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Architecture, Engineering, Design, Construction, Consulting

Business Development Leader, Hospitality

Chicago, ILOnsiteFull Time$110,880–$177,320 /yrPosted 2 months agoVisa sponsorship available

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Required skills

  • Hospitality sector
  • Business Development Leader
  • decision-makers
  • relationships
  • designers
  • industry network
  • socially fearless
  • entrepreneurial
  • opportunities
  • client relationships

Nice to have

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • sales experience
  • CRM software
  • community industry organizations
  • oral communication
  • meeting facilitation

Role summary

DLR Group is seeking a Business Development Leader for their Hospitality sector, based out of any of their U.S. office locations. This role focuses on driving growth by identifying key decision-makers, building relationships, and collaborating with design teams and industry networks. The ideal candidate is outgoing, entrepreneurial, and experienced in the A/E/C or relevant hospitality industry, with at least 10 years of business development or sales experience. Responsibilities include qualifying leads, managing client relationships, developing a pipeline of opportunities, contributing to marketing strategies, and coordinating proposal responses. The position offers a hybrid work model and is part of an employee-owned firm.

DLR Group is an integrated design firm with a promise to elevate the human experience through design. This fuels the work we do around the world and inspires our mission to improve the lives of our clients, our communities, and our planet. If this sparks your interest, you’re in the right place.

We have an opening for a Business Development Leader to support our Hospitality sector. Join our team out of any of our U.S. office locations!

Position Summary:

We are seeking a motivated Business Development Leader to drive growth in our Hospitality Sector. This role is perfect for someone who thrives on identifying key decision-makers and building strong, lasting relationships, while collaborating closely with a talented team of designers and leveraging a robust industry network.

The ideal candidate is socially fearless, entrepreneurial, and ready to lead initiatives to uncover new opportunities, while also nurturing existing client relationships alongside Regional Sector Leaders, Client and Design Leaders, our National Hospitality Business Development Team as well as our Hospitality Global Sector Leader. Join our employee-owned firm and be part of a culture that values diverse design voices and a passion for impactful work both locally and globally.

The successful candidate will:

  • Bring A/E/C or relevant hospitality industry experience to identify, research, and qualify pursuit leads for full-scale, lifestyle, and luxury projects, engaging stakeholders across multiple channels
  • Focus on Lifestyle, Upper Upscale, Full Service and Luxury brands and developers
  • Collaborate closely with other design discipline teams (such as Interiors) to deliver integrated, client-focused solutions across all phases of pursuit and project delivery
  • Cultivate and manage long-term client relationships, partnering with the Hospitality Team to maintain engagement with current and former clients
  • Develop and maintain a robust pipeline of qualified opportunities, leading and driving business development efforts.
  • Actively engage in industry organizations and committees while gaining familiarity with DLR Group’s portfolio, experts, design ethos, and regional and national hospitality trends
  • Collaborate on sector marketing strategies and annual business planning, driving ROI and reducing Random Acts of Marketing (RAM)
  • Meet or exceed growth and fee targets in coordination with the Hospitality Team
  • Attend and assist in the coordination of industry conferences, handling logistics, registrations, and collateral
  • Prepare Business Development Reports, lead weekly strategy meetings, and maintain CRM and BD Tracking Report
  • Coordinate with our Marketing Team for RFQ/P responses, review proposals, and assist with interview logistics, attending as needed

    • Required Qualifications:

  • Interpersonal Skills: Outgoing and personable, adept at quickly building rapport and effective relationships, both internally and externally
  • Tenacity & Resilience: Enthusiastic about reaching out to prospects and resilient in facing rejection, with a strong sense of urgency and consistency in meeting deadlines
  • Professional Demeanor: Polished and capable of representing the firm at all levels, with a keen attention to detail, especially in marketing materials and communications
  • Receptive & Eager Learner: Open to feedback and constructive criticism, demonstrating a commitment to continuous learning
  • Organizational & Collaborative Skills: Excellent at prioritizing and managing multiple tasks efficiently; comfortable in both leadership and team-player roles with diverse personalities
  • Self-Starter & Knowledgeable: Motivated to work independently with minimal supervision, committed to understanding the firm’s practices, services, and goals.

    • Preferred Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • 10+ years of relevant business development experience and/or sales experience within the A/E/C, Design, or other relevant industries.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office products and experience utilizing CRM software
  • Involvement in community industry organizations
  • Strong oral, written communication, meeting facilitation, and presentation skills

    • Our comprehensive Benefits at DLR Group include medical, dental, vision, disability, wellness programs, flex spending, paid holidays, and paid time off. We also offer a 401(k) plan, employee stock ownership, and bonus opportunities. Compensation considerations are based on location, experience, and skills. The suggested pay range for this position is:

    Pay Range$110,880—$177,320 USD

    DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new builds, renovations, and adaptive reuse projects.

    We are 100% employee-owned: every employee is literally invested in our clients’ success. At the core of our firm are interdisciplinary teams engaged in every step of project lifecycles. Our teams champion true collaboration, open information sharing, shared risk and reward, value-based decision making, and proficient use of technology to deliver exceptional design. We are pursuing the goals of the 2030 Challenge, the ME2040, and the SE2050, and are an initial signatory of the China Accord and the AIA 2030 Commitment.

    Through our values – commitment, creativity, environmental stewardship, fun, integrity, ownership, sharing, teamwork – we elevate the human experience through design, together.DLR Group follows a four-day in-office work model, with employees having the flexibility to work somewhere other than the office on Fridays.

    We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/M/F/Veteran/Disabled employer.

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