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Director of Business Development
Long Beach, CA
Job Overview
Aquila Transportation is seeking an extraordinary leader to join our growing startup team and play a pivotal role in building and scaling our Business Development department from the ground up. The Director of Business Development will work directly with the COO to design and implement a high-performance sales strategy, rooted in our mission, vision, and core values, with the dual purpose of securing new business and sustaining meaningful relationships with our current customers.
This individual will be both architect and builder — establishing the processes, policies, and infrastructure that will shape the department’s future while personally driving revenue in the present. In the early stages, this role will encompass the full spectrum of departmental responsibilities, from prospecting and closing new accounts to developing marketing touchpoints and maintaining client relationships through regular communication, visits, and seasonal marketing campaigns. Over time, the Director will recruit, train, and lead a team of sales professionals, setting the standard for performance, culture, and execution.
We are seeking a dynamic leader with proven experience in the transportation industry and an established book of business they can bring to Aquila, who thrives in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment with minimal oversight. This is a hands-on role for someone who is equally adept at opening doors as they are at building the systems and teams that keep them open. The Director of Business Development will be instrumental in achieving Aquila’s volume and margin targets while creating a scalable foundation for sustainable growth.
Responsibilities & Duties
Strategic Development & Leadership
o Partner with ownership to design and execute a comprehensive business development strategy that aligns with Aquila’s mission, vision, and growth objectives.
o Build the Business Development department from the ground up, establishing the structure, processes, and performance standards necessary for long-term scalability.
o Lead by example, embodying Aquila’s core values and setting a high-performance culture for future sales team members.
o Partner with Operations to ensure all commitments are met from Delivery Order receipt through final execution, maintaining flawless service with no details overlooked.
o Collaborate with Operations to anticipate growth needs, securing additional drivers and equipment to support increasing volumes and enable sustainable, long-term expansion.
o Capable of rolling up their sleeves to drive and oversee operational execution
Sales Execution & Revenue Growth
o Prospect, engage, and close new business to meet or exceed annual volume and margin targets.
o Leverage an existing book of business to generate immediate revenue opportunities and long-term partnerships.
o Develop and maintain a robust sales pipeline through targeted outreach, field visits, networking, and industry events.
o Administer the customer onboarding process to ensure all compliance, protocols and contractual requirements are met.
o Achieve key performance indicators (KPIs) related to sales results, customer satisfaction, and revenue growth.
Customer Retention & Relationship Management
o Maintain and grow existing customer relationships through regular communication, in-person visits, and seasonal marketing packages (e.g., summer, holiday campaigns).
o Serve as a trusted point of contact for client needs, ensuring a high standard of service and responsiveness.
o Identify upselling and cross-selling opportunities to increase account profitability.
o Quote drayage and transloading services quickly accurately and profitably
Process, Policy, & Infrastructure Development
o Create and refine policies, procedures, and workflows to optimize sales operations, CRM usage, and reporting.
o Establish tracking and performance metrics to evaluate sales activity, pipeline health, and conversion rates.
o Work cross-functionally with Operations, Marketing, and Finance to ensure alignment and seamless service delivery.
Team Building & Management
o Recruit, hire, and train high-caliber sales professionals as the department grows and to exceed individual and team targets.
o Provide ongoing coaching, performance management, and professional development for team members.
o Foster a collaborative, accountable, and results-driven environment.
Market Intelligence & Branding
o Monitor market trends, competitive activity, and customer feedback to inform strategy and maintain a competitive edge.
o Collaborate with Marketing to develop targeted campaigns, sales materials, and brand messaging that support business objectives.
o Represent Aquila at trade shows, conferences, and networking events to enhance brand presence and generate leads.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Supply Chain, Transportation Logistics, or related field.
MBA/MS and significant work experience in sales leadership, strategic business development, or enterprise account management highly desired (preferred).
Minimum 5 years of management experience leading sales, business development, or account management teams — including hiring, training, coaching, and performance management.
7+ years of experience in sales, business development, or account management — required intermodal drayage, transportation, or logistics — with a proven track record of meeting or exceeding revenue and margin goals.
Demonstrated success building and scaling sales processes, teams, and strategies from the ground up.
5-7 years of P&L responsibility and experience developing sales forecasts, budgets, and KPIs to drive sustainable growth.
Demonstrated experience cultivating and maintaining a book of business, expanding accounts, and building relationships that last years — not quarters.
Proven ability to open doors, close deals, and execute strategic initiatives without pre-existing structures or templates.
Experience with CRM platforms and sales analytics tools; skilled in pipeline management and performance reporting.
High-level proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, macros, index/match, VLOOKUP, VBA, data links, etc.) and experience with analytical tools such as SQL, Power BI, or M365.
Demonstrated ability to think strategically and execute methodically, balancing long-term vision with immediate revenue needs.
Executive-level written and oral communication skills (…and knows the difference between a compelling pitch and a dry report).
Technical writing and presentation skills for creating proposals, RFP responses, and data-driven business cases.
Experience negotiating and closing high-value contracts in competitive markets.
Strong analytical and quantitative skills with the ability to back up assumptions and recommendations with data.
Proven experience influencing internal and external stakeholders without formal authority to adopt new initiatives or processes.
Demonstrated ability to dive deep into understanding the product, the customer, and the competitive landscape.
Comfortable navigating ambiguous situations and shifting priorities without losing momentum.
High attention to detail, including proven ability to manage multiple competing priorities simultaneously (and the right candidate will mention in their interview that they know Aquila’s brand color is #F2BA2D and can explain why that matters in business development).
Someone who knows how to work hard and play hard (“…the type of person you’d actually want to have a beer with after work”).