Business Development Director

📋 Description

• Proactively assess market size, accessibility, industry trends, competitor movements, regulatory changes, and emerging technologies and markets to identify risks and opportunities for sustaining a competitive advantage.

• Leverage market insights to craft and refine business development strategies that address market needs, guide product development initiatives, and direct sales efforts.

• Establish and maintain a network of industry contacts to remain informed about political, economic, social, technological, regulatory, and environmental factors influencing customer decision-making.

• Organize and promote external workshops to explore customers' existing and future business capabilities, aimed at identifying, prioritizing, and measuring key business value drivers.

• Determine target customers and key stakeholders within the ecosystem by classifying customers based on their relationship strength, financial stability, innovation appetite, and other pertinent indicators. Utilize this data to formulate strategic multi-functional offerings and initiatives.

• Collaborate with sales to engage directly with customer teams, including executives, to comprehend their challenges and objectives and devise actionable strategies to address these issues.

• Prepare and deliver compelling business cases and educational materials to effectively convey the strategic and financial benefits of grid automation solutions to C-suite executives.

• Measure and communicate the long-term value derived from S&C’s grid automation investments to support transformative capital decisions.

• Work closely with key stakeholders to identify target customers and prioritize sales initiatives based on potential value creation, relationship strength, and opportunity size.

• Advocate for internal alignment on a cross-functional sales capture strategy that clearly defines roles and responsibilities across S&C.

• Collaborate with Sales & Sales Enablement teams to create playbooks for various scenarios to advance customer engagement.

• Engage with PSS as needed to facilitate effective change management plans for customers, ensuring they have the support and resources required to implement S&C’s grid automation solutions.

• Actively interact with the product development and management teams to influence product roadmaps and represent the customer's voice by participating in various steering committees.

• Offer recommendations and business cases for product features and customization based on customer feedback and insights.

• Oversee and manage the pipeline for customer product trials, ensuring smooth execution and timely feedback to product teams regarding performance and enhancements.

• Partner with sales as a trusted advisor and consultant to guide the initial stages of business development activities.

• Lead significant high-value/high-stakes business development initiatives for the assigned region/customers, taking ownership of business development activities and making key decisions for new development projects in the region.

• Serve as a direct partner to Regional Vice Presidents and Regional Directors, ensuring alignment of business development initiatives with regional sales strategies.

• Collaborate across assigned regions to promote the adoption of S&C’s grid automation solutions.

• Attend and present updates at regional sales meetings, providing thorough updates on high-priority activities, and other relevant information.

• Exemplify Salesforce best practices by maintaining timely and accurate records of business development activities, customer interactions, and pipeline management.

• Represent S&C as a thought leader at conferences and industry meetings to enhance brand positioning and market reputation.

• Provide training and consultative support to internal teams, promoting consultative selling capabilities throughout the organization.

• Travel as necessary (primarily domestically, with some international travel) to support business development efforts.

• Entertain customers during and outside of business hours, as appropriate, to build essential relationships that advance opportunities.

• Understand and adhere to all applicable company policies and regulations.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.

• Valid driver's license in good standing and a clean driving record.

• Typically ten (10) years of progressive experience in a high-level business development role, preferably in the utility or related industry.

• Proven success in business development and collaboration with sales teams to promote the adoption and large-scale deployment of company solutions.

• Expert understanding of electrical power systems and distribution networks, including medium voltage switchgear and lateral automation solutions.

• In-depth knowledge of S&C’s solutions with the ability to assess and align S&C solutions with customer requirements to create integrated solutions.

• Demonstrated ability to identify and prioritize business opportunities, craft compelling business cases, and influence high-level decision-making processes.

• Capable of prioritizing the buyer's voice, understanding their motivations, and anticipating their behavior through active listening, cognitive decoding, and perspective-taking.

• Advanced business acumen, entrepreneurial mindset, and analytical skills with the ability to utilize and analyze data for informed decision-making, problem-solving complex issues, and leveraging data for continuous improvement.

• Strong financial acumen and numerical ability to comprehend the financial landscape of S&C’s competitive environment.

• Exceptional communication skills (written, verbal, listening, and presentation) with the ability to interact with internal and external stakeholders at all levels, from senior executives to support staff.

• Creative, persuasive, and compelling in demonstrating how solutions meet customer needs, comfortable presenting to diverse audiences ranging from small face-to-face meetings to large conferences and formal presentations.

• Outstanding interpersonal skills to build meaningful relationships grounded in mutual trust and respect, navigate conflicts, moderate behaviors, and foster collaborative working relationships among a diverse audience.

• Willingness to travel as required.

🏝️ Benefits

• Health and Welfare Benefits: Medical & Prescription, Dental, Vision, Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Account (HSA), Group Life Insurance, optional Supplemental Life and AD&D Insurance, Wellbeing Resources including Employee Assistance Program and Family Forming Benefits (i.e., Adoption and Fertility support).

• Leave Benefits: Vacation Time, Sick Time, Paid Holidays and Company Shutdown days, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Other Leaves, Paid Parental Time, and Military Leave.

• Retirement Benefits: 401(k) Retirement Savings and Employee Stock Ownership Plan (KSOP) offering traditional and Roth 401(k) options along with an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) component; KSOP participants can receive annual ESOP company contributions of over 11% of eligible earnings (3% Core, up to 3.5% Match, Variable Periodic).