Business Development Manager

Business Canterbury | Christchurch CBD | Full-time, permanent

Help more Canterbury businesses get the support they need to grow. This is a true new business role: your territory, your pipeline, your results.

About the role

Reporting to the Sales Account Lead, the Business Development Manager brings new members and customers to Business Canterbury, and helps existing members get more from what we offer.

You will generate your own pipeline, have real conversations with business owners about what they are trying to achieve, and match them to the right membership, training, advice or connections. Success is measured on new business won and on the activity that gets you there.

What you’ll do

• Build your own pipeline: work your own prospect list with calls, face-to-face meetings, referrals and diligent follow up. Qualify well, diagnose the need, and convert.
• Grow membership: run targeted prospecting, follow up inbound interest from campaigns, and keep sharpening how we tell businesses what we do.
• Help existing members get more value: run discovery conversations to understand what a business needs next, then connect them to Canterbury Trusted, training, events, advice or media where it genuinely helps.
• Spot the businesses ready for more: recognise growth signals such as new headcount, new markets or a change in leadership, and build the case for the membership tier that fits them.
• Own your numbers: keep HubSpot accurate and your forecast defensible, so reporting and commission are reliable.
• Get out there: represent Business Canterbury at networking and industry events to build profile, relationships and referrals.

What you’ll bring

• 3+ years in a B2B new business sales role, with a track record of self-generated prospecting and cold outreach.
• Demonstrated success closing new business against revenue targets.
• Genuine curiosity about business and a good grasp of the Canterbury economy, so you can see what will actually add value.
• Excellent communication skills in person, on the phone and in writing.
• Strong organisation and administration, and confident use of Microsoft Office.
• Resilience and persistence. You are energised by the win and unfazed by a no.
• HubSpot experience and a background in membership-based organisations are both a bonus.

What’s in it for you

• Your own portfolio, and the autonomy to go and build it.
• A broad offering to take to market, from membership through to training, events, advice and media.
• Access to business leaders across every sector of the Canterbury economy.
• A commercially driven team that celebrates the win and backs you to get there.
• A central Christchurch office and work that supports 2,800+ Canterbury businesses.

About Business Canterbury

As the home and voice of Canterbury business, our purpose is to back businesses to thrive by building capability, connections, and advocacy. With more than 2,800 members at the heart of everything we do, we’re recognised as one of New Zealand’s most influential business voices and a globally recognised leading Chamber.

We’re fiercely focused on impact, and our team thrives on collaboration, innovation, and making a real difference for our members, customers, and community. Our values guide everything we do: lead the change and the charge; be the best business partner; fiercely focused on what’s best for our customers; commercially driven for impact; authenticity matters.

How to apply

Click Apply Now to submit your CV and a short cover letter telling us about a new customer you won from a standing start. The full position description is available on our website.

Applications close at 5.00pm on 2 October 2026

Applicants must have the right to work in New Zealand. This is a full-time, office-based role in central Christchurch. Connection and collaboration are part of how we work every day.