Sr. Manager, Technical Business Development

Johnson Controls, Inc.; Edmonton; Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson Controls, Inc. is seeking a Sr. Manager, Technical Business Development to drive strategic growth in the data center solutions space.

You will lead cross-functional efforts among account teams, engineering, operations, and delivery to shape complex programs from concept to deployment. The role combines technical business development, solution strategy, and program leadership, focusing on data center infrastructure, cooling, modular centers, and prefabricated solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Technology, or related field.
• PMP, PgMP, MBA or equivalent considered an asset.
• 4+ years in Technical Business Development, Program Management, Product Management, Sales Engineering, Solutions Engineering or Project Delivery.
• Experience with data center infrastructure, cooling, modular data centers, and prefabricated buildings.
• Proven experience managing large, multi-disciplinary customer programs and strategic accounts.

Responsibilities

• Drive growth with strategic customers through opportunities, expansion programs, and roadmaps.
• Build executive-level relationships with customers, consultants, EPC firms, contractors, and partners.
• Partner with Account Management to develop growth strategies and market penetration plans.
• Identify customer requirements and industry trends to influence business strategy and offerings.
• Lead technical and delivery strategy for major RFPs/RFQs and strategic pursuits.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment of customer needs with product capabilities and delivery.

Skills

Technical Business Development

Program Management

Product Management

Sales Engineering

Solutions Engineering

Project Delivery

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering

MBA or PMP / PgMP (asset)

Tools

AutoCAD

Creo

Smartsheet

Visio

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Project

Power BI

Job description

Sr. Manager, Technical Business Development

Industry: Data Center Solutions Manufacturing
Reports To: VP Accounts & Programs / Account Leader
Location: Hybrid

Position Overview

The Sr. Manager, Technical Business Development is responsible for driving strategic growth opportunities and ensuring successful development of complex customer programs within the data center infrastructure market. This role serves as the primary interface between customers, account teams, engineering, operations, and project delivery organizations, for new developments.

The position combines technical business development, solution strategy, program management/co-ordination, product roadmap influence, and customer relationship leadership. The successful candidate will identify and develop new business opportunities, lead technical solution development, manage strategic customer programs from opportunity inception through execution, and ensure alignment between customer requirements, product capabilities, and operational delivery.

The role requires strong commercial acumen, technical expertise, and program leadership experience within mission-critical infrastructure, modular data centers, cooling, and prefabricated solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Development

• Drive growth within strategic customers through identification of new opportunities, expansion programs, and long-term customer roadmaps.

• Develop and maintain executive-level relationships with customers, consultants, EPC firms, contractors, and technology partners.

• Partner with Account Management teams to develop account growth strategies and market penetration plans.

• Identify emerging customer requirements and industry trends to influence business strategy and future offerings.

• Support contract negotiations by providing technical, commercial, and delivery expertise.

• Lead customer workshops, technical reviews, and strategic planning sessions.

Technical Solution Development

• Initial concept development, limited to approximately 5% design.

• Obtaining missing project information and customer decisions.

• Facilitating customer and Engineering meetings.

• Coordinating internal inputs for proposals and customer responses.

• Maintaining actions, risks, assumptions, open items, and milestone status.

• Coordinating the commercial impact of scope changes.

• Maintaining continuity from opportunity inception through release to production.

• Facilitating the handoff to the factory delivery team.

• Serve as technical advisor during early, exploratory, customer engagements and pursuit activities.

• Lead qualification of customer requirements for data center solutions including:

• Cooling systems

• Modular data centers

• Prefabricated infrastructure

• White space solutions

• Guide conceptual solution development balancing performance, cost, manufacturability, and delivery requirements.

• Coordinate technical scope change efforts and assess impacts to delivery schedules, project costs, and customer commitments.

• Support development of technical documentation including:

  • Flow Charts,

  • Layout drawings,

  • High-Level Bills of Materials (BOMs)

  • Compliance matrices

  • Technical specifications

Product Management & Roadmap Influence

• Translate customer needs and market requirements into product enhancement recommendations.

• Partner with Engineering and Product Development teams to define future product capabilities and platform strategies.

• Prioritize customer-driven features and product improvements based on market demand and business value.

• Build business cases supporting new product investments and technology development initiatives.

• Act as the voice of the customer within the organization.

• Support development of standardized solutions that improve scalability, competitiveness, and operational efficiency.

Proposal, Bid & Commercial Leadership

• Lead technical and delivery strategy for major RFPs, RFQs, and strategic pursuits.

• Evaluate technical, commercial, and execution risks associated with customer opportunities.

• Develop solution strategies that optimize profitability, delivery certainty, and customer value.

• Support pricing, scope definition, assumptions, and risk mitigation plans.

• Contribute to contract reviews and project transition planning.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate closely with:

  • Account Management

  • Engineering

  • Project Management (Plant and Field)

  • Operations

  • Supply Chain

  • Project Delivery Teams

• Drive alignment across departments to support customer objectives and business goals.

• Facilitate resolution of technical, commercial, and operational challenges.

• Establish best practices for opportunity development, program governance, and customer engagement.

Knowledge Management & Market Intelligence

• Maintain deep knowledge of:

  • Data center technologies

  • Critical power infrastructure

  • Cooling technologies

  • Industry standards

  • Competitive offerings

• Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies affecting customer roadmaps.

• Support internal training, customer education initiatives, and sales enablement activities.

• Develop and maintain strong understanding of strategic customers' technology standards, operating models, and future infrastructure plans.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Technology, Business, or related discipline.

• PMP, PgMP, MBA, or equivalent certifications considered an asset.

Experience

• 4+ years of experience in:

  • Technical Business Development

  • Program Management

  • Product Management

  • Sales Engineering

  • Solutions Engineering

  • Project Delivery

• Experience within one or more of:

  • Data Center Infrastructure

  • Cooling Solutions

  • Modular Data Centers

  • Prefabricated Buildings

  • OEM or Manufacturing Environments

• Proven experience managing large, multi-disciplinary customer programs and strategic accounts.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of:

  • UPS systems

  • Switchgear

  • Generators

  • PDUs

  • Air and liquid cooling technologies

  • Adibatic,Chilled water and DX systems

  • Modular infrastructure platforms

• Strong understanding of project lifecycle management and product development processes.

• Ability to evaluate technical, commercial, and operational risks.

• Proficiency with:

  • AutoCAD

  • Creo

  • Smartsheet

  • Visio

  • Microsoft Excel

  • Microsoft Project

  • Power BI or equivalent reporting tools

Leadership & Business Skills

• Exceptional customer-facing and executive communication skills.

• Strong strategic thinking and commercial acumen.

• Ability to bridge business objectives, technical requirements, and operational execution.

• Proven leadership in cross-functional environments.

• Strong negotiation, stakeholder management, and decision-making skills.

• Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and program management capabilities.

Success Metrics

• Strategic account revenue growth.

• Customer satisfaction and executive relationship strength.

• Successful delivery of customer programs on schedule and within budget.

• Program profitability and risk management performance.

• New business opportunity conversion rate.

• Product roadmap influence and implementation of customer-driven enhancements.

• Quality of customer handoff and execution readiness.

• Cross-functional stakeholder satisfaction and team alignment.