Director of Business Development
Golden State Logistics is looking for an experienced, highly collaborative Director of Business Development to help drive our next stage of growth.
We are looking for more than someone who can bring in new business.
The right person will own the customer relationship from prospecting through implementation and ongoing account development, working closely with GSL Operations and Management to ensure what we sell is operationally sound, profitable, and executed successfully.
At GSL, Sales does not operate in a silo. This position will be expected to work side-by-side with Operations, Customer Service, Pricing, Finance, and Executive Management.
What You’ll Do
Business Development & Sales
- Identify, prospect, and develop new customer opportunities
- Build and maintain a strong, measurable sales pipeline
- Conduct outbound prospecting and develop relationships with decision-makers
- Lead customer meetings, discovery calls, presentations, and sales pitches
- Prepare professional sales decks, proposals, capabilities presentations, and customer-specific sales materials
- Participate in and help manage RFPs, bids, and pricing opportunities
- Develop strategic relationships with transportation, logistics, procurement, and executive-level decision-makers
- Represent GSL at customer meetings, industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities
- Travel regularly to meet with local and out-of-market customers and prospects
Customer & Account Ownership
- Maintain ownership of customer relationships after the business is awarded
- Remain actively involved during customer implementation and startup
- Work with Operations to ensure customer expectations and service requirements are clearly communicated and achievable
- Conduct regular customer business reviews and relationship meetings
- Identify opportunities to expand existing accounts into additional lanes, locations, or services
- Address customer concerns collaboratively with Operations and help drive solutions
- Build long-term partnerships rather than transactional customer relationships
Sales & Operations Collaboration
- Work closely with Operations before making commitments regarding capacity, service, equipment, timing, or special customer requirements
- Ensure a clear operational handoff for every new account while remaining involved after implementation
- Maintain a strong understanding of GSL's operational capabilities and capacity
- Partner with Operations to evaluate new opportunities and determine whether they are a strong fit for GSL
- Communicate customer expectations clearly and accurately internally
- Participate in account performance discussions and help resolve service challenges
Commercial & Financial Responsibility
- Understand customer pricing, margins, fuel, accessorial charges, equipment requirements, and operational costs
- Evaluate opportunities based on both revenue and profitability
- Work with GSL Management on pricing strategy and major customer proposals
- Monitor account performance and identify opportunities to improve profitability
- Understand market conditions, competitive pricing, and industry trends
Sales Leadership & Reporting
- Lead recurring sales meetings with GSL Management
- Present pipeline activity, opportunities, customer meetings, wins/losses, account development, and next steps
- Maintain accurate sales activity and opportunity reporting
- Establish clear follow-up plans and accountability for active opportunities
- Develop sales presentations and materials that professionally communicate GSL's capabilities and value proposition
- Provide market intelligence and customer feedback to GSL leadership
What We’re Looking For
- Proven transportation, logistics, drayage, or supply chain sales experience
- Strong existing industry relationships preferred
- Demonstrated ability to generate and close new business
- Experience managing and growing customer relationships after the initial sale
- Strong understanding of transportation operations
- Ability to understand pricing, profitability, margins, and operational costs
- Experience developing and delivering professional sales presentations and proposals
- Strong PowerPoint/presentation development skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Comfortable presenting to executives and leading customer meetings
- Highly collaborative and able to work effectively with Operations
- Strong follow-through and personal accountability
- Ability and willingness to travel regularly
- CRM and sales pipeline management experience
- Drayage, port, intermodal, warehousing, and/or transportation experience strongly preferred
Who Will Be Successful at GSL
The right person understands that winning the business is only the beginning.
We want someone who takes ownership of the customer, stays engaged after implementation, works collaboratively with Operations, understands whether an account is profitable, and continually looks for ways to strengthen and grow the relationship.
We value people who communicate, follow through, solve problems, and work as a team.
If you are accustomed to selling an account and immediately handing it off to someone else, this will likely not be the right position.
If you enjoy developing business, building long-term customer relationships, and working closely with Operations to deliver what you sell, we'd like to hear from you.
About Golden State Logistics
Golden State Logistics is a growing California transportation and logistics company serving customers throughout Southern and Northern California. Safety, compliance, and professionalism are critical to our operation, and this position plays an important role in ensuring every driver representing GSL meets our standards.
