑building skills. Effective verbal and written communication in English with field personnel, customers, and internal teams. Highly organized, self‑motivated, and capable of working independently in a field‑based role. Strong problem‑solving skills, asking thoughtful questions, and following through on customer needs. Prior experience in construction, business development, customer service, or a related field is preferred but not required. Willingness to travel within assigned markets. Minimum Education: None. Minimum Years of Experience: 2‑4 years. Work Environment This role is primarily field‑based, with regular visits to construction sites, customer offices, and industry events. The work follows a schedule of four days in the field and one day in the office. Occasional early morning or evening meetings may occur depending on customer schedules or industry events. Work may take place in construction environments, office settings, and occasional outdoor conditions. Physical Requirements Ability to walk construction sites and navigate uneven terrain; stand or walk for extended periods; drive frequently between customer locations; lift or carry items up to approximately 25 pounds; use a computer, mobile phone, and CRM tools for reporting and communication. License Required Driver's license required. Job Location Cincinnati, Ohio (US-OH-Cincinnati). Benefits Competitive pay 401(k) plan with employer contribution match Paid time off Paid life insurance Choice of medical coverage including prescription and short‑term disability plans Choice of dental and vision coverage Optional long‑term disability, critical illness, accident, legal and pet coverage Auto and home insurance discount programs EEO Statement IES is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: Minorities, Females, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Individuals with Disabilities, Protected Veterans. IES prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, individuals with disabilities, protected veterans, or any other protected status or characteristic. This policy applies to recruiting, hiring, transfers, promotions, terminations, compensation, benefits, and all other terms and conditions of employment, and also states that retaliation against any employee who files a complaint regarding possible violations of this policy will not be tolerated. IES is also committed to taking affirmative steps to promote the employment of minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans. IES develops affirmative action programs to support its commitment to equal employment opportunity, consistent with company policy and the company's obligations as a contractor to the United States government. IES provides reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Applicants who need accommodation in the job application process should contact the IES corporate office at View phone number on click.appcast.io or any IES office to request assistance. IES Participates in E‑Verify. Right to Work. English Spanish. #J-18808-Ljbffr