Blank Metal is an AI-native engineering company that partners with enterprises to deliver production AI fast. Our approach combines strategic thinking with rapid implementation, ensuring AI initiatives deliver measurable business value.

As an AI Strategist, you will be joining a seasoned professional services team who excel at providing high-touch, quality, memorable services that move the needle for companies. Our office is filled with open conversations that get us to the best solution. We want to hear your voice as we evolve our services. You’ll also find our office infused with laughter, so bring your jovial nature and entrepreneurial spirit and join us on our journey.

Our office is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN and we offer a hybrid working model. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Read on to learn what you will do in your new role!

About the Role

We’re expanding our team and seeking a Business Development Director who thrives at the intersection of relationships, strategy, and technology. This role is all about opening doors—building connections with prospective clients, understanding their challenges, and clearly articulating how Blank Metal’s AI engineering expertise can transform their businesses.

You’ll represent Blank Metal in high-impact conversations—whether across a boardroom table or at industry events—and build a pipeline of opportunities that accelerate growth

Key responsibilities

• Drive New Business: Identify and cultivate relationships with prospective clients in our target markets; open new doors through strategic outreach and networking.
• Understand and Translate Needs: Engage with C-level and technical stakeholders to uncover their priorities and challenges, and map them to Blank Metal’s AI capabilities and services.
• Tell the Story: Communicate the value of Blank Metal’s AI engineering services in a compelling, consultative way—through presentations, proposals, and informal conversations.
• Represent Blank Metal Externally: Attend conferences, industry events, and partner meetups to connect, listen, and generate qualified leads. Walk away with relationships that convert.
• Build and Maintain the Pipeline: Use tools like Crossbeam, Hubspot, and Notion to track relationships, manage outreach workflows, and measure business development outcomes.
• Collaborate with Growth and Marketing: Partner with marketing to refine our messaging, co-create campaigns, and activate thought leadership that drives inbound interest.
• Leverage AI in BD: Build and deploy lightweight AI agents to streamline prospecting, content creation, meeting prep, and CRM hygiene—demonstrating the same AI fluency we bring to clients.
• Close the Loop: Work closely with Delivery teams to ensure new engagements are scoped realistically and positioned for client success.
• Help us build the team for the future: Play a key role in shaping the revenue team, roles, processes, and metrics that drive our success.

Must-Have Experience

• 7+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, or consultative sales with some mix of time spent in professional services, AI, or technology.
• Open to travel for clients, partners, conferences, etc.
• Proven track record of opening new accounts and building lasting client relationships.
• Strong communicator; able to navigate both technical and executive conversations with confidence and clarity.
• Fluent in modern business development tooling and AI-enabled workflows. Be prepared to show us the agents you have built to automate workflows.
• Curious and strategic thinker who understands both technology and business outcomes.
• Entrepreneurial and self-directed—you thrive in dynamic environments where structure is built, not inherited.
• Comfortable representing Blank Metal publicly, both in-person and online.

Nice-to-Have Experience

• Familiarity with OpenAI Evals or similar frameworks
• Experience with experimentation platforms (A/B, interleaving)
• Prior use of agency-gated releases and continuous calibration loops
• Industry depth in one of Blank Metal’s core verticals
• Experience leading change management at scale

Why Join Us

• AI-native firm focused on shipping production AI fast
• Small, senior, embedded teams with high autonomy
• Co-led engagements with Strategist and Technical Lead model
• Direct ownership of product value, evaluation strategy, and adoption
• Opportunity to contribute reusable playbooks and governance frameworks
• Work across Lean Pods, Balanced Squads, and Extended Teams
• High-trust culture with measurable impact and client visibility
• Minneapolis–St Paul metro location with up to 20% travel
• Reports directly to Head of Growth

Equal Employment Opportunity

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome our employee’s differences, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or Veteran status. Difference makes us better. Join us.

Blank Metal is an equal opportunity employer.