Willdan is a leading, nationwide provider of comprehensive energy and sustainability solutions. The exciting and growing energy sector provides Willdan employees an opportunity to contribute to the clean energy economy. Willdan Performance Engineering, a division of Willdan Group, inspires and empowers communities by creating transformational environments. Our clients include school districts, universities, city, county, and state governments, private enterprises, and healthcare facilities.
The Business Development Manager is responsible for driving strategic business growth in the data center, telecom, and cable industries by developing executive-level client relationships, identifying complex business opportunities, and leading consultative sales efforts for Willdan Energy Solutions' energy, engineering, and sustainability solutions. This role manages the full business development lifecycle, including market development, opportunity qualification, solution development, proposal strategy, negotiations, and contract execution. Serving as a trusted advisor to clients, the Mission-Critical Business Development Manager partners closely with engineering, project management, and operations teams to deliver tailored solutions that address clients' operational, financial, and sustainability objectives while expanding Willdan's market presence and fostering long-term customer relationships.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Develop and execute strategic business development plans to expand market share by identifying and engaging new mission-critical accounts, generate qualified opportunities, and achieve assigned revenue and growth objectives.
- Cultivate and maintain long-term relationships with executive-level decision-makers, facility owners, public agencies, and strategic partners by understanding their business objectives, operational challenges, financial priorities, and sustainability goals.
- Lead consultative sales engagements by identifying client needs, developing solution strategies, and communicating the value of Willdan's energy, engineering, design-build, and optimization contracting solutions.
- Manage the complete sales lifecycle, including prospecting, qualification, opportunity development, proposal strategy, presentations, negotiations, and contract execution.
- Collaborate with engineering, project management, finance, legal, marketing, and operations teams to develop competitive technical and commercial proposals that maximize customer value and business success.
- Coordinate internal project development resources throughout the pursuit process to ensure efficient use of technical expertise and successful delivery of client solutions.
- Maintain an accurate and active sales pipeline by utilizing business development tools to forecast revenue, document customer interactions, monitor opportunity progress, and support strategic decision-making.
- Analyze market trends, competitive activity, procurement opportunities, and industry developments to identify emerging business opportunities and strengthen mission-critical go-to-market strategies.
- Serve as the client's advocate by fostering collaboration across internal teams, managing customer expectations, and promoting exceptional service throughout the business development process.
- Mentor and support less experienced business development professionals by sharing best practices, providing guidance during pursuit development, and promoting a collaborative, high-performing sales culture.
Job Requirements / Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, or related discipline required.
- 8-10 years of progressively responsible experience in consultative business development, strategic sales, account management, or related client-facing roles in mission critical types of environments with a proven history of successful projects.
- 5+ years of business development specifically in the mission-critical industries including data centers, telecom, and cable company environments focusing on HVAC, controls, and energy conservation-based solutions. Business development experience with corporate data center customers is also preferred.
- Applicable understanding and application of key metrics such as PUE, equipment efficiency calculations/analysis, heat load to cooling load analysis, areas to optimize economization energy use, airflow measures impacting hotspots, and items such as IT rack density analysis along with practical experience associated with automations controls systems.
- Demonstrated success developing new business opportunities, managing complex sales pursuits, and consistently achieving revenue objectives.
- Excellent interpersonal, presentation, negotiation, and written communication skills with the ability to effectively influence diverse stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams while balancing customer expectations, technical requirements, and business priorities.
- Experience within the energy (including utility incentive programs), engineering, construction, infrastructure, facilities, sustainability, or professional services industries preferred.
- Proven ability to manage multiple complex pursuits simultaneously while maintaining a high level of organization, professionalism, and customer service.
- Ability to travel as needed, based on the requirements of the role.
EEO Non-Discrimination and ADA Reasonable Accommodation Statement
Willdan is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, religious creed, color, age marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, religion, military service or veteran status, disability, medical condition, childbirth and related medical conditions, genetic testing, reproductive status or any other classification protected by federal, state or local laws and ordinances. Willdan does not discriminate on the basis of physical or mental disability where the essential functions of the job can be reasonably accommodated. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us.
Willdan Energy Solutions participates in E-Verify.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, or a related discipline
- 8–10 years of progressively responsible experience in consultative business development, strategic sales, account management, or related client-facing roles
- 5+ years of business development experience in mission-critical industries, including data centers, telecommunications, or cable environments
- Experience with HVAC, controls, and energy conservation-based solutions
- Understanding of PUE, equipment efficiency, heat-load and cooling-load analysis, economization, airflow, IT rack density, and automation controls systems
- Proven success developing new business, managing complex sales pursuits, and achieving revenue objectives
- Excellent interpersonal, presentation, negotiation, and written communication skills
- Ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams while balancing customer expectations, technical requirements, and business priorities
- Experience in energy, utility incentive programs, engineering, construction, infrastructure, facilities, sustainability, or professional services
- Ability to manage multiple complex pursuits while maintaining organization, professionalism, and customer service
- Ability to travel as needed
Willdan Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Willdan and has not been reviewed or approved by Willdan.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) with company match and an employee stock purchase plan are highlighted as part of the package. Feedback suggests these features strengthen long-term financial security for employees.
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Healthcare Strength — Medical, dental, and vision coverage are offered along with HSA and FSA options. This breadth of medical plan types is portrayed as a meaningful benefit for many roles and locations.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off, flexible work arrangements, and dependent-care assistance are included. Tuition reimbursement and commuter benefits further expand the overall benefits mix.
Willdan Insights
What We Do
Willdan (NASDAQ: WLDN) provides professional consulting and technical services to utilities, public agencies and private industry throughout the United States. Its broad set of complementary disciplines span energy efficiency, distributed energy resources and software, engineering and planning, public finance and economic consulting. Willdan provides integrated technical solutions to extend the reach and resources of its clients, and provides all services through its subsidiaries specialized in each segment. Since our establishment in 1964, Willdan has grown significantly, employing 1,560 dedicated professionals (excluding contractors) as of December 31, 2021, and achieving an impressive annual Contract Revenue exceeding $350 million. Willdan benefits from long standing, well-established relationships with local and state government agencies, investor-owned and municipal utilities, and commercial and industrial firms throughout the United States. Headquartered in Anaheim, California, Willdan operates from offices in more than 20 states across the US, with its largest operations in California and New York.
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