What Is a Business Development Associate? + How to Become One

Business development associates have a clear aim: to improve a company's business by identifying new opportunities and customer relationships. This kind of work typically relies on a compelling intersection of skills, including market research, business intelligence, data analysis, communication, and problem-solving. If you enjoy thinking strategically about key business problems and drawing on both research and data to inform solutions, then this may be a good opportunity for you.

In this article, we'll go into more detail about what a business development associate does and how to pursue this lucrative career path. If you're interested in developing important skills for this type of work, consider enrolling in the IBM Business Analyst Professional Certificate, where you'll learn how to deliver data-driven insights and ensure all solutions you produce meet business goals.

What does a business development associate do?

As a business development associate, your role is to help a company grow through new opportunities, such as by attracting new customers and improving customer retention. More often than not, your work will entail supporting (and likely improving) a range of sales, marketing, and even product development initiatives.

Business development associate: duties and responsibilities

The specific duties and responsibilities of a business development associate will depend largely on the industry, company size, and even the type of company you end up working for. However, in general, business development associates are often responsible for the following:

• Analyzing current market and processes for growth opportunities

• Researching new markets and customers 

• Developing and implementing growth strategies

• Setting goals for the business to achieve and monitoring input and development

• Building and maintaining client relationships

• Assisting with marketing and brand awareness

• Attending networking events and industry events

Business development associate skills

Business development associates have a specific skill set that draws on both technical and workplace abilities. These include:

Technical skills

• Market research 

• Lead generation

• Data analysis 

• Business development 

• Business intelligence

• Project management

• Customer relationship management (CRM) 

• Sales prospecting

Workplace skills

• Communication

• Collaboration

• Strategic thinking

• Negotiation

• Leadership

• Critical thinking 

• Problem-solving

• Time management

Where do business development associates work?

Business development associates work across industries, including health care, construction, IT, cybersecurity, e-commerce, and engineering. Essentially, they are in demand where businesses need to grow.

Business development associates usually work across multi-functional teams, so you may find yourself collaborating with various departments throughout an organization or giving presentations to staff members. However, you'll also spend a portion of your time working independently.

Generally, this role is office-based, though you may find some remote opportunities. And, depending on the company, you may be expected to travel.  

Business development associate salary and career outlook

The career outlook for a business development associate is good, with faster-than-average projected job growth between 2022 and 2032 [1]. It is a popular career choice for those with business, marketing, or sales experience and offers career progression opportunities.

According to Glassdoor, the average annual business development associate salary for 1-3 years of experience is $64,690, though additional pay, such as bonuses and revenue sharing, can greatly increase your total annual earnings [2]. For instance, the same experience range earns an average total pay of $108,126.

Business development: career advancement

After working as a business development associate, many options are available for advancement, including being promoted into (or pursuing) more senior positions in business development, such as business development manager and then senior business development manager [3]. 

Another option is to use your business development knowledge to explore other relevant roles, such as marketing manager or account manager. Another option is to work as a consultant, specializing in a certain sector. 

Some possible career advancement options and their average annual salaries are as follows:

• Business development manager: $99,865 [4]

• Senior business development manager: $139,228 [5]

• Business development strategist: $96,498 [6]

• Business development consultant: $82,520 [7]

• Director of business development: $132,978 [8]

How to become a business development associate

If a business development associate role fits your career well, credentials and experience can help you find a job. Business development associates generally need a degree, previous experience, and sometimes additional certifications.

1. Earn a degree.

The minimum requirement for a business development associate role is typically a bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or a similar major. According to Zippia, 78.3 percent of business development associate employees have at least a bachelor’s degree and 11.7 percent have a master’s degree [9].

2. Gain experience.

To become a business development associate, you may need to gain some relevant experience in marketing, sales, or customer relations. While previous experience isn't always necessary, many businesses prefer that you have between two and five years. 

Working as an intern as part of your college studies is an excellent way to gain experience, as is gaining experience in customer service, sales, and marketing positions. Similarly, gaining an entry-level role in business development, such as a market research analyst, business development representative, or sales development representative, is an excellent way to gain experience.

3. Develop your business and data skills.

Having the relevant skills to become a business development associate is important. These are generally developed through education and experience. For example, working as a sales development representative can help you develop your sales and communication skills, while working as a marketing coordinator can help you develop your market research skills.

4. Consider a certification.

To put yourself ahead of the competition when applying for a business development associate job, you can study for a certification to add to your resume. Examples you might consider include:

• The Certified Professional Sales Person (CPSP)

• Certified Business Development Manager (CBDM)

• Certified Sales and Marketing Professional (CSMP)

Build important business development skills with Coursera

Build or advance your skills in business development on Coursera. You'll find a range of programs to improve your data, business, marketing, and sales skills.

• Get comfortable with the subject matter while learning how to solve real business problems with the University of Pennsylvania's Business Foundations Specialization.

• Grow confident using data to understand key business scenarios with the IBM Business Analyst Professional Certificate.

• Advance your business and data skills with the Google Business Intelligence Professional Certificate, where you'll strengthen your data modeling and extraction skills.