Business Development Associate

Sponsorship Development AssociateThe Conference Board is seeking a highly organized, strategic, and results-oriented Sponsorship Development Associate to join the Sponsorships team. This role supports early-stage sponsorship pipeline growth, executive engagement, and awards-related business development across The Conference Board's Centers and flagship events portfolio.The Sponsorship Development Associate will identify and research prospective sponsors, honoree organizations, and executive participants; support outbound outreach and meeting generation; maintain pipeline discipline through CRM and sales enablement platforms; and contribute to strategic sponsorship initiatives, including awards dinners, recognition programs, and other high-profile engagement opportunities.Accountabilities:Prospecting, Outreach, and Pipeline DevelopmentConsistently meet or exceed monthly, quarterly, and annual pipeline targets by identifying, researching, and engaging decision-makers, influencers, prospective sponsors, and potential honoree organizations.Conduct targeted company, industry, and executive research to assess fit, strategic rationale, sponsorship potential, and alignment with The Conference Board's mission, audience priorities, and program objectives.Support outbound outreach across email, phone, LinkedIn, and other channels to generate meetings, advance conversations, and build early-stage relationships.Segment and prioritize prospects based on target industries, buyer personas, event or awards relevance, leadership profile, and revenue potential.Sponsorship and Executive Engagement SupportSupport sponsorship and executive engagement initiatives tied to conferences, awards dinners, recognition programs, and other strategic events.Draft tailored outreach language, meeting materials, invitation copy, and executive-facing communications for prospects, sponsors, honoree organizations, and internal stakeholders.Coordinate introductory conversations and follow-up activity between prospective organizations and internal leadership, Center, Sales, Programming, and Marketing teams.Develop briefing materials, talking points, and background research to support senior leader engagement and relationship-building discussions.Sales Strategy, Operations, and CollaborationWork closely with Sales, Programming, Marketing, and Center teams to refine outreach strategies, messaging, prospect targeting, and sponsorship positioning.Contribute to the development of sales collateral, pipeline materials, pricing support, and process improvements that streamline sponsorship operations.Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of prospect activity, outreach status, engagement history, and pipeline movement within CRM and sales enablement platforms.Support best practices in pipeline management, sales operations, and cross-functional coordination to improve team effectiveness.Reporting, Research, and AnalysisTrack key activity and performance metrics, including outreach volume, meeting conversion, pipeline growth, lead quality, engagement progress, and participation outcomes.Provide data-informed insights on prospecting performance, market trends, revenue potential, and sponsorship or awards pipeline development.Leverage research, CRM data, and analytics to refine targeting strategies, improve outreach effectiveness, and identify emerging opportunities.Perform other duties as assigned.Qualifications:Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, or a related field.0–3 years of experience in sales, business development, sponsorship, events, fundraising, donor relations, executive engagement, communications, or a related field.Strong communication, research, writing, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to synthesize information into clear, compelling, executive-facing materials.Demonstrated resilience, sound judgment, and problem-solving ability in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.Familiarity with CRM, sales enablement, research, and AI tools such as SugarCRM, HubSpot, ZoomInfo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, or similar platforms.Strong aptitude for pipeline management, revenue forecasting, reporting, and using data to inform sales and outreach strategy.Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently and collaboratively.What We Offer:The Conference Board is proud to embrace best practices in employee wellbeing. We offer a competitive total compensation package. As part of our benefits package, we offer flexibility with hybrid working capabilities, employer-sponsored learning and development, advancement opportunities, on-site health initiatives, a communal and collaborative working environment, and a strong sense of comradery with sports teams, clubs, and employee events.The Conference Board does not discriminate. We are an equal opportunity employer/M/F/Vet/Disabled.