Business Development Manager

The Business Development Manager is a key member of Firstrata’s growth engine, responsible for executing the company’s sales strategy and building lasting relationships with strata stakeholders and end customers. As a primary customer-facing role, the BDM will bring energy, professionalism, and empathy to every interaction, representing Firstrata’s commitment to solving real problems with innovative finance solutions.

Working closely with the Head of Business Development, this role will focus on generating qualified opportunities, presenting Firstrata’s value proposition with confidence, and supporting customers through the funding journey. The BDM will also play a vital role in gathering insights from the field to support product and process innovation.

About Firstrata Finance

Firstrata Finance Pty Ltd (Firstrata) is a specialised lender providing debt funding to the owners of strata schemes on the eastern seaboard of Australia to fund remediation and improvement work to common property areas on strata-titled buildings.

Firstrata’s vision is to make strata lending mainstream, achieved via three key pillars:

1.      Product Flexibility: The Firstrata team has developed a product that has been described as a “game changer” by many pundits in the strata industry. The Firstrata Hybrid Loan allows apartment owners to pay their share of a project cost upfront and avoid loan interest and other apartment owners in the same strata scheme to spread their financial commitment over the life of a loan, providing choice to individual owners not available with traditional strata financing options.

2.      Lower Interest Rates: Firstrata’s goal is to lower the interest rate by writing significant volumes of loans, which combined with innovative funding strategies will lower Firstrata’s cost of funds, the benefit of which is passed on to customers via lower interest rates. Significant loan volumes are emanating from; the Hybrid Loan, aggressive initial pricing, and the relationships built over a collective two decades of strata lending across the Firstrata team.

3.      Customer Experience: Firstrata is a digital end-to-end business built on the Monday.com platform. Processes and procedures have been built to be both customer friendly and highly scalable as a means of providing the best customer experience at the lowest possible cost.

Firstrata has recently secured a multi-million dollar equity investment from the highly regarded Australian non-bank lender Think Tank Group (www.thinktank.net.au) which has also provided an ongoing funding facility for the business. Think Tank also has deep relationships with many wholesale funders enhancing Firstrata’s prospects of obtaining better, longer-term funding that will result in lower interest rates for Firstrata customers.

_Key Responsibilities & Tasks_Sales & Customer Engagement

• Manage inbound and outbound enquiries from both consumers and business referrers
• Qualify leads and match customers with the most suitable Firstrata product
• Prepare and issue indicative proposals, motions, and loan documentation
• Follow up with customers through the sales lifecycle using the CRM system
• Support customers throughout the loan journey, ensuring a seamless experience
• Attend and present at committee meetings and owners’ corporation meetings

Business Development

• Build and nurture relationships with key industry partners, including:

- Strata managers

- Brokers

- Remedial builders and project managers

- Consultants and other referral sources

• Represent Firstrata at industry conferences, trade events, and networking opportunities
• Support education initiatives with partners and prospective clients
• Contribute ideas to improve referral partner engagement and performance

Sales Operations & Reporting

• Maintain accurate and timely records in the CRM
• Support the preparation of regular sales reports and activity updates
• Provide insights and feedback from the field to support product development and process improvements
• Support marketing campaigns and lead-generation activities where needed.

_Qualifications, skills and work experience_Key Attributes

• Empathetic communicator – understands customer pain points and builds trust
• Driven and proactive – seeks out opportunities, follows up consistently
• Clear and engaging presenter – comfortable speaking with strata committees, owners, and industry professionals
• Organised and detail-oriented – handles regulated financial products with precision
• Team player – works collaboratively with internal teams and contributes to a positive culture
• Comfortable working remotely – has the discipline to work effectively without supervision

Experience & Requirements

• Minimum 3 years' experience in a business development, account management, or sales role
• Strata industry experience is critical
• Finance experience is not essential but beneficial
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence decision-makers
• Tech-savvy, with experience using CRM platforms and digital communication tools

Special Circumstances

• The role may require a degree of interstate travel, working beyond normal business hours, and representation of Firstrata at industry events
• This role is work-from-home, so the person must have access to an undisturbed workspace and a reliable high-speed internet connection. Firstrata will provide the technology equipment necessary for the fulfilment of the role.