Healthcare Business Development Director
FirstLight Home Care
Northwest Arkansas
Full-Time
FirstLight Home Care is looking for someone who knows Northwest Arkansas, knows how business gets done here, and knows how to turn relationships into growth.
This is not a position built around dropping off brochures, making courtesy visits and hoping the phone rings.
We are looking for a business developer.
Someone who can walk into a room, build a real relationship, recognize an opportunity and move it forward. Someone who understands that the goal isn't to find one client at a time. The goal is to build referral relationships and partnerships that can generate business month after month.
We have an established operation, a significant presence serving veterans and an aggressive vision for growth throughout Northwest Arkansas.
We need the right person to help build what comes next.
What the job actually is
You will be responsible for developing new business throughout Northwest Arkansas.
Some days that means meeting with hospital discharge teams, senior living leadership, physicians, case managers or community organizations.
Other days it may mean sitting down with someone involved in the veteran community and figuring out how we can better serve veterans who aren't getting the care or resources available to them.
The important part is what happens after the meeting.
We aren't looking for activity for activity's sake. We want relationships that turn into opportunities, opportunities that turn into referrals, and referrals that develop into sustainable pipelines.
You will have the freedom to identify where those opportunities exist and pursue them.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Building and managing a strong pipeline of referral partners throughout Northwest Arkansas
- Developing relationships with hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, senior living communities, physician groups, case managers, social workers and other healthcare professionals
- Developing and expanding relationships throughout the Northwest Arkansas veteran community
- Creating relationships with organizations capable of generating recurring referrals rather than relying solely on individual client opportunities
- Identifying new markets, partnerships and business channels for FirstLight
- Getting in front of decision-makers and developing relationships that lead to business
- Following prospective referral partners consistently from the first conversation through an active relationship
- Representing FirstLight at healthcare, veteran, civic and community events throughout the region
- Tracking opportunities and maintaining an active business development pipeline
- Working closely with our leadership and operations teams so that the business we develop can be successfully served
- Understanding where our growth is coming from and continuously looking for ways to expand it
- Bringing new ideas, relationships and opportunities to the company instead of waiting for them to be assigned
The VA piece is important
Veterans are an important part of who we serve, and understanding the VA will be a significant advantage in this position.
We are especially interested in someone who understands VA Community Care, veteran healthcare, home and community-based services, veteran benefits, or the network of organizations and professionals that serve veterans.
Maybe you have worked within the VA system.
Maybe you have worked for an organization that serves veterans.
Maybe you have spent years developing relationships with VSOs, veteran groups, healthcare providers or community leaders.
Whatever the background, you should be able to understand how veterans move through the system, where gaps exist and how strong relationships can help connect more veterans with the care available to them.
If you already have meaningful relationships within the Northwest Arkansas veteran community, we want to hear from you.
Who we're looking for
The right person probably has a network before they ever start working here.
You know Northwest Arkansas beyond simply living here. You understand the communities, the organizations and many of the people who make things happen.
You are comfortable introducing yourself to someone you've never met.
You are equally comfortable developing a relationship with a hospital executive, a physician, a social worker, a veteran, a business owner or the executive director of a senior living community.
You follow up without being reminded.
You ask for the business.
You don't confuse a full calendar with producing results.
Most importantly, you like to build.
There is a big difference between maintaining an established book of business and creating something that wasn't there before. We are looking for the second person.
What we'd like to see
Strong candidates will have several of the following:
- Established professional relationships throughout Northwest Arkansas
- Business development, healthcare sales, provider relations, community outreach or referral development experience
- Demonstrated success generating new business
- Experience developing professional referral relationships
- Strong knowledge of the Northwest Arkansas healthcare community
- Experience working with the Department of Veterans Affairs or organizations serving veterans
- Knowledge of VA Community Care and veteran healthcare resources
- Existing relationships within the Northwest Arkansas veteran community
- Relationships with hospitals, senior living communities, physician groups, rehabilitation facilities or other healthcare organizations
- Experience building a territory, market or book of business
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills
- The ability to work independently without needing daily direction
- A history of setting goals and being accountable for results
Healthcare experience is valuable.
Relationships are valuable.
VA knowledge is valuable.
But none of those matter very much if you aren't motivated to go create business.
What success looks like here
We are not going to judge this position based on how many brochures were delivered or how many networking breakfasts were attended.
We are going to look at whether the market is growing.
Are new referral sources being created?
Are those referral sources producing business?
Are we establishing relationships with organizations that can send us multiple clients?
Are we becoming better connected within the veteran community?
Are people throughout Northwest Arkansas beginning to think of FirstLight when someone needs care?
Is the pipeline getting bigger, stronger and more predictable?
That's the job.
Why this opportunity is different
FirstLight Home Care is already operating in Northwest Arkansas. You aren't being asked to create a company from scratch.
But there is a tremendous amount left to build.
We are growing, adding capabilities and thinking much bigger about what this organization can become.
That means the person who takes this position will have an unusual amount of opportunity to influence the direction of the market.
We don't want someone who just wants to inherit a territory and maintain it.
We want someone who can look at Northwest Arkansas and say:
"I know how to grow this."
And then go prove it.
For someone who can consistently create relationships, partnerships and revenue, this role has room to become considerably larger over time.
Before you apply
This position involves being out in the community.
It involves prospecting.
It involves follow-up.
It involves asking people for their business.
It involves hearing no and continuing to work the relationship.
It involves being accountable for whether the pipeline grows.
If you are looking primarily for an office-based marketing position, this probably isn't the right opportunity.
If you are deeply connected to Northwest Arkansas, understand the veteran community, know how to develop business and want an opportunity where you can genuinely help build something significant, we'd like to talk.
FirstLight Home Care is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Pay: $75,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Cell phone reimbursement
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Tell me about one pipeline you have created that was unique.
- How would you describe your existing professional network in Northwest Arkansas?
- What direct experience do you have working with the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Community Care, veterans' organizations, or businesses that serve veterans?
- Imagine you were given responsibility for significantly growing FirstLight Home Care throughout Northwest Arkansas. What are the first three referral channels or relationships you would pursue, and why?
- Are you comfortable with a position where a significant portion of your workweek will be spent in the community developing new relationships, prospecting and directly asking organizations for their business?
- This position is highly autonomous and results-oriented. Which environment best describes where you perform best?
I prefer detailed daily direction and assigned activities.
I prefer a structured plan with regular supervision.
I prefer clear goals and the autonomy to determine how to achieve them.
- If you started with FirstLight on Monday and we told you your objective was to create $1 million in new annual revenue in Northwest Arkansas, walk us through how you would attack that goal.
Experience:
- Business development: 3 years (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Lowell, AR 72745 (Required)
Willingness to travel:
Work Location: In person
