Senior Manager, Business Development & Production

The Independents

$100K — $130K *
Business Services
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-8 years of experience in business development within live event production or experiential marketing.
  • Familiarity with production processes and budget management for effective client communication.
  • Experience managing RFP processes and developing proposals.
  • Proven track record in building client relationships from inquiry to contract execution.
  • Strong organizational skills to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
  • Clear communicator, comfortable interacting with clients and senior staff.
  • Financial literacy to manage budgets and evaluate commercial terms.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the primary contact for inbound client inquiries and business opportunities.
  • Qualify potential projects by summarizing scope, fit, and feasibility.
  • Manage the end-to-end RFP process, ensuring stakeholder alignment.
  • Coordinate between design, production, and executive teams for proposal strategies.
  • Maintain ongoing communication with clients during pitch cycles.
  • Track business development pipelines and update stakeholders regularly.
  • Support outbound business development initiatives and strategic partnerships.

Benefits

  • Full-time in-office position based in New York for enhanced team collaboration.
  • Goal-based performance bonuses tied to business development success and overall growth.
  • Professional development opportunities linked to career advancement and increased responsibilities.
  • Access to a supportive and cross-functional team environment to enhance learning.
Full Job Description
The Senior Manager, Business Development & Production is a cross-functional role responsible for fielding and managing inbound business opportunities and developing winning proposals, while providing strategic production support on select projects. This person serves as the primary point of contact for incoming RFPs and client inquiries, coordinating internally across design, production, and leadership to develop competitive proposals and ensure smooth handoffs to execution.

The majority of the role is dedicated to business development intake, proposal strategy, and pipeline management. The remainder is focused on production support and internal operational coordination where production expertise adds value to the sales process.

This role is well-suited to someone with a solid background in production or a related field who is ready to step into a client-facing, commercially driven leadership role - working closely with Partners and directors to identify, pursue, and convert new business opportunities rather than leading productions day-to-day.
Key Responsibilities:

BusinessDevelopment&Opportunity Intake

Serve as the first point of contact for all inbound new business inquiries from prospective and current clients

Qualify and evaluate incoming opportunities, summarizing scope, fit, and feasibility for the company

Manage RFP processes from receipt through submission, keeping all internal stakeholders on track

Coordinate between design, production, and executive leadership to align on proposal direction and capacity

Maintain client communication throughout pitch cycles, ensuring timely follow-up and a professional experience

Track pipeline activity and provide regular status updates to Partners

Identify opportunities to expand existing client relationships and generate repeat business

Support outbound business development efforts, networking opportunities, and strategic partnerships as needed

Proposal Development & Coordination

Lead the assembly of pitch materials, including:

Strategic outlines and positioning

Creative references and location recommendations

Production timelines and preliminary budgets

Ensure proposals reflect company positioning, available capacity, and profitability targets

Support Partners in deal structuring and commercial review

Help navigate vendor onboarding and procurement requirements for new clients

Develop compelling client presentations and proposals that effectively communicate Prodject's creative capabilities

Production Support

Provide strategic production guidance on select projects to ensure successful delivery and continuity between the development, design and execution teams

Assist with vendor coordination, scheduling, and logistics on active projects as needed

Contribute to post-project reviews to help refine systems and improve profitability

Vendor & Resource Coordination

Help source and vet vendors, creatives, and production resources as needed

Assist in maintaining company brand materials including pitch decks, website, and social media

Support the ongoing development of business development materials, case studies, and proposal templates
Qualifications & Experience

5-8 years of experience in business development, in live event production, experiential marketing, or a related field

Familiarity with production processes, budgets, and vendor management - enough to credibly guide proposals and communicate with clients

Experience supporting or managing RFP processes and proposal development

Demonstrated ability to build client relationships and manage opportunities from initial inquiry through contract execution

Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously

Clear, confident communicator - comfortable interfacing with clients and senior stakeholders

Financially literate; comfortable working with budgets and reviewing commercial terms

Based in New York and comfortable working full-time in-office

Compensation

Basesalary:$100k-130k

Bonus:Goal-based performance bonuses tied primarily to business development outcomes, and overall company growth with consideration for production delivery support

Compensation expected to grow with expanded impact and company scale

Division PRODJECT Locations New York - Mercer Street

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