Business Development Manager (f/m/d) - E-commerce & AI

SPARQUE is an innovative startup at the forefront of revolutionizing product discovery and personalized recommendations.

Our cutting-edge software harnesses the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to help businesses create dynamic and effective search and recommendation strategies. With SPARQUE, companies can take their customer experience to the next level by delivering highly relevant and tailored product suggestions, resulting in increased customer engagement and conversion rates. Unlike black box solutions, our software enables businesses to effortlessly implement their own AI-based search and recommendation strategies.

Join us on this exciting journey!

Tasks

We are seeking a highly motivated Business Development Manager to join our core team.

You will be primarily responsible for developing and nurturing strategic partnerships with resell partners and with ecommerce platform vendors .

Also, you maximize customer acquisition , preferably closing via partners and if needed directly.

Responsibilities:

1. Business Development : Develop and execute partnership strategies, including joint marketing initiatives, co-selling opportunities, and collaborative product development, to drive increased product visibility.
2. Resell Partner Development : Identifying and recruiting potential sales partners, like digital agencies and system integrators, that can resell, implement, and support the SPARQUE technology.
3. Platform Partner Development : Identify, evaluate, and establish partnerships with technology companies, vendors, and service providers in the e-commerce domain, particularly in ecosystems of ecommerce platforms such as SAP Commerce, Magento, Shopware, BigCommerce, and Shopify.
4. Sales Enablement : Collaborating with partners to develop sales strategies and joint business plans. This involves providing sales tools, training, and resources to enable partners to effectively promote and sell our products and services.
5. Internal Collaboration: Collaborate closely with internal teams (Intershop Communications and SPARQUE), including sales, marketing, product management, and engineering, to align partnership priorities with company goals as well as develop mutually beneficial business strategies and initiatives.

Requirements

This position requires:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field.
• 3+ years of experience in Business Development, Partnership Management, or Sales & Marketing - preferably in e-commerce business.
• Strong relationship-building and closing skills.
• The ability to identify and prioritize strategic opportunities.
• Tenacity and focus, with a strong sense of accountability and ownership.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts clearly and simply to stakeholders at all levels.
• Proficiency in German and English, both written and verbal.

Whom are we looking for:

SPARQUE is a company with a strong bring-your-own culture. We are looking for self-starters who contribute their vision, drive, and energy to the team and team players who contribute to the togetherness and sharing they instill in others.

The ideal candidate is preferably based in the Netherlands or Germany (ideally North Rhine-Westphalia), and willing to join our Utrecht-based team for 1-2 days a week.

Benefits

We offer an innovative startup environment, an open team atmosphere with interesting challenges , the possibility to bring in your experience and ideas as well as the opportunity for professional growth .

With a strong link to our main shareholder/partner, Intershop Communications AG, you will have access to a broader network of teams for collaboration , best practice exchange as well as an extended opportunity to grow and learn.

In addition to an agile work environment, flat hierarchies, and quick decision making, you will benefit from a competitive salary package, flexible working hours including home office.

We are looking forward to your application. If you do not yet meet all the criteria, just contact us; we will surely find a way together.