[Hiring] Business Development Manager @DLB Associates

Role Description

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. 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.

• 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.
• 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.

Qualifications

• 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.

Requirements

• B.A. / B.S. degree in relevant fields including Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Business, or related disciplines.
• Minimum of eight years of experience in a related field, including business development within the data center market and/or MEP consulting engineering.

Benefits

• 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.