Business Development Associate

IES Residential, Inc. • Cincinnati, OH

12d

About The Position

The Business Development Associate is responsible for strengthening customer relationships, supporting field operations, and driving growth within assigned markets. This role serves as the primary liaison between our customers and internal teams, ensuring that construction, purchasing, and warranty partners receive exceptional service, timely communication, and consistent follow-through.
The ideal candidate is relationship-driven, highly organized, comfortable working in the field, and eager to learn the operational aspects of our business.

Requirements

• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English, both verbally and in writing, with field personnel, customers, and internal teams.
• Highly organized, self-motivated, and capable of working independently in a field-based role.
• Ability to problem-solve, ask thoughtful questions, and follow through on customer needs.
• Willingness to travel within assigned markets.
• Ability to walk construction sites and navigate uneven terrain.
• Ability to stand or walk for extended periods of time during site visits or meetings.
• Ability to drive frequently between customer locations within assigned markets.
• Ability to occasionally lift or carry items up to approximately 25 pounds (marketing materials, refreshments, etc.).
• Ability to use a computer, mobile phone, and CRM tools for reporting and communication.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience in construction, business development, customer service, or a related field is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Lead Management and Customer Relations
• Develop an understanding of the market and the major players within our customer base.
• Use tools such as Zonda and business journals to increase market knowledge and awareness.
• Attend IES training sessions and ride along with KEP personnel to gain knowledge of all three trades and KEP operations.
• Attend industry trade events for networking and market awareness.
• Maintain strong long-term relationships with construction, purchasing, and warranty teams to ensure our work meets scheduling and quality guidelines.
• Allocate time approximately as follows: 45% with construction teams 45% with purchasing teams 10% with warranty teams
• Attend construction and purchasing meetings to ensure we are delivering the quality expected from KEP.
• Build and maintain a schedule to periodically meet with customers across assigned cities through both scheduled visits and drop-ins.
• Utilize approved sales assets to provide occasional meals, donuts, or other small appreciation items for customers.
• Organize quarterly luncheons with construction and purchasing teams to gather feedback and strengthen relationships.
• Maintain a schedule of four days in the field and one day in the office for internal and external collaboration.
• Customer Experience & Retention
• Ensure end-to-end customer satisfaction.
• Track and report insights gathered from customer discussions to the KEP team.
• Follow up on the resolution of any issues to ensure proper closure.
• Track customer satisfaction metrics and assist in implementing improvement plans when necessary.
• Collaboration with Internal Teams
• Attend weekly meetings to review findings from the previous week and outline the upcoming schedule.
• Share feedback and insights from customer meetings with the KEP team.
• Escalate urgent matters to the appropriate internal team members.
• Provide weekly feedback on pricing discussions uncovered during customer meetings or calls.
• Collaborate with internal teams and market managers to ensure operations are moving in the right direction.
• Reporting & Documentation
• Use CRM systems to maintain accurate and up-to-date records.
• Document customer interactions and required follow-up actions.
• Add and update project information as it becomes available.
• Maintain accurate monthly expense reporting and documentation.

Benefits

• Competitive Pay
• Company 401K plan with Employer Contribution Match
• Company Paid Time Off
• Company Paid Life Insurance
• Choice of Medical Coverage including Prescription and Short Term Disability Plans
• Choice of Dental and Vision Coverage
• Optional Long-term Disability, Critical Illness, Accident, Legal and Pet Coverage
• Auto and Home Insurance Discount Programs

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed