Business Development Manager

Business Development Manager | Fully Remote | Full-Time

Our Mission

To change how organizations work.

Trao is an AI R&D lab for mid-market and enterprise companies. We research, design, build, and deploy software and AI systems.

We've delivered work across industries, including:

• Large banks such as CommBank (one of Australia's largest banks)
• The UK Government
• US-based family offices
• Numerous VC-backed startups
• Behind the scenes is a small team obsessed with precision, speed, and consistently over-delivering high-quality work. We are engineering-first, detail-oriented, and focused on solving real business problems through systems most teams consider impossible.

We work on ambitious projects.

The Role

This is a full-time Business Development Manager position.

You will work at the intersection of sales, product, and engineering. Your role will be to identify and open new business opportunities, build and manage a pipeline of enterprise and mid-market clients, and translate client needs into scoped, sellable engagements for our engineering team to deliver.

You will work closely with founders, prospective clients, and engineers to bring clarity to complex deals and help ensure new business is practical, well-scoped, and aligned with what Trao can realistically deliver at a high bar.

This is a high-ownership, full-time role for someone who is persuasive, structured in their thinking, and excited to sell real-world AI and software solutions into serious organizations.

Work Style & Expectations

• Full-time, fully remote
• Fast timelines, real deadlines, real ownership
• High-intensity environment with a demanding workload and a fast pace
• Direct collaboration with founders and engineers
• High-performance bar
• If you are not target-driven, structured in your thinking, and energized by closing deals, this role will not be a good fit.

What You'll Do

1. Pipeline Generation & Outreach

• Identify and prospect target accounts across banks, government, family offices, and VC-backed startups
• Build and manage a structured outbound pipeline across multiple channels
• Research target industries, buyers, and competitors to sharpen outreach
• Qualify inbound leads and prioritize based on fit and deal potential
• You will keep the pipeline full and moving.

2. Client Discovery & Deal Structuring

• Lead client discussions and requirements gathering alongside founders
• Identify business objectives, constraints, and success metrics for prospective clients
• Translate ambiguous client needs into clear, scoped proposals
• Negotiate terms and manage the deal from first conversation to signed contract
• You will turn conversations into closed business.

3. Cross-Functional Deal Support

• Work closely with engineers to ensure proposals are technically grounded and deliverable
• Help define project scope, timelines, and success criteria before handoff
• Support account growth and expansion opportunities post-delivery
• Maintain CRM hygiene and provide accurate forecasting to founders
• You will bridge sales and engineering.

Bonus

• Experience selling software
• Familiarity with CRM systems
• Exposure to AI tools, automation workflows, or technical sales
• Prior experience in business development, consulting, or enterprise sales

Requirements (Non-Negotiable)

• Strong track record of pipeline generation and closing deals
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• High attention to detail
• Ability to operate in ambiguity and move fast
• High ownership mindset
• Bias toward action

How to Apply

Apply on LinkedIn. If you believe you are an exceptional fit, reach out to [email protected] with 3-4 lines on what makes you a great fit.