Corporate Development Manager: Facts, Skills, and Next Paths

A Corporate Development Manager identifies and executes growth opportunities through mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and new revenue channels. Day-to-day work includes financial modeling, market research, competitive analysis, and building relationships with potential partners or acquisition targets.

The role is responsible for developing a pipeline of new business, leading negotiations, and managing stakeholder relationships across the organization. For example, at Payentry the manager prospects new clients through networking and cold calling, while at Walmart the role directs sales strategies and manages critical accounts to drive business growth. The position typically reports to a director or VP of Corporate Development and collaborates with finance, legal, and operations teams.

The median salary for Corporate Development Managers is approximately $155,000. The most requested skills in current job postings are Business Development (90%), Negotiation (50%), and CRM (40%), with significant demand also for Vendor Management, Prospecting & Outreach, Forecasting, and Microsoft Office.