Business Development Manager

Looking for your next challenge? Want a great job and to grow something that really matters?

Come join us as and lead commercial growth at Te Heke Mai (tehekemai.co.nz), the platform helping New Zealanders into lasting work.

pAI2 Limited · Te Heke Mai · Auckland or NZ-based (hybrid / remote)

6-month fixed-term contract (Oct 2026 – Mar 2027), with a view to extend · Full-time · Reports to the CEO

Te Heke Mai (tehekemai.co.nz) is a platform and coaching service built for New Zealanders facing real barriers to work. We help people through the process of finding meaningful, lasting employment. It is free for anyone in NZ to sign up and to use it.

We pair human coaching with an AI coaching assistant. The platform is mature. Now we are building the commercial engine to help it grow, and we need someone to open the doors and turn our growth strategy into signed revenue.

This is a dedicated commercial hire for Te Heke Mai. It is hands-on and build-it-yourself, not a role that inherits a running function. You will personally open doors, shape offers and progress deals across corporates, industry bodies, government agencies, iwi and community organisations, philanthropic funders, employers and schools, and you will stand up the pipeline and the basics behind the sale as you go. You report to the CEO and work closely with our coaching, product and data teams.

We have a broad portfolio, from lightweight advertising and sponsored content, through coaching services and sector talent pathways, to more complex platform licensing. No two propositions sell the same way, so we are after someone who can flex from higher-volume products to considered, high-value partnerships.

One thing sets this apart from most sales roles. Our credibility rests on the trust of a vulnerable audience and on partnerships we protect with care. We want the drive to hit ambitious numbers and the judgement to hit them the right way. Knowing which deals to reshape or walk away from matters here as much as knowing which to chase.

What you will do

• Own the go-to-market and build a qualified pipeline across every segment, first conversation to signed agreement.
• Turn our propositions into tailored offers and lead consultative, value-based sales cycles with senior buyers.
• Land our first reference partners and use them to open the next wave.
• Progress our most complex platform and licensing opportunities alongside the CEO.
• Run our HubSpot CRM with real pipeline discipline, forecasting and honest reporting.
• Grow and protect our partnerships, including our relationship with MSD and our referral network across government and community.

What we are looking for

• A strong track record of winning new business in complex, consultative, value-based selling with senior buyers.
• Experience selling into one or more of: large corporates, government or the wider public sector, industry bodies, iwi or community organisations, or philanthropic funders.
• Comfort building from close to zero: your own pipeline, process, CRM and collateral.
• Sound commercial judgement, and the discipline to hold the line on value rather than discount to close.
• A New Zealand network you can bring with you, and clear, persuasive writing and presenting.
• The self-direction and resilience to thrive in a small, fast-moving organisation.

Helpful but not essential

Experience with government and procurement, platform, SaaS or licensing sales, a background in employment, skills, education or social impact, familiarity with HubSpot, and an understanding of Te Ao Māori and Pacific communities.

What we offer

• A competitive base plus a performance incentive tied to revenue milestones and cash collected, so the reward tracks real revenue rather than paper value.
• Auckland or NZ-based with hybrid and remote flexibility.
• A six-month fixed-term contract from October 2026, with a genuine view to extend subject to performance and funding,
• The chance to shape a commercial function from the ground up in a mission that matters.

How to apply

Send through your CV and a short cover note and tell us about a complex deal you led from first conversation to close, and why this mission matters to you. You could always use Te Heke Mai to create your CV and cover letter to see how it works.

We review applications as they arrive, so apply early. Applications close 25 September 2026

pAI2 is committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to a team that reflects the communities Te Heke Mai serves. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and are happy to make reasonable adjustments at any stage. Applicants must have the right to work in New Zealand.