Business Development Director

Location: Washington, DC (preferred). Open to candidates in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, or New York, with the expectation of quarterly travel to DC

Compensation: $150,000 base salary + uncapped commission (On-Target Earnings $350K+)

About Variate

Variate helps ambitious brands become the obvious choice.

We’ve influenced over 1 billion customer decisions and helped brands like Marriott, Carnival, Macy’s, and many others unlock billions in growth.

Our edge is Decision Design, a proven engine for stripping away noise, surfacing what matters, and designing experiences that make choice effortless.

Most companies don’t lose customers because they’re bad. They lose because they’re unclear. We close that gap with clarity, trust, and speed — the timeless drivers of customer choice and loyalty.

Our principles are simple:

Clarity Creates Choice – Obvious beats brilliant
Emotion Rules – People decide with feeling, not logic
Complexity Kills Trust – Cut until only clarity remains
Only Experts in the Room – Senior operators, no B-teams
Results or Nothing – If it doesn’t deliver growth, it doesn’t ship

This approach isn’t theory. It’s proof. Marriott: $10B+ in new revenue. Carnival: 400% lift in mobile bookings. Amerant: 4X more leads.

When we say Decision Design works, it’s because we’ve seen it work — at scale.

Growth Context & Opportunity

Variate has grown 5X in just a few years, and we believe $30M is within reach on our current trajectory. Until now, growth has been fueled by our network and client word-of-mouth. That approach built momentum, but it won’t scale us to the next level.

Over the last 18 months, CEO Miles Kemp has invested in best-in-class AI demand generation and sales support functions. The next step is pairing that engine with dedicated business development leadership to turn momentum into predictable, scalable, and sustainable revenue.

Our business model is deliberately balanced: no client accounts for more than 30% of revenue, with roughly 30% from existing partners, 30% from new business, and 30% from organic growth. We also use our Customer Impact Program (CIP) to unlock expansion opportunities and protect account diversity.

Now we’re looking for a business development leader who sees sales as a craft, thrives under pressure, and wants to build the machine that defines the next era of growth at Variate. If you’re looking for safe, this isn’t it. If you want to change how brands win customers, this is your moment.

Why Business Development Matters at Variate

Business Development isn’t just about filling pipeline. At Variate, building relationships and telling our story in a way that makes us different, defensible, and unique; that’s the goal.

Every conversation, every deck, every proposal must pass The Variate Test:

Different – Not what any other agency could claim
Defensible – Backed with proof, evidence, and testimonials
Unique – Non-substitutable in a crowded market

The BD function is the engine that ensures prospects see us not as “another agency,” but as the team that makes choice obvious.

The Role

Variate is seeking a results-driven, strategically minded New Business Development Director to fuel our next wave of growth. In this senior role, you’ll expand our client base in the UX, branding, and customer experience design space, build executive-level relationships, and deliver multi-million-dollar revenue growth by championing Variate’s unique positioning.

If you’re an entrepreneurial sales leader who thrives on building trusted partnerships and closing complex deals in a consulting environment, this is your chance to make a significant impact — and be rewarded for it.

Expectations

Build and maintain a $10M rolling pipeline.
Deliver $3M+ in booked revenue annually, including:
- 2 new targeted account wins per year
- 5 targeted proposals per quarter
- 50 targeted outbound touches per month

Responsibilities

Variate Brand Ambassador

Act as the primary new business contact for targeted and inbound opportunities.
Develop strong, trust-based relationships that reflect Variate’s standards of character, integrity, and professionalism.
Represent the agency at industry events, conferences, and forums.

New Business Leader

Own the Variate pipeline and report directly to the CEO.
Collaborate with leadership to develop target lists, acquisition strategies, and execution plans.
Deliver the Annual New Business Plan with quarterly updates.
Understand client challenges and deliver consultative, solutions-oriented selling.
Master Variate’s service offerings, case studies, and value proposition to differentiate in competitive environments.

Sales Driver

Own opportunities end-to-end: qualify leads, deliver capabilities presentations, and close business.
Create Opportunity Briefs and win themes for each pursuit.
Lead internal team briefings for proposals, RFPs, and pitches.
Maintain CRM with 100% accuracy: records, conversation threads, revenue projections, and probability-to-close (PTC).
Provide accurate weekly reporting against pipeline KPIs.

What We're Looking For

5+ years of business development/sales success in UX, digital, or B2B services.
Track record selling $1M+/year services engagements to enterprise or growth companies.
Comprehensive understanding of UX principles and their business impact
Exceptional communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
Tenacious connector with executive presence and emotional intelligence.
Highly organized and CRM-proficient (HubSpot/Salesforce).
Appreciates and utilizes AI tools and workflows as part of day-to-day work
Bonus: A strong network within the digital/UX industry.

Who You Are

A savvy self-starter with a consultative selling style and a strong sense of accountability.
Analytical yet empathetic — able to challenge, advise, and inspire clients.
Energized by targets, growth, and building meaningful relationships.
Naturally disciplined with a passion for customer experience design.
Hungry to win and motivated by uncapped earning potential.

Compensation

Base Salary: $150,000
Commission: Performance-based, uncapped, tied directly to new client revenue
On-Target Earnings (OTE): $350,000 annually when performance goals are achieved
High performers can exceed OTE with accelerated commission multipliers

What We Offer

Exposure to world-class clients and projects, defining future markets
Opportunity to work alongside a passionate, high-performing team
Professional development and leadership growth opportunities
Flexible work arrangements, comprehensive benefits, and PTO

Ready to create extraordinary brands with us? Apply now.

NO RECRUITERS!

Equal Opportunities

Variate, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.