Business Development Manager Resume Templates and Examples (Download in App)

  • Business Development Manager
  • Construction Business Development Manager
  • Global International Business Development Manager

As a business development manager, you already understand the importance of creating engaging proposals that resonate with clients and partners. Think of your resume as a value proposition targeted toward potential employers. Emphasize how you’ve consistently uncovered new business opportunities throughout your career. Display your ability to develop and implement impactful strategies to support long-term revenue and market growth. We’ll provide expert tips and examples to help you translate your experience into an exceptional business development manager resume.

Key takeaways:

  • Highlight measurable results: Feature monetary figures and hard data to convey your successful record in business development, such as revenue numbers, sales metrics, and market share growth.
  • Showcase your leadership capabilities: Demonstrate your ability to manage teams, liaise with clients, and build strategic partnerships using tangible examples from your work history.
  • Incorporate relevant skills: Include key skills like negotiation, market analysis, and strategic planning to optimize for applicant tracking systems (ATS).

How To Write a Business Development Manager Resume Example

To craft a business development manager resume that stands out in today’s market, you need to select a layout that provides a suitable structure for your content. Choose a design that allows you to organize your summary, skills, and professional experience in a clear and engaging way. Be sure that your template includes the following sections:

  • Contact information
  • Profile
  • Key skills
  • Professional experience
  • Education and certifications

1. Share your contact information

Provide your full name, phone number, email address, city and state, and a link to your LinkedIn profile or portfolio.

Example

John Smith
[email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | New York, NY | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnsmith

2. Write a compelling profile summarizing your business development manager qualifications

Your business development resume profile serves as your elevator pitch to the hiring manager. Your summary should provide a concise yet engaging overview of your career, showing your exceptional track record of generating positive business results. Start with an opening sentence that includes your title, years of experience, and three industry-related skills that align with the job description. Round your paragraph by exploring unique aspects of your background, such as your ability to develop strategic partnerships and increase penetration in new markets.

Profile Example #1

A results-driven business development manager with eight years of experience specializing in sales strategy, client relations, and account management. A proven track record of leading dynamic cross-functional teams to develop and deliver innovative client solutions. Adept at cultivating long-term strategic partnerships to maximize revenue growth.

Profile Example #2

An international business development manager with over 10 years of experience leading initiatives to drive global market expansion for e-learning companies and professional services providers valued at up to $200 million. A proven track record of establishing strategic partnerships with organizations across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

3. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section

After grabbing the reader’s attention with your profile, the next step is to explore your most compelling achievements in the professional experience section. Each bullet point should tell a story with a clear focus on how your contributions directly impacted the organization’s success. In addition to demonstrating your business development initiatives, be sure to feature accomplishments that speak to your leadership capabilities. Showcase how you’ve cultivated long-term relationships with clients, or how you’ve led dynamic cross-functional teams to achieve positive business outcomes.

Professional Experience Example #1

Senior Business Development Manager, Tech Innovators Group, San Diego, CA | July 2019 to present

  • Manage a portfolio of 25+ accounts generating $150,000 to $500,000 annually, cultivate long-term relationships, and deliver tailored solutions for client needs
  • Identify opportunities to cross-sell products and lead the implementation of targeted sales strategies, resulting in a 27% increase in account growth
  • Lead a 12-person business development team and provide coaching and mentorship to enhance sales performance and facilitate professional development

Professional Experience Example #2

Senior Business Development Manager, Urban Builders Inc., Chicago, IL | July 2020 to present

  • Lead all aspects of business development activities for a premiere construction company, leverage industry connections, and build relationships with clients and strategic partners to generate $17 million in new contracts
  • Manage a team of 15 project managers and business development professionals to prepare proposals and bids for new construction build-outs
  • Spearhead the implementation of a new customer relationship management (CRM) system to manage client relationships and enhance stakeholder communication, contributing to a 92% retention rate

Resume writer’s tip: Quantify your experience

Hiring managers want to see tangible results from your work history, so it’s essential to feature hard numbers whenever possible. As you build your content, reflect on how your initiatives have generated value for your previous employers. If you developed a new business strategy to acquire a new customer segment, showcase how this increased sales and gross revenue. And if you managed client accounts, incorporate a monetary figure to display the total combined value of the portfolio.

Do
  • "Manage a portfolio of over 25 accounts generating $150,000 to $500,000 annually, cultivate long-term relationships, and successfully deliver tailored solutions for client needs"
Don't
  • "Oversee multiple client accounts concurrently, deliver solutions, and successfully improve client relationships"

Resume writer’s tip: Tailor your resume for each application

It’s important to tailor your business development manager resume toward individual job postings. Rather than only listing keywords in your skills section, show how you applied relevant skill sets in your professional experience.

What if you don’t have experience?

If you have industry experience and want to advance to a business development manager position, the best strategy is to leverage the most relevant aspects of your previous work history. For example, even if you haven’t formerly managed a team, emphasizing how you successfully collaborated with cross-functional groups and other departments to achieve business goals can help show potential employers that you’re prepared for a leadership role.

For entry-level roles, focus on internships, coursework, or volunteer work. For example: “Developed marketing strategies for a local nonprofit, resulting in a 15% increase in donations.”

4. Include relevant education and certifications

Although your professional experience will always take the stage of your business development manager resume, it’s still important to display your education and industry certifications. Obtaining a master’s degree in business administration can greatly benefit your long-term career pursuits. Other specialized certifications, such as the Certified Business Development Manager (CBDM) credential, can also help you stand out to the hiring manager.

Education

Template:

[Degree Name], [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
[Relevant coursework or honors]

Example:

Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) | 2018
University of California, Los Angeles, CA

Certifications

Template:

[Certification Name] | [Awarding Organization] | [Completion Date]

Examples:

Certified Business Development Manager (CBDM), AIBM | 2020

5. List pertinent key skills

Most companies rely on some form of ATS to identify ideal candidates during the hiring process. To ensure your resume has enough keywords to pass the initial screening process, it’s important to build a robust skills section fully tailored to individual job postings. Feature a blend of business, marketing, sales, and leadership-oriented skills to show potential employers that you have a well-rounded, versatile background. Below, you’ll find a list of key terms to consider adding to your business development manager resume:

Key Skills
Account management Budgeting and forecasting
Business administration Business development
Business strategy Client relations
CRM software (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) Cross-functional leadership
Data analysis Financial analysis
Lead generation Pipeline development
Market research Negotiation
Relationship building Sales strategy
Strategic partnerships Strategic planning

Resume writer’s tip: Use common action verbs

Lead each bullet point with a powerful action verb to add a unique and engaging element to your writing. This allows the hiring manager to visualize your contributions better and enables you to take proper ownership of your accomplishments. That said, it’s important to diversify your word choice to give each bullet point a distinct feel. We’ve compiled a list of action verbs you can use to craft your professional experience section:

Action Verbs
Analyzed Built
Delivered Designed
Developed Drove
Enhanced Evaluated
Executed Generated
Identified Implemented
Improved Led
Managed Negotiated
Oversaw Spearheaded
Supported

How To Pick the Best Business Development Manager Resume Template

Choose a resume template that emphasizes clarity and professionalism. Avoid overly decorative designs. Focus on readability and ensuring your content is easy to navigate. Showcase your achievements and skills prominently to capture the hiring manager’s attention.

Business Development Manager Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

left
  • Business Development Manager
  • Construction Business Development Manager
  • Global International Business Development Manager
right

Aliya Jackson
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
San Diego, CA 12345
LinkedIn | Profile

Profile

A results-driven business development manager with eight years of experience specializing in sales strategy, client relations, and account management. A proven track record of leading dynamic cross-functional teams to develop and deliver innovative client solutions. Adept at cultivating long-term strategic partnerships to maximize revenue growth.

Professional Experience

Senior Business Development Manager, Tech Innovators Group, San Diego, CA | July 2019 to present

  • Manage a portfolio of 25+ accounts generating $150,000 to $500,000 annually, cultivate long-term relationships, and deliver tailored solutions for client needs
  • Identify opportunities to cross-sell products and lead the implementation of targeted sales strategies, resulting in a 27% increase in account growth
  • Lead a 12-person business development team and provide coaching and mentorship to enhance sales performance and facilitate professional development

Business Development Manager, Smart Solutions LLC, Irvine, CA | June 2016 to July 2019

  • Oversee all aspects of business development and sales strategy for a portfolio of 18 client accounts, generating up to $250,000 in annual recurring revenue (ARR)
  • Collaborated cross-functionally with the marketing team to develop and implement digital advertising campaigns, contributing to a 17% increase in client acquisition
  • Performed competitive analysis and market research to uncover new business opportunities, resulting in a 22% increase in sales over three years

Key Skills

  • Account management
  • Strategic partnerships
  • Marketing strategy
  • Sales negotiation
  • Cross-functional leadership

Certifications

Certified Sales Executive (CSE), NASP | 2016

Education

Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) | 2016
California State University, Fullerton, CA


Why this business development manager resume is strong:

In this resume example, the candidate leverages hard numbers and metrics to convey their experience in establishing and maintaining strong client relationships. Highlighting specific monetary figures helps to establish the size of the portfolios they managed. The applicant also conveys their expertise in leading cross-functional teams, which is essential for business development manager positions.

Frequently Asked Questions: Business Development Manager Resume Examples and Advice

How do you align your resume with a business development job description?

Due to the lucrative nature of business development manager roles, you will likely encounter strong competition on the open market. To maximize your chances of securing interviews during your search, aligning your resume with the job description is essential. Emphasize key aspects of your experience and industry knowledge that show you’re the ideal candidate.

For example, if a company is looking for an applicant with a background in international business, emphasize how you’ve led global teams or helped drive expansion into new markets in other countries. If an employer seeks a candidate who excels in building relationships, highlight examples of you cultivating strategic partnerships and liaising with client stakeholders.

What is the best business development manager resume format?

Reverse chronological is the best resume format for business development managers. This lets you feature your most recent and relevant experience at the top of your document. A combination approach is better suited for entry-level candidates who need to prioritize skills, certifications, and education in lieu of a robust work history.

Expert advice:

Include a cover letter with your resume

Providing a well-crafted cover letter is a great way to complement your resume. This allows you to establish additional context for your achievements and convey your genuine enthusiasm for the opportunity. Be sure to mention something specific about the company’s culture, services, or reputation to add a personal touch to your application.

Andrew Stoner

Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach

Andrew Stoner is an executive career coach and resume writer with 17 years of experience as a hiring manager and operations leader at two Fortune 500 Financial Services companies, and as the career services director at two major university business schools.

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