What is a vice president, business development and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
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A vice president of business development is an individual who is responsible for leading a company’s pursuit of new business opportunities. They develop and implement strategies to increase a company's revenue by identifying potential customers, building relationships with key stakeholders, and negotiating deals. They work closely with other executives and department heads. The role requires excellent communication skills, as well as a deep understanding of the industry in which the company operates.

ScoreVice President, Business DevelopmentUS Average
Salary
9.3

Avg. Salary $165,159

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
10.0

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.65%

Asian 7.73%

Black or African American 3.79%

Hispanic or Latino 7.86%

Unknown 3.90%

White 76.08%

Gender

female 18.71%

male 81.29%

Age - 52
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
3.0

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Vice President, Business Development?

Pros

  • High salary and potential for bonuses

  • Good opportunities for networking and building relationships with clients

  • Ability to lead and shape the direction of the company's growth strategy

  • Exposure to senior leadership and decision-making processes

  • Variety in day-to-day work, including market analysis, client meetings, and internal strategy discussions

Cons

  • High pressure and long hours, including weekends and evenings

  • High levels of competition and pressure to meet revenue targets

  • Need to balance client demands with internal priorities and resources

  • Limited control over external market conditions and economic factors impacting the business

  • Potential for conflicts with other departments or team members over priorities or resources

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Vice President, Business Development career paths

Key steps to become a vice president, business development

  1. Explore vice president, business development education requirements

    Most common vice president, business development degrees

    Bachelor's

    73.0 %

    Master's

    18.7 %

    Associate

    4.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific vice president, business development skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Healthcare11.13%
    Business Strategy5.89%
    Revenue Growth5.32%
    Financial Services4.99%
    Business Development4.63%
  3. Research vice president, business development duties and responsibilities

    • Prospect new business, qualify leads, present to c-level executives and close business.
    • Develop leads, prospect and set executive level meetings for high end networking events with c-level executives.
    • Identify RFP opportunities, manage coordinated team response and submit winning proposals.
    • Lead CRM conversion, including new software implementation, data-collection methods and development of a category-specific sales focus.
  4. Get vice president, business development experience

    Generally, it takes more than 10 years to become a vice president, business development. The most common roles before becoming a vice president, business development include vice president, business development director team lead and account executive.
  5. Prepare your vice president, business development resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your vice president, business development resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a vice president, business development resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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    Vice President, Business Development Resume
  6. Apply for vice president, business development jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a vice president, business development job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Vice President, Business Development Job

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Average vice president, business development salary

The average Vice President, Business Development salary in the United States is $165,159 per year or $79 per hour. Vice president, business development salaries range between $104,000 and $262,000 per year.

Average Vice President, Business Development Salary
$165,159 Yearly
$79.40 hourly

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Based On 1 Ratings

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Vice President, Business Development reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2023
Pros

Rule of thumb with international travel is be ready for serious jet-lag!

Cons

rule of thumb with international travel is to have jet-lag non-stop!


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2022
Pros

Independence in decision making

Cons

I am responsible for everything be it any side of the business


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

Innovating a business model is key for a profitable business and growth. Without a proper and sustainable business model, even the best product or technology innovations will not flourish. Learn the skills and knowledge needed to start improving your business as you learn through real-life examples from fellow entrepreneurs, innovators and leading experts on business model innovation. Benefit business owners, entrepreneurs, business consultants or business developers who seek better understanding of business models and the tools to develop them.

Cons

There's nothing much not to like about this role.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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