Business Development Manager

Instrument is a digitally native design and technology company built to help brands unlock their full potential. Since 2005, our 300+ team of makers, thinkers, and storytellers has partnered with leading brands like Google, Nike, Uber, ŌURA, and Eventbrite to craft digital experiences that create impact and drive results.

Unlike traditional agencies, we don’t just design—we build. Our work lives at the intersection of taste and technology, powered by curiosity, thoughtful curation, and a commitment to delivering the most fitting solution for every brief. We bring this to life across three core offerings: Brand, Marketing, and Product.

We’re a hands-on, highly collaborative team of multi-hyphenates who move fast from idea to execution. With offices in Portland and NYC and a distributed team across the U.S. and Europe, we scale for big moments and stay nimble for the quick ones—always building teams around the unique needs of each project.

We’re a place for people who never stop learning—those excited to stretch their craft, experiment with new tools, and grow through collaboration. We believe great work comes from a mix of perspectives—people with different paths, passions, and lived experiences.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity workplace, supporting diversity and providing reasonable accommodations so everyone can do their best work. We believe great work comes from a mix of perspectives—people with different paths, passions, and lived experiences. Come join us and help shape what’s next.

As a Business Development Manager, you are both a practitioner and a leader. You thrive in curiosity, dive deep to understand client needs, and are hands-on in creating the materials and artifacts that bring Instrument’s story to life. You don’t wait for direction; you make it. You’re comfortable shaping conversations, building trust, and turning opportunities into partnerships.

This role sits within Instrument’s Product Studio, requiring a strong understanding of product development, how product teams operate, and how to shape and pitch product-led work.

• Act as one of the primary faces of Instrument in new business conversations.
• Lead discovery and “hello” sessions with prospective clients, uncovering needs and mapping them to Instrument’s capabilities.
• Manage mid-tier opportunities (Tier 2–3) independently, while supporting senior leadership on top-tier pursuits.
• Build trust quickly, ensuring client stakeholders see Instrument as a credible, strategic partner.

• Own the end to end sales cycle of inbound requests with the Head of Growth, Director and Associate Manager to ensure only the best opportunities enter the pipeline.
• Track, analyze, and share pipeline health insights (conversion metrics, deal velocity, source quality) with the Director of BD.
• Ensure proactive follow-ups and touchpoints keep opportunities moving forward.

• Be hands-on in building the artifacts of business development — decks, case studies, tailored narratives, and proposals in partnership with the team.
• Translate strategy and creative thinking into client-ready materials that showcase Instrument’s craft and ambition.
• Create clarity and momentum by delivering materials quickly and at a high standard of quality.

• Partner with strategy, design, and delivery leads during the pursuit process to ensure realistic, differentiated, and inspiring solutions.
• Work with finance and operations partners to scope opportunities and build proposals that balance ambition with practicality.
• Be a connective tissue across disciplines, ensuring each pursuit feels integrated and cohesive.

• Create a safe space for junior team members to stretch while providing support in high-stakes situations.
• Model confidence, curiosity, and collaboration in every client-facing moment.

• Partner with Account Directors and Business Leadership to support past partners through nurturing and re-engagement.
• Attend events in alignment with the Director of BD’s focus.
• Identify expansion opportunities within existing accounts and collaborate on tailored pursuit strategies.
• Ensure clients feel supported beyond the initial pitch, strengthening Instrument’s reputation for partnership.

• A practitioner’s mindset — curious, hands-on, and proactive in making. You don’t wait for direction, you build momentum.
• A deep curiosity and ambition for the unknown.
• A sense of urgency to the opportunities, you move just as fast as our delivery teams.
• A hospitality mindset to our potential clients and the delivery teams.
• Strong experience leading enterprise-level client conversations and managing pursuit processes.
• Ability to balance bold innovation with pragmatic solutions, adapting strategies to maximize success.
• Demonstrated ability to foster trust with clients and teams, building inclusive, collaborative environments.
• A passion for creativity and a drive to positively contribute to Instrument’s growth and reputation.
• A resilient, positive energy that motivates the team and instills confidence with clients.
• Comfort with overcommunication and alignment, ensuring no one is left behind in the process.
• Experience working with product organizations or product-led teams, with an ability to understand product workflows, team structures, and how to effectively position and pitch product work.

• The expected pay range for this position is $85,000-$110,000 for our base US Region 3*. We have three regional pay ranges that are adjusted for cost of living (US1 +15%, US2 +7.5%, US3 Base), *learn more about our pay philosophy and cost of living adjustments.

What We Offer

Flexible, Hybrid Work Environment

Great Compensation with Annual Reviews (Learn more about our Pay Philosophy)

401(k) Matching with Immediate Vesting

Robust Medical, Vision, and Accident Insurance

Generous Paid Holidays and unlimited PTO

Sabbaticals

Monthly Wellbeing Stipend

Career Management and Leadership Training