Business Development Representative

About Hugo Hugo is a next-generation BPO built for today’s work. With a global team of over 4,500 people, we focus on high-complexity, judgment-led workflows where nuance matters and traditional outsourcing models fall short. Our teams support demanding digital operations, including AI and model evaluation, trust and safety, crisis and escalation workflows, and advanced customer experience programs. Our workforce is designed to operate in ambiguity. University-trained teams work within AI-enabled workflows, combining analytical rigor with a strong culture of accuracy and ownership. Since 2017, we’ve scaled rapidly while maintaining strong retention and consistent execution quality. We are enterprise-ready, but operate differently. Hugo meets the compliance, security, and operational standards of large global BPOs while maintaining the speed and adaptability of a modern, analytics-driven organization. Our teams think like consultants—pairing structured execution with thoughtful problem-solving—delivering enterprise-grade reliability to large organizations and sophisticated operational capability to smaller, underserved companies. Our mission drives everything we do. Outsourcing creates significant global value, yet little of it reaches African communities. Hugo is changing that by channeling opportunity into Africa, building meaningful careers, and proving that African talent can help power the future of the digital economy. Role Overview As a Business Development Representative , you will own new business growth by identifying, engaging, and closing opportunities with US-based companies. This is an individual contributor role focused on building pipeline, converting opportunities into revenue, and representing the company externally with credibility and consistency. You will work closely with Sales, Marketing, and Revenue leadership to refine our go-to-market approach, bring new logos into the business, and help position our services effectively in a competitive B2B services landscape. Key Responsibilities New Business Development Identify and pursue new business opportunities through outbound prospecting, market research, and relationship-driven engagement Build and manage a healthy pipeline of qualified opportunities aligned with our ideal customer profile Sales Execution Own the sales process end-to-end: lead qualification, discovery, proposals, negotiation, and deal closure Engage prospects across multiple channels (email, LinkedIn, calls, and events) with a consultative, value-led approach Market & Customer Insight Develop a strong understanding of customer challenges in areas such as data annotation, AI/ML operations, Trust & Safety, and customer experience workflows Translate prospect pain points into clear, relevant solutions aligned with our offerings Cross-Functional Collaboration Partner with Marketing on campaigns, messaging, and outbound initiatives that drive pipeline Share structured feedback from the market to improve positioning, targeting, and sales materials External Representation Represent the company at industry events, conferences, and community forums Build personal credibility as a knowledgeable, trusted seller who adds value in every interaction What Success Looks Like Consistent creation of qualified pipeline with US-based customers Strong close rates driven by effective discovery and value-based selling Reliable use of CRM and comfort working with activity metrics, pipeline, and forecasts Trusted collaboration with Marketing and Revenue teams A growing network and reputation within relevant buyer communities Qualifications & Experience Core Skills Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills Proven ability to sell to US-based businesses in English Strong prioritization skills and ability to manage multiple deals simultaneously Data- and accountability-driven mindset; comfortable working with numbers and reporting Curiosity and willingness to adopt new tools, including GenAI-enabled workflows Experience 5+ years of experience in B2B business development or sales roles Experience selling complex services or solutions; BPO, digital operations, or AI-related services is a strong plus Demonstrated success building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and decision-makers Hands-on experience with tools such as HubSpot or Salesforce, Excel/Sheets, and presentation tools Nice to Have Familiarity with the BPO or digital operations industry Exposure to AI, ML, Trust & Safety, or customer experience functions Location & Travel Remote (South Africa) Remote-first role with approximately 10% travel within the USA for events and meetings Compensation Competitive compensation package, aligned with experience and performance What We Offer A flexible work environment with strong ownership and accountability The opportunity to make a measurable impact in a growing business Exposure to complex, high-value sales in a fast-evolving industry Clear expectations and room to grow with the business