Director, Business Development

Aspire is a Chicagoland nonprofit that's spent 65 years connecting people with disabilities to greater possibility — through jobs, learning, and safe places to call home. The organization serves more than 1,000 individuals and 600 households annually across Cook and Lake County, backed by 200+ community partners under CEO Serena Alaily. Aspire was just named to the Top 100 Inspiring Workplaces in North America (2025), landed a $9.2M federal grant to scale job training, and was named a 2025 Bank of America Neighborhood Builder — a well-funded, well-connected nonprofit with real momentum behind it.

Aspire CoffeeWorks is Aspire’s purpose-driven social enterprise coffee company, founded in 2009 in partnership with Metropolis Coffee Company, one of the Midwest’s leading craft roasters. The company hand-roasts award-winning, fair trade, and organic-certified coffee while creating meaningful employment opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities. Every dollar of profit funds Aspire’s programs, making coffee the entry point — but the real product is connection and impact.

Through its office coffee programs, CoffeeWorks serves professional services firms across Chicagoland and beyond, with approximately 90% of its business flowing through a single multibillion-dollar distributor partner. Clients don’t just purchase premium, ethically sourced coffee; they become part of the broader Aspire ecosystem as sponsors, volunteers, employers, and donors, helping create lasting opportunities and community impact.

Highlights:

• Chicagoland nonprofit founded in 1960, serving 1,000+ individuals and 600+ households annually across Cook and Lake County

• Aspire CoffeeWorks: social enterprise coffee brand founded 2009 in partnership with Metropolis Coffee Company

• 100% of CoffeeWorks net proceeds support Aspire's programs and services

• Named to the Top 100 Inspiring Workplaces in North America & the World (2025)

• Awarded a $9.2M grant from the U.S. Department of Education to scale job training for people with disabilities

• Named a 2025 Bank of America Neighborhood Builder ($200K multi-year grant)

• Backed by 200+ community partners and a highly connected board and philanthropy network

• Led by CEO Serena Alaily and a strategic advisory committee that includes Metropolis Coffee's CEO

• Strong partnerships across the Chicago business community, supported by Aspire's extensive corporate network

About the Role:

This is Aspire CoffeeWorks' first-ever sales hire. This is a true individual contributor role — no direct reports, no ceiling on upside. You'll spend 85–95% of your time outside the office: meeting prospects, entertaining the distributor's sales team, working the philanthropy network, and showing up at the kind of events where relationships actually get built. The remaining time is admin — proposals, follow-up, keeping the sales pipeline organized. You'll have the opportunity to people to build real sales infrastructure. Rather than inheriting an established territory, you'll be able to shape the sales strategy, develop new partnerships, and build a scalable pipeline for long-term growth.

Please note: this is a field-based role. Expect to split time between Aspire's Hillside HQ, the Metropolis roastery in Avondale, the distributor's offices, and client meetings across the Chicago metro.

Business Development & Field Sales

• Generate new business opportunities throughout the Chicagoland market and nationally

• Own the full sales cycle from prospecting through closing and onboarding

• Build and maintain a healthy pipeline of corporate and distributor opportunities

• Negotiate pricing, commercial terms, and contracts while ensuring mutually beneficial, long-term partnerships

• Develop relationships with distributors, corporate customers, and strategic partners

• Identify opportunities to grow existing accounts through additional products and services

• Represent Aspire CoffeeWorks at networking events, trade shows, conferences, and community functions both locally and nationally

Distributor & Partnership Management

• Build trusted relationships with distributors and key business partners

• Become fully embedded within the Aspire network—including board members, funders, philanthropy contacts, and Metropolis Coffee's network—to leverage warm introductions and generate new business opportunities

• Convert coffee customers into broader Aspire supporters, including gala sponsors, volunteers, employers, and donors

• Build relationships with office managers, facilities leaders, HR teams, workplace experience professionals, and other key decision-makers while leveraging introductions from senior stakeholders

• Deliver an exceptional customer experience from the initial meeting through long-term partnership

Growth Strategy & Brand Development

• Share customer insights to help shape future sales and marketing initiatives

• Support brand awareness through community engagement and local partnerships

• Identify new market opportunities and strategic growth initiatives

• Help establish the long-term commercial strategy as Aspire CoffeeWorks continues to scale

About You:

You're a relationship-first sales professional who enjoys building business through networking, referrals, and face-to-face conversations. You aren't afraid to prospect, but you know that long-term success comes from earning trust and developing genuine partnerships.

You thrive in autonomous environments where you can own your territory, manage your schedule, and build something meaningful. You're energized by meeting new people, representing a brand in the community, and helping organizations discover how Aspire CoffeeWorks can become part of their workplace.

Most importantly, you're motivated by the opportunity to grow a business that creates meaningful employment opportunities while supporting a larger mission.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in business development, sales, account management, or partnership development

• Proven success developing new business and managing a sales pipeline

• Experience owning the full sales cycle from prospecting through close

• Excellent relationship-building, networking, and presentation skills

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to work independently

• Outstanding written and verbal communication abilities

• Passion for mission-driven organizations and community partnerships

• Reliable transportation with willingness to travel throughout the Chicagoland area

Nice to Have

• Food & beverage, coffee, CPG, hospitality, or distributor sales experience

• Experience selling into corporate offices or professional services organizations

• Existing relationships within the Chicago business community

• Experience working alongside distributor or channel sales partners

The Extras that Matter:

• Join a nonprofit recently named one of the Top 100 Inspiring Workplaces in North America, with strong funding, community support, and significant growth momentum.

• Base Salary: $80,000 USD

• Uncapped commission structure with quarterly incentive opportunities and annual bonus potential.

• Mileage reimbursement for business-related travel.

• Dedicated budget for networking events, conferences, client meetings, and business entertainment.

• Flexible, field-based work environment with significant autonomy and ownership.

• Opportunity to build Aspire CoffeeWorks' sales function from the ground up and help shape its long-term commercial strategy.

• Make a measurable impact by growing a business where 100% of CoffeeWorks' net proceeds support Aspire's mission and create meaningful employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities.

• Direct access to Aspire's executive leadership, Board of Directors, and strategic advisors—including the CEO of Metropolis Coffee.