Business Development Director – Utilities

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Achieve or surpass designated order intake goals while ensuring appropriate profitability and pursuit discipline.

• Establish significant relationships and executive access within a specific portfolio of key utility targets.

• Develop and implement account-entry strategies, which include relationship maps, buying centers, procurement pathways, existing providers, potential entry points, and 30/60/90-day action plans.

• Identify credible initial opportunities and manage technical and commercial resources to pursue them effectively.

• Cultivate relationships with business leaders, engineering teams, project/program management, procurement, and other essential influencers.

• Leverage Atwell and NEI connections, referrals, executive sponsors, seller-doers, industry contacts, and market networks to enhance access.

• Assess opportunities based on strategic alignment, relationship strength, client requirements, funding availability, timing, competitive landscape, delivery capacity, profitability, and likelihood of success.

• Collaborate with Strategic Account Managers as relationships evolve from market entry to systematic account growth.

• Work with utility technical leaders and seller-doers to convert client needs into solutions encompassing transmission, substations, distribution, system studies, field services, land, environmental, permitting, and other relevant capabilities.

• Discover opportunities to present multiple Atwell services to clients while ensuring a unified client experience.

• Maintain precise records of accounts, relationships, opportunities, next steps, and timelines in the CRM.

• Provide forecasts for pipeline and order intake, and communicate any changes, risks, and resource requirements.

• Gather market intelligence concerning capital programs, procurement cycles, MSAs, vendor qualification criteria, competition, client priorities, and emerging utility demands.

• Represent the organization at selected industry events and client meetings.

• Collaborate with Sales Operations, estimating, pursuit support, and marketing throughout the qualification, proposal, and handoff stages.

• Independently oversee assigned account-development strategies, priorities, CRM activities, and commitments in alignment with commercial leadership.

⛳️ Requirements

• Proven track record of developing business with electric utilities, ideally with investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities, and/or electric cooperatives.

• Established relationships within the utility sector and a strong ability to connect with senior decision-makers are highly preferred.

• Familiarity with how utilities plan, procure, qualify vendors, establish MSAs, fund capital initiatives, and award engineering or construction-related projects.

• Capability to comprehend client requirements and effectively coordinate technical discussions related to transmission, substations, distribution, interconnection, system studies, grid modernization, and associated infrastructure.

• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to prioritize the right accounts and opportunities rather than merely increasing bid volume.

• Ability to foster trust between commercial and technical teams and thrive in a seller-doer culture.

• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, facilitation, and executive-presence abilities.

• Self-driven, organized, accountable, and adept at functioning in a fast-paced professional services environment.

• Open to coaching, curious, and dedicated to continuous improvement.

• Proficient with CRM systems and committed to maintaining timely, accurate account and opportunity data.

• Willingness to travel regularly for priority client development, industry events, and internal collaboration.

• Over 8 years of business development, strategic account, utility, engineering, construction, or related industry experience; direct experience in the utility market is strongly preferred.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution preferred; relevant utility-industry experience and relationships may be accepted in lieu of a specific degree discipline.

• Commercial insight into engineering, construction, and power infrastructure markets.

• Capability to travel and attend client/project site meetings; must be able to lift up to 25 lbs.

🏝️ Benefits

• Generous Paid Time Off.

• Paid Parental Leave.

• Flexible work schedules available for certain positions.

• Tenure Awards — Travel Vouchers to explore the world based on your travel preferences.

• Competitive Compensation packages.

• Annual bonuses, spot bonuses, and peer recognition awards.

• 401K match - 1:1 up to 4% of compensation.

• Tuition Assistance.

• Student Loan Repayment.

• Paid Licensing / Certification Fees and Renewals.

• Financial Rewards for Obtaining Licensure.

• Employee Referrals.

• Annual Wellness Reimbursement for anything wellness-related (Gym memberships, fitness tracker, home gym equipment, etc.).

• Dependent Care Match.

• Medical (BC/BS), Dental (Delta), and Vision (VSP).

• Family Planning & IVF Benefits.

• Pet Insurance.

• Health Savings Account & Flex Spending Account options.

• Employer-paid LTD, STD, and life insurance.

• Metlife Supplemental Benefits covering accident, hospitalization, and critical illness.

• Member Assistance Program (MAP) offering complimentary counseling sessions, legal benefits, financial consultations, and work/life referral services.