Business Development Manager

Job description

Position Title: Business Development Manager Position Location: Remote - work virtually from anywhere in the United States SALARY DLB recognizes salary ranges from job boards do not necessarily reflect our pay ranges. In many instances we out-compete those ranges for well-qualified candidates. JOB SUMMARY The Business Development Manager is a client-facing growth role within DLB's Design Department, responsible for expanding the firm's presence in the data center market through supporting new business ventures, proposal development, and disciplined opportunity organization and management. Drawing on a strong foundation in MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) consulting engineering, this position translates technical understanding into compelling value propositions for the owners, developers, operators, and contractors that shape the mission-critical sector. This role owns the front end of the sales lifecycle, from identifying and qualifying opportunities to authoring proposals, structuring pricing, and tracking pursuits through close. Working closely with the Executive Directors, trade leadership, and technical teams, the Business Development Manager ensures every pursuit is well-scoped, properly priced, and clearly communicated, delivering a seamless client experience that reflects DLB's engineering and operational excellence. Ideal candidates thrive at the intersection of technical fluency, strategy, and relationship management. As both a strategic contributor and a hands-on operator, the Business Development Manager will refine the firm's pursuit processes, drive sales performance in the data center market, and ensure DLB's brand of engineering excellence is represented with consistency, clarity, and impact in every client engagement. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Client Engagement & Business Development (30%) Serve as an external-facing representative of DLB with prospective and existing clients across the data center and mission-critical market. Identify, research, and qualify new opportunities with owners, developers, colocation and hyperscale operators, general contractors, and design partners. Build and nurture long-term client and sub-contractor relationships that generate repeat and referral work. Leverage MEP consulting engineering knowledge to understand client needs and position DLB's services credibly and competitively. Represent DLB at industry conferences and networking events within the data center sector. Proposal Development (25%) Lead the development, writing, and production of proposals, qualifications packages, and responses to RFPs and RFQs. Translate technical scope from MEP and design teams into clear, persuasive, client-ready narratives. Coordinate proposal inputs across engineering, marketing, and leadership to meet submission deadlines without sacrificing quality. Build and maintain a library of reusable proposal content, project descriptions, staff resumes, and past-performance materials. Ensure every proposal reflects DLB's brand, quality standards, and win strategy. Pricing Strategy & Structure (15%) Develop and maintain pricing structures, fee models, and rate frameworks for data center and MEP engagements. Partner with technical leadership to align scope, level of effort, and staffing assumptions with pricing. Analyze project profitability, market rates, and competitive positioning to inform pricing decisions. Support fee negotiations and provide pricing guidance to leadership throughout the pursuit. Opportunity & Pipeline Management (20%) Track, organize, and maintain the business development pipeline within CRM and opportunity-tracking tools. Manage status, priority, and next actions for all active pursuits, and maintain consistent data hygiene. Produce pipeline reports, win/loss analysis, and revenue forecasts for leadership. Establish and monitor a repeatable pursuit process that moves opportunities efficiently from lead to close. Cross-Functional Collaboration & Reporting (10%) Actively participate in departmental planning, leadership reporting, and interdepartmental alignment initiatives. Contribute to internal working groups and DLB-wide strategic projects as needed. Performs Other Related Duties as Assigned. Technology and Data-Driven Decision Making Champion technology strategy and digital transformation initiatives within the division. Drive the adoption of data analytics for divisional planning and forecasting. Ensure alignment of technology investments with divisional goals. Performs Other Related Duties as Assigned. POSITION REQUIREMENTS (ADVANCED LEVEL FOR ALL THE FOLLOWING) Demonstrated success in business development, sales, or client development within the data center or mission-critical market. Working knowledge of MEP consulting engineering concepts, deliverables, and the project lifecycle. Proven ability to author winning proposals and qualifications for professional services or engineering firms. Skilled in developing pricing structures, fee models, and profitability analysis. Proficiency with CRM and pipeline / opportunity-tracking tools, forecasting, and reporting. Ability to thrive in fast-paced environments, driving clarity and structure amid ambiguity. Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-management skills across all levels, including executive leadership, cross-functional teams, and external clients. PHYSICAL DEMANDS The following physical demands must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is Frequently required to remain in a stationary position. Frequently moving through office, facility, and other environments. On occasion, may move equipment weighing up to 25 pounds. TRAVEL / RELOCATION REQUIREMENTS Up to 25%, this may include travel to any or all 50 US states Travel is defined as physically leaving home on behalf of business activities including but not limited to client sites, meetings with other employees, meeting for business development purposes, running errands on behalf of the business, attending industry conferences, etc. EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS B.A. / B.S. degree in relevant fields including Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Business, or related disciplines. PLUS Minimum of eight years of experience in a related field, including business development within the data center market and/or MEP consulting engineering. Benefits DLB Associates offers a very competitive benefits package; highlights include Choice of comprehensive medical plans (including two PPO-style plans and a HDHP w/ HSA option) Flex spending accounts (FSA) Dental and vision plans Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits extended to spouse / domestic partner and dependent children up to age 26 401k with company match and self-directed brokerage account option PTO including additional paid time off during the last week of the year Company paid life insurance coverage for employees and their eligible dependents Short and long-term disability, AD&D coverage Professional development opportunities, tuition reimbursement and professional licensing assistance Paid parental leave after one year of employment CO, CA, IL, NY, WA, and Washington DC residents only: In accordance with CO, CA, IL, NY, WA, and Washington DC law, the range provided is DLB's reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount may differ based on non-discriminatory factors such as experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and location. DLB Associates is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and participates in the E-Verify program with the Department of Homeland Security. We encourage diversity in our workforce. Are you ready to challenge yourself and redefine standards in the AEC industry? Apply now and join our award-winning team!​ ​NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES: DLB does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to DLB in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where DLB has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of DLB and DLB will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service. DLB Associates is a premier engineering and consulting firm specializing in innovative, mission-critical solutions across hyperscale data centers, advanced infrastructure, and high-performance building systems. With over four decades of expertise, we partner with some of the world’s most influential companies to design and optimize environments that demand precision, scalability, and resilience. Join us and be part of a team where your voice matters, your work makes an impact, and your growth is a shared priority.