Business Development Manager (for an American On-Device AI Startup in Gaming)

Description

We are looking for a Business Development Manager for an on-device AI middleware startup for the gaming industry. The Startup provides developers with an AI runtime that acts as a "DirectX for AI", a standardized layer for running AI models locally on end-user devices. Small, horizontal team of senior builders with no hierarchy, no corporate games, everyone operates as a peer.

The role offers USD 1,800+ gross per month, depending on seniority and experience, plus an equity grant after probation and performance-based bonuses. Payment is made in USD via an Independent Contractor Agreement (ICA).

Responsibilities:

• Run outbound. Help define the ideal customer profile (ICP), research target accounts, and build prospect lists. We're still testing channels, so you'll experiment to find what works. Write your own outreach copy and run sequences — both manual and automated.

• Run discovery calls and demos. Run discovery calls and product demos independently for non-technical conversations; involve the company's technical lead for deeper technical discussions.

• Own the sales pipeline in HubSpot. Keep CRM clean, track stage-by-stage conversion, report weekly to the founders on pipeline health and learnings.

• Help run industry events. Build target meeting lists, schedule sessions, and prepare agendas. Travel to select events roughly every 2-3 months. PR and event marketing are handled by the marketing team — your focus is meetings and qualified leads.

• Maintain ongoing relationships with prospects, customers, and partners that the BD has brought in, including platform contacts engine and middleware partners, and similar accounts.

• Source and develop new partnerships — engine vendors, middleware companies, AI providers, ecosystem players. The BD scopes opportunities and drives them forward, with founder support on commercial terms.

• Use AI to work faster. Lean on LLMs for lead research, message personalization, and routine automation. We already run internal n8n-based workflows, and we'll teach you our setup — what matters most is the genuine curiosity and drive to learn.

• Support the founding team on cross-functional and operational work: preparing meeting and trip agendas, helping coordinate event logistics and travel, assisting with investor materials, grant applications, and sales decks on request. Marketing lead, designer, and product team are available for collateral work. BD drafts and owns when relevant.

• Relay market feedback. Share what you hear from customers with the technical team, and pass technical documentation requests over to them.

Requirements

• Higher education. Business, marketing, communications, IT, or related field preferred. Specific degree is less important than demonstrated capability.
• 3-5 years in B2B business development, sales, or partnerships, ideally at a tech company (SaaS, dev tools, AI, or similar).
• Demonstrated track record of lead generation, outbound outreach, and managing a sales pipeline.
• Experience with international clients and remote work.
• Gaming industry experience is a strong plus but not mandatory; genuine passion for video games is required.
• Event/conference experience (organizing or attending B2B industry events) is a plus.
• High autonomy. Operates with 90%+ ownership — sets own priorities, drives execution, closes loops without being chased. We don't manage process; we build outcomes together.
• Builder mindset. Comfortable in early-stage startup chaos. Takes initiative rather than waiting for instructions. Proactively tests new approaches, learns from failures, and iterates. Comes with both ideas and concrete plans to execute them.
• Strong follow-through. Finishes what they start. No half-completed tasks, no silent drop-offs.
• Multitasking with focus. Can run outbound, events, partnerships, and ad-hoc operations in parallel and switch context without dropping balls.
• Comfortable with AI tools. Uses LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) day-to-day. Experience with automation tools (n8n, Make, Zapier) is a plus; willingness to learn is what matters most.
• Strong communication. Comfortable representing the company to clients, partners, and investors. Fluent, professional English — clear in writing and speech.
• Real gamer. Genuine passion for video games — actively plays games and follows the gaming industry.
• Cultural fit for a horizontal team — no bosses, no corporate games, everyone is a peer. We're looking for someone motivated, opinionated, and ready to take ownership of their work.
• Open to international business trips approximately every 2-3 months.
• Fully remote work, with overlap windows for Central European time zone.

Computer skills

• CRM systems,
• LinkedIn Sales Navigator and outreach automation tools,
• Google Workspace,
• AI tools — confident user of LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini); ability to build agentic AI workflows and automate routine tasks is a strong plus,
• Comfort with picking up new tools and platforms quickly.

Languages:

English — fluent (C1 or higher); business-level written and spoken, comfortable in live calls with international clients and investors.

Russian — plus, not mandatory.

Compensation package:

Monthly USD payment via ICA. Eligible for equity grant (stock options under the company's ESOP) after successful completion of probation period — exact grant size depends on candidate seniority and offered case-by-case. Performance bonuses possible based on results.

Probation period:

3 months

You may also contact us at +374 91 291892, +374 77 291892, or +374 44 411714 for any additional information.

Company օverview

Address

Վահագն Դավթյան փողոց 51

Number of employees

1-15

Phone

091 291892, 077 291892

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