Job Details

Sales Development Manager / Business Development Manager

A Sales Development Manager (SDM) at the Center for Aquaculture Technologies (CAT) is a proactive and goal-oriented sales professional with 2–5 years of experience driving revenue growth in aquaculture and/or life sciences markets. The candidate will be skilled in managing full sales cycles, from lead generation to closing, while nurturing long-term client relationships. The SDM is adept at analyzing market trends, consultative selling with strategic negotiation to maximize CAT's customer value and business profitability, delivering persuasive presentations, and leveraging CAT's HubSpot CRM system to meet and exceed quarterly targets. The position works together with the lab operations, genetic scientists and marketing departments to utilize your assigned portfolio and geography to bring CAT's Next Generation Breeding™ solutions and sustainable aquaculture to CAT's growing customer base and prospects.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the primary point of contact for clients, ensuring their needs and expectations are met. Foster loyalty and retention as you manage your territory of existing and new clients. Perform business reviews with clients to align strategic goals for each fiscal year
• Works their list of prospects, qualified leads, expanding awareness of CAT. Leads prospecting initiatives to create new leads in focus areas (specific species, geographies, etc.).
• Utilizes Marketing sourced MQLs and SQLs from various channels such as website inquiries and research/intelligence to contact and qualify possible clients, establish relationships, and convert them into sales-qualified leads.
• Identifies strategic opportunities of the SQLs and presents CAT portfolio solutions by giving technical presentations and preparing quotes and proposals illustrating CAT's solutions.
• Identify opportunities for upselling and cross-selling services to CAT's existing clients. Actively seek new business opportunities and develop strategies to grow the client portfolio.
• Organizes sales activities collecting and sharing notes in HubSpot CRM.
• Collects and reports on market intelligence into the Marketing Dept.
• Project Coordination: Oversees the implementation of projects and campaigns, ensuring timely and accurate delivery of services. Facilitate communication between clients and internal teams to manage expectations and project progress.
• Performs routine reporting such as the number of 1) qualified leads created, quotes/proposals made, new customers created, and opportunities closed; 2) execution of initiatives; 3) commercial case studies, etc.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including sales, marketing, and customer success, to ensure a cohesive approach to client management.

Essential Skills

• Time management: Shall have exceptional ability to organize tasks, meet deadlines, and effectively manage time to maintain productivity.
• Prospecting: Candidate has a hunter mentality and can identify, contact and engage potential customers. Candidate shows abilities for social selling and active listening.
• Strategic Selling – Utilizes inputs from the sales process to strategically plan out and execute future steps to close the opportunity by managing the entire decision making group, leveraging CAT strengths and mitigating client objections towards a win-win solution.
• Services/Product Presentation/Demonstration: Perform product demonstrations and presentations to prospective clients. Delivering engaging and clear solutions that demonstrate CAT's competencies and build trust during the sales process. Candidate shows ability for speaking in public forums.
• Aquaculture Industry and Product Knowledge: Provide prospective clients with all the information they need about the company's offerings, showing prospects the value of doing business with CAT and aids their decision-making.
• Value-Based Selling: Highlighting the benefits and outcomes of a product or service rather than just its features or price.
• Closing and Negotiation Skills: Has the ability to navigate difficult scenarios with prospects and clients, by applying effective techniques to close complex sales. Can confidently ask for the sale and move opportunities through the funnel with maximum velocity.
• Personal Traits: Including active listening, effective communication, anticipating customer needs, understanding and anticipating customer needs, public speaking, relationship builder, persuasiveness, honesty, empathy, conflict management, and adaptability.

Qualifications for the Position

• Previous Sales Experience: 2-5 years AND
• Fluent in English as a first or second language AND
• Currently holds a position within the Aquaculture/Fisheries industry (Operations, Feed, etc.) OR

Science background including animal sciences, biology, molecular biology, or related science. (5-10 yrs)

Working Conditions (CAL/OSHA–Aligned)

Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods of sitting/keyboard work (frequent 4–6 hours/day), with intermittent standing, walking, and stair climbing during site visits.
• Occasional bending, reaching, and twisting when reviewing equipment, samples, or records.
• Lifting/Carrying: up to 10 lbs. frequently (laptop, documents, small equipment) and up to 25 lbs. occasionally (samples or materials). Requests exceeding these limits require assistance or mechanical aid.
• Ability to don, doff, and work in PPE (e.g., lab coat/coveralls, gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection, boots) for extended walkthroughs.

Work Environment & Exposure

• Office/Remote: typical indoor environment; ergonomic workstation expected.
• Laboratory/Hatchery/Processing Sites (periodic):
  • Wet/slippery surfaces, humidity, and variable temperatures; potential odors typical of aquaculture settings.
  • Intermittent exposure to disinfectants/cleaners, routine lab reagents, and biological materials; work follows Company IIPP, Hazard Communication, Biosafety/Biosecurity SOPs, and posted site rules.
  • Noise: usually quiet to moderate; maybe elevated near pumps, blowers, or processing equipment—hearing protection required per site protocols.
  • Possible allergen exposure related to aquatic species or feed; appropriate controls and PPE provided.
• Driving/Field Visits: adherence to local driving regulations and visitor rules.

Noise Level

• Office/remote: Quiet to moderate.
• Facility visits: Moderate; may become loud near mechanical equipment. Follow posted hearing protection requirements.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Worn as required by site: safety glasses/face shield, gloves, lab coat/coveralls, non-slip or waterproof footwear, high-visibility vest, hearing protection, and other PPE specified by risk assessment. Biosecurity measures (e.g., footbaths, hand hygiene, dedicated boots) must be followed at all aquaculture sites.

Ability to Travel

• Travel up to 25–50% or more as needed, domestic and international, including multi-day trips to labs, hatcheries, government/regulatory offices, conferences, and partner facilities.
• Must maintain travel readiness (valid passport/visas) and comply with site-specific health, safety, and biosecurity requirements.

Ergonomics & Safe Practices

• Company provides ergonomic adjustments for office/remote work consistent with California guidelines; employees are expected to use safe lifting techniques and request assistance for heavy/bulky items.
• Participation in required safety trainings (e.g., Hazard Communication, PPE, Biosafety/Biosecurity, Hearing Conservation if applicable) and adherence to the Company Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP).

Reasonable Accommodation

• The Company engages in an interactive process and provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role, consistent with the ADA and applicable California law.