Sustainability careers can cover a wide range of job titles, responsibilities and goals. One such sustainability path falls in line with more traditional business practices and professions: director of business development. This role will involve developing and exercising skills much like those of a sales agent, as well as forming and maintaining good relationships with colleagues.
Taking on a job like this will help individuals build and retain essential business skills that can serve them well in a number of different corporate settings later on in their careers, while also allowing them to contribute to the further implementation of green strategies.
Sustainability directors cultivate an organization’s conservation efforts, growing initiatives and selling the products and services to customers. Directors of business development with a focus on sustainability are the advocates for these green programs, vocalizing the pros of the business and drawing attention —and clients— to the company.
A typical day in the life of a director of business development
Directors of business development who focus on sustainability carry a great responsibility—namely, balancing their firms' growth and revenue creation priorities with the desire to operate according to sustainable and green principles. How they go about doing this depends on the organization, because each business has different goals. These sustainability professionals will work to determine the best ways for their company to address sustainability.
In some cases, a director of business development will focus on the design, production and sales of eco-friendly products. This includes everything from non-polluting cleaning sprays to appliances or electronics that meet the Energy Star criteria for efficient operation. Other directors of business development won't handle sales but will instead seek out and create partnerships with other companies or nonprofit organizations that help environmental advocacy efforts even if the business itself doesn't craft specific sustainable products or services. Either way, these professionals help ensure that conservation-related goals don't negatively affect the corporate bottom line.