Business Development Director - Climate

About SecondMuse

SecondMuse brings communities together to build economies that are good for people and protect the planet. We operate globally, running innovation programs in over 100 countries and 250 cities. Our work spans consulting, entrepreneurship support, and economy-building initiatives—with a common goal of driving social, environmental, and economic impact. 

The Opportunity

SecondMuse builds equitable, climate-positive economies. As the Business Development Director - Climate, your mandate is simple: fuel that mission with revenue. You will design and execute the go-to-market plan that lands flagship partnerships and funding for our Climate practice in North America.

Requirements

Core Responsibilities

You will be responsible for:

• Closing new climate revenue (mix of corporate, philanthropic, and public-sector contracts).
• Generating and actively managing a qualified pipeline in HubSpot.
• Mentoring & upskilling one Business Development Associate into a quota-carrying role.

Core Functions 

The primary function of this role is to secure funding to achieve SecondMuse’s climate goals by fundraising for our existing programs, and leveraging Secondmuse’s offerings to launch new climate-focused programs. This involves:

• Cultivating relationships – deepening ties with government agencies, climate-focused foundations, and Fortune-500 sustainability leads.
• Sourcing & closing deals – developing opportunities, finding RFPs, designing projects, crafting proposals, negotiating terms, and closing.
• Representing SecondMuse – speaking at industry events; publishing thought pieces that drive inbound inquiries.
• Running the engine – maintaining CRM hygiene, forecasting accurately, and using Gen-AI tools to accelerate prospecting and writing.
• Stewarding existing funders – building and implementing Client Stewardship plans that extend and expand existing projects, and identify new opportunities. 

Core Competencies

To succeed in this role, you must bring a unique mix of knowledge, capabilities, and values that enable them to lead with purpose and deliver impact. These competencies include:

• Strategic Revenue Generation: Ability to design and execute business development plans that translate into multi-million dollar contracts aligned with mission outcomes.
• Climate Sector Fluency: Deep understanding of climate innovation, sustainability initiatives, and economic and workforce development funding mechanisms in the U.S.
• Relationship-Driven Sales: Strong interpersonal and communication skills with a proven track record of building high-trust relationships across government, philanthropy, and corporate stakeholders.
• Deal Execution Excellence: Skilled in managing the full deal lifecycle—from sourcing and scoping to proposal writing, pitching, negotiation, and closing.
• Proposal Leadership: Exceptional written communication skills and the ability to write and coordinate complex, cross-functional proposals under a deadline.
• Adaptability & Ownership: Comfortable operating autonomously in a fast-paced, distributed environment, with strong prioritization and project management abilities.
• Bonus: AI-Enhanced Productivity: Proficient in using AI tools and CRM platforms to automate workflows, generate insights, and scale outbound efforts.

Education and Experience 

Experience comes in many different forms. At SecondMuse, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive community of individuals with a wide range of backgrounds. As guidance, we prefer applicants to have:

• Bachelor’s and advanced degree (e.g., MPA, MBA, MS in sustainability, etc.), preferably in public policy, business, environmental science, economics, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of experience in business development, consulting, or strategic partnerships—ideally in the climate, innovation, or economic development sectors.
• Demonstrated ability to secure $5–10M+ annually in funding across public, philanthropic, and corporate partners.
• Strong familiarity with the U.S. climate funding landscape, including municipal, state, and federal agencies, as well as major climate-focused foundations and corporate ESG leaders.
• Experience leading multi-stakeholder proposal processes, navigating procurement systems, and influencing client strategy pre-RFP.
• Track record of using CRM systems (e.g., HubSpot) and AI-enhanced tools for research, outreach, and writing.

Work Environment

We want candidates who will thrive in fast-paced, high-performing, learning-oriented, and collaborative work environments. This is a full-time role, ideally based in the New York metro area. Remote candidates in the listed geographies will be considered. Occasional travel—domestic and international—will be required. This position reports to the Head of Business Development in Honolulu, HI, and involves collaboration with teams across North America. Flexibility to work across US time zones is essential.

Our Commitment to Pay Equity

This role offers an annual base salary of $140,000 plus performance-based compensation and a comprehensive benefits package. At SecondMuse, we believe in fairness and transparency, which is why we have a no-negotiation policy to prevent bias and ensure wage equality. All compensation information will be discussed in detail before your first team interview to ensure alignment.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with up to 50% employer contribution
• 401(k) with employer 3% guaranteed employer contribution after 90 days
• Employer monthly mobile phone contribution
• Flexible work options
• Unlimited discretionary paid time off after the first 90 days 
• At least 12 paid holidays annually 
• Generous paid parental leave programs for all new parents
• Short-term disability insurance
• Employee assistance programs