ASSOCIATE | Business Development + Brand

Job Title: ASSOCIATE | Business Development + Brand

Company Name: TEALEAVES

Location: Vancouver, BC (the Great Outdoors)

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

ABOUT US

Established in 1994, TEALEAVES is celebrated by 5-star hotels and Michelin chefs worldwide for our expertise in blending teas of unparalleled quality. Every cup is hand-crafted by our Master Blenders, showcasing culture's rooted relationship with rituals of tea.  Every cup is a celebration of connection.

With Purpose, We Blend for People & Planet.

Guided by UN Sustainable Development Goals, we are engaged in thought leadership, to change the very nature of "how we do", "what we do", cognizant of our reputation as global Tastemaker.  

Join the cause, have a spot of tea.

TEALEAVES is seeking the highly engaged and dynamic.

Your opportunities will include: 

• Cultivate and grow meaningful, long-term relationships with key luxury clients and high-profile brand partners across North America, Europe and Asia (Pantone Color, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Museum, Frye Museum, Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Waldorf Astoria, Mandarin Oriental, Bvlgari, St. Regis and more).

• Identify leads and strategically pursue partnerships with new clients (five-star hotels, restaurants, lifestyle cafes)

• Co-activate social-impact campaigns and projects with iconic CPGs

• Implement, iterate strategies to enhance the brand's reputation and influence with high-quality brands, aligning with our social impact and sustainability goals.

• Develop and deliver engaging presentations to share knowledge and co-run ideation sessions with new and existing clients.

• Collaborate cross-functionally across departments to develop award-winning marketing assets, organize PR and media events, and leverage client interaction data for new product development.

• Work closely with Logistics colleagues to gather, interpret, and analyze data, refining Brand Strategy plans and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

• Develop customized pricing models and proposals for various client segments, support contract negotiations, and ensure adherence to company policies and legal standards.

Skills and Attributes:

• Commitment to making a positive impact on biodiversity for People & Planet.

• Appreciation for culinary excellence and sustainable luxury brands.

• Polite, diplomatic, and effective communicator.

• Analytical and inquisitive mindset.

• Compelling and articulate public speaker.

• Creative and innovative thinker, thrives in interdisciplinary teams.

• Inclusivity advocate, valuing diverse perspectives.

• Agility to swiftly adapt to new information 

• Emotionally intelligent, self-aware, empathetic (kind)

Career Benefits:

Accelerate your professional journey to create a meaningful career

• Design your positive impact. Engage vigorously in pro-bono projects and progressive campaigns addressing global challenges including biodiversity loss, Inclusive Design, and sustainable economic development. Collaborate with nonprofits and leading universities on impactful initiatives including UN's COP16, the UN Sustainable Development Goal Summit 2024/25, and the World Biodiversity Forum.

• Do the highest quality work. Receive dedicated mentorship to produce top-tier work, setting the stage for acceptance (if so desired) into prestigious postgraduate programs at institutions including MIT MBA, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Duke MBA, UVA MBA, and Columbia University, often with scholarships.

• Become a Changemaker. Advance your career trajectory and influence at TEALEAVES, where interdisciplinary teams power innovative solutions to intractable challenges. Whether pursuing grad school, consulting, social enterprise, or tech design, TEALEAVES empowers you to drive concrete change.

• Grow your network. Forge lasting connections with respected alumni, OG experts, expanding your network through collabs with high-profile brands and participation in industry-leading events and conferences.

A Day in the Life:

In the Office:

• Coordinate with Michelin-starred chefs to develop a bespoke tea blend for an upcoming charity gala that includes creating/managing assets for socials and branding.  (Slack, Wrike, Google Workspace)

• Nurture existing client relationships and explore opportunities with the F&B, Culinary, Mixology, and PR teams at a prestigious 5-star hotel.  

• Maintain Salesforce updates and prepare monthly dashboard reports for team analysis.

• Evaluate compelling experiential pitch opportunities from hotel groups across North America.

• Meet with the Design team to iterate packaging and art direction for a bespoke tea blend tailored for a new boutique hotel in Milano (Miro, Figma)

On a Trip, On the Road:

• Travel to major cities such as New York, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Austin, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Napa Valley.

• Lead client meetings and conduct tea tastings for renowned chefs and mixologists.

• Lead engaging tea training sessions for culinary teams.

• Explore potential collaborations with iconic brands.

• Deliver lectures on Biodiversity Design and the latest UN SDGs at prestigious events like SF Design Week, DesignTO, NYCxDesign, LA Design Festival

Compensation:

Compensation range for candidates with no prior full-time experience :  $69,000 to $73,000.

Compensation range for candidates with 1 to 6 years of prior full-time experience :  please contact us

Interview Process:

Virtual interviews conducted on a rolling basis.  In-person interviews conducted on campus September 2025 and January 2026.

Start Date: Summer 2026

TEALEAVES is committed to equity and fostering an inclusive workplace culture. We embrace diversity and provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.