OPT Business Development Manager Jobs
Business Development Manager roles on OPT require employers to sponsor H-1B visa or extend your OPT period, and most hiring managers expect prior B2B sales or partn visaerships experience. STEM OPT extensions do not typically apply here, so your 12-month window is the core timeline to plan around.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
The Business Development Manager plays a vital role in generating new business opportunities within the InReach convenience solutions segment. This sales role supports the sales process by identifying leads, qualifying prospects, and engaging potential clients through structured outreach and value-driven communication. The Business Development Manager focuses on smaller, transactional deals with short sales cycles and collaborates with internal teams to ensure alignment with client needs and business goals. Remote role with local travel within the Chicago market.
Incentives: Commission plan, vehicle allowance
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
What You'll Do:
- Research and identify prospective clients using CRM, social media, in the field territory planning and sales intelligence tools.
- Execute outbound call and email campaigns to introduce Sodexo’s InReach convenience solutions offerings.
- Build relationships with key contacts to nurture opportunities and establish trust.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in CRM to track activities, engagement, and lead status to maintain deal momentum. Leverage CRM dashboards to prioritize high-potential opportunities and flag aging deals for action or re-engagement. Align pipeline activities with target revenue goals, providing insights into deal velocity and probability to close.
- Follow-up on inbound marketing campaigns and outbound prospecting activities to advance them through the sales funnel.
- Actively support the conversion of qualified opportunities into closed-won deals by ensuring timely proposal delivery and pricing support.
WHAT WE OFFER
Compensation is fair and equitable, partially determined by a candidate's education level or years of relevant experience. Salary offers are based on a candidate's specific criteria, like experience, skills, education, and training. Sodexo offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include:
- Medical, Dental, Vision Care and Wellness Programs
- 401(k) Plan with Matching Contributions
- Paid Time Off and Company Holidays
- Career Growth Opportunities and Tuition Reimbursement
More extensive information is provided to new employees upon hire.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What You Bring:
- Demonstrated success in sales. Preferrable in food services, hospitality, or convenience solutions.
- Proficiency in conveying product details and negotiating contracts with clients.
- Expertise in building and nurturing strong client relationships.
- Experience successfully closing deals with top-tier clients, resulting in a growth in client base.
- A hunter mindset.
- Ability to develop a robust pipeline that contributes to an increase in lead conversion rates.
WHO WE ARE
At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone and build a better life for all. We believe in improving the quality of life for those we serve and contributing to the economic, social, and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Sodexo partners with clients to provide a truly memorable experience for both customers and employees alike. We do this by providing food service, catering, facilities management, and other integrated solutions worldwide.
Our company values you for you; you will be treated fairly and with respect, and you can be yourself. You will have your ideas count and your opinions heard because we can be a stronger team when you’re happy at work. This is why we embrace diversity and inclusion as core values, fostering an environment where all employees are valued and respected. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to individuals regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, military status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you need assistance with the application process, please complete this form.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Education Requirement - Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience
Minimum Management Experience - 3 years
Minimum Functional Experience - 3 years
INTRODUCTION
The Business Development Manager plays a vital role in generating new business opportunities within the InReach convenience solutions segment. This sales role supports the sales process by identifying leads, qualifying prospects, and engaging potential clients through structured outreach and value-driven communication. The Business Development Manager focuses on smaller, transactional deals with short sales cycles and collaborates with internal teams to ensure alignment with client needs and business goals. Remote role with local travel within the Chicago market.
Incentives: Commission plan, vehicle allowance
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
What You'll Do:
- Research and identify prospective clients using CRM, social media, in the field territory planning and sales intelligence tools.
- Execute outbound call and email campaigns to introduce Sodexo’s InReach convenience solutions offerings.
- Build relationships with key contacts to nurture opportunities and establish trust.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in CRM to track activities, engagement, and lead status to maintain deal momentum. Leverage CRM dashboards to prioritize high-potential opportunities and flag aging deals for action or re-engagement. Align pipeline activities with target revenue goals, providing insights into deal velocity and probability to close.
- Follow-up on inbound marketing campaigns and outbound prospecting activities to advance them through the sales funnel.
- Actively support the conversion of qualified opportunities into closed-won deals by ensuring timely proposal delivery and pricing support.
WHAT WE OFFER
Compensation is fair and equitable, partially determined by a candidate's education level or years of relevant experience. Salary offers are based on a candidate's specific criteria, like experience, skills, education, and training. Sodexo offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include:
- Medical, Dental, Vision Care and Wellness Programs
- 401(k) Plan with Matching Contributions
- Paid Time Off and Company Holidays
- Career Growth Opportunities and Tuition Reimbursement
More extensive information is provided to new employees upon hire.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What You Bring:
- Demonstrated success in sales. Preferrable in food services, hospitality, or convenience solutions.
- Proficiency in conveying product details and negotiating contracts with clients.
- Expertise in building and nurturing strong client relationships.
- Experience successfully closing deals with top-tier clients, resulting in a growth in client base.
- A hunter mindset.
- Ability to develop a robust pipeline that contributes to an increase in lead conversion rates.
WHO WE ARE
At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone and build a better life for all. We believe in improving the quality of life for those we serve and contributing to the economic, social, and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Sodexo partners with clients to provide a truly memorable experience for both customers and employees alike. We do this by providing food service, catering, facilities management, and other integrated solutions worldwide.
Our company values you for you; you will be treated fairly and with respect, and you can be yourself. You will have your ideas count and your opinions heard because we can be a stronger team when you’re happy at work. This is why we embrace diversity and inclusion as core values, fostering an environment where all employees are valued and respected. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to individuals regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, military status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you need assistance with the application process, please complete this form.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Education Requirement - Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience
Minimum Management Experience - 3 years
Minimum Functional Experience - 3 years
See all 4,676+ OPT Business Development Manager Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Business Development Manager
Lead with revenue impact, not just activity
Hiring managers for BDM roles want to see pipeline numbers, deal sizes, and closed revenue. Quantify your results before outreach. A candidate who grew a partner channel by 40% is far easier to sponsor than one listing responsibilities.
Target companies with established visa programs
Mid-size and enterprise companies in SaaS, fintech, and consulting regularly sponsor BDMs and have HR infrastructure for visa processing. Smaller startups may want to hire you but lack the resources to navigate OPT sponsorship effectively.
Address OPT timing early in the process
BDM hiring cycles run long, often eight to twelve weeks. If your OPT expires within six months, raise it after an initial screen so the employer has time to begin H-1B visa filing before your authorization window closes.
Build a referral pipeline inside target companies
BDM roles rarely get filled through cold applications alone. Connecting with revenue or partnerships leaders directly demonstrates the same outbound instinct employers want from the role, and internal referrals move faster through sponsorship approvals.
Position your international background as a business asset
For companies expanding into Asia, South Asia, or emerging markets, your cultural fluency and language skills are genuine business development leverage. Make this explicit in your cover letter and interviews, not just as a soft skill.
Understand where BDM sits in the org before applying
Some companies classify Business Development under Sales, others under Partnerships or Strategy. The sponsorship complexity and interview process differ by team. Clarify the reporting structure early so you know whose budget covers your role and visa.
Business Development Manager OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Business Development Manager roles qualify for OPT work authorization?
Yes. Business Development Manager is a professional role that falls within the scope of F-1 OPT as long as the work is directly related to your field of study. Common qualifying majors include Business Administration, Marketing, International Business, and Economics. Your employment must begin while your OPT authorization is active and the role must be full-time to satisfy the DSO reporting requirement.
Does a Business Development Manager job qualify for a STEM OPT extension?
In most cases, no. BDM roles are typically classified under business or management fields, which are not on the STEM Designated Degree Program List. If your degree is in a STEM field and the role involves significant data analysis, technical product knowledge, or engineering-adjacent work, consult your DSO before assuming you qualify. The degree, not the job title, determines STEM OPT eligibility.
How do I find Business Development Manager jobs that sponsor OPT?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters jobs by visa sponsorship willingness, so you're not wasting applications on companies that won't hire international candidates. BDM roles in SaaS, enterprise technology, consulting, and financial services appear most frequently with sponsorship. Searching by industry on Migrate Mate helps you focus on the segments where sponsorship is common.
What happens to my OPT if my Business Development Manager role changes or I switch employers?
You can change employers on OPT, but you must report the change to your DSO within 10 days and update your SEVP portal record. Any gap between jobs counts against your 90-day unemployment limit. For BDM roles, which sometimes involve restructuring or commission-based employment shifts, track your employment status carefully and keep documentation of your start and end dates with each employer.
Will employers see my OPT status as a barrier for a Business Development Manager hire?
Some will, but many companies that regularly hire BDMs in competitive fields already have experience sponsoring work visas. The strongest counter to hesitation is demonstrating clear pipeline value before the topic comes up. BDM candidates with verifiable revenue results and strong referrals tend to move through sponsorship conversations faster than candidates who raise authorization status without a track record to anchor it.