Founding Business Development Manager

About Octopusbot

Octopusbot is an innovative AgTech firm based in Sydney, leveraging AI, weather, satellite data, and extensive historical datasets to accurately predict crop yields, planted areas, protein levels, supply-demand balances, and grain market trends. Their clientele spans growers, agribusinesses, grain buyers, processors, food industries, and other organizations aiming to make informed decisions well ahead of harvest season.

Having achieved a growth rate exceeding 1.6 times year-over-year, Octopusbot operates within a niche market, uniquely offering a combination of capabilities unmatched by any direct competitor. Their expansion plans currently target Europe and North America.

Position Overview

As the Founding Business Development Manager, you will oversee the entire sales lifecycle for both new and existing clients. Responsibilities include prospecting, relationship building, conducting discovery sessions and demos, managing trial programs, negotiating contracts, closing sales, expanding accounts, and contributing to the enhancement of go-to-market strategies.

Close collaboration with company founders, the sales development representative, customer success team, and data scientists will be critical, along with significant prospects for increased responsibilities as Octopusbot grows.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and manage a robust sales pipeline with precise forecasting.
• Identify and build enduring relationships with stakeholders in agriculture and related industries including growers, traders, processors, brokers, and financial firms.
• Drive opportunities end-to-end, from initial conversations to demos, trial operations, proposals, negotiations, and closures.
• Expand existing client relationships through renewals, up-selling, and cross-region initiatives.
• Design and optimize outbound sales strategies focused on markets in Australia, Europe, and North America.
• Analyze customer input, conversion metrics, and deal outcomes to refine target customer profiles, messaging, and sales processes continually.
• Maintain HubSpot CRM with accurate records and ensure clear next steps for every opportunity.
• Identify and implement improvements in sales processes, tools, and automation.
• Support strategic partnerships and represent Octopusbot at select industry conferences and international gatherings.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Proactive self-starter with ownership mentality, capable of identifying and acting on opportunities independently.
• Hands-on approach to prospecting, demo delivery, follow-ups, negotiation, and deal closure.
• Proven track record in meeting or exceeding personal sales targets.
• Highly organized with disciplined pipeline management and accurate, transparent sales forecasting.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, quick rapport building, attentive listening, and customer-centric understanding.
• Quick learner with aptitude for grasping complex technical products and unfamiliar industries.
• Analytically minded to test methods, interpret results, and adapt strategies effectively.
• Focused on go-to-market execution, having experience in developing or significantly improving targeting, messaging, and outbound sales processes.

Previous experience in SaaS, data analytics, commodities, agriculture, food sector, finance, or related fields is advantageous but not mandatory.

Compensation and Benefits

• On-target earnings (OTE) of AUD 230,000, comprising a base salary between AUD 90,000 and AUD 110,000 plus uncapped commission.
• Quarterly bonuses tied to quota achievements.
• Eligibility to earn equity options after one year, contingent on performance and contributions.
• Opportunity to join an expanding Australian AI/AgTech leader within a specialized global market segment.
• Potential for significant career advancement as the company scales internationally.
• Close collaboration with company founders and data scientists to shape market entry strategies.
• Access to established customer base, sales tools, and playbooks, alleviating the challenge of starting from scratch.
• Work hybridly from the Sydney-based Salesforce Tower office.
• Domestic business travel and participation in select international events.