Business Development Manager - PSSD

Southern States, LLC; Hampton (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern States LLC is seeking a Business Development Manager to drive strategic revenue growth across utility and heavy industrial markets in the United States. You will identify capital projects, influence project specifications, and expand market share for power solutions and substation equipment.

The role requires deep experience in transmission & distribution, reactive power compensation, MV/HV equipment, and a track record of closing multi-million dollar deals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or related field (Electrical Engineering preferred).
• 5–10+ years of experience in electrical utility sales, oil & gas, or heavy industrial power systems.
• Proven track record of closing multi-million dollar capital equipment deals.
• Strong understanding of reactive power, transmission & distribution, and substation design.

Responsibilities

• Develop regional growth strategy targeting utility and heavy industrial markets.
• Identify upcoming capital projects and position solutions early in projects.
• Manage project pipelines 12–36 months and build executive relationships.
• Lead technical solution positioning and collaborate on proposals and bids.
• Support RFP/RFQ responses and commercial negotiations.

Skills

Strategic thinker

Executive communication

Negotiation

CRM experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Business

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Job Summary:

The Business Development Manager (BDM) is responsible for driving strategic revenue growth across the electrical utility and heavy industrial markets, including investor-owned utilities (IOUs), municipal utilities, renewable developers, EPC firms, mining, oil & gas, data centers, and large industrial facilities.
This role focuses on identifying new opportunities, developing key account relationships, influencing project specifications, and expanding market share for utility-class electrical equipment and engineered power solutions.
The ideal candidate has deep experience in transmission & distribution (T&D), reactive power compensation, electrical substations, MV/HV equipment, or heavy industrial power systems.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Business Development

• Develop and execute a regional growth strategy targeting utility and heavy industrial markets.
• Identify upcoming capital projects (substations, transmission upgrades, grid modernization, industrial expansions).
• Position company solutions early in the project lifecycle (pre-specification stage).
• Track and manage project pipelines (12–36 month horizon).
  Account Management & Relationship Development
• Build and maintain executive-level relationships with:
  • Utility engineering & procurement teams
  • EPC firms and engineering consultants
  • Industrial plant managers and electrical engineers
• Act as trusted advisor on system reliability, power quality, and grid compliance solutions.
• “Best in Class” customer experience ownership.
  Technical & Commercial Leadership
• Lead technical solution positioning for:
  • STATCOM/SVC and reactive power solutions
  • HV & MV substation class capacitor bank solutions
  • Sub-Cycle Transfer & Disconnect Switches
  • Grid modernization products
• Collaborate with engineering teams to develop proposals and bid strategies.
• Support RFP/RFQ responses and commercial negotiations.
  Market Intelligence & Strategy
• Monitor interconnection queues, capital budgets, regulatory filings, and infrastructure investments.
• Identify competitive threats and market gaps.
• Provide quarterly revenue forecasts and territory reporting

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or related field (Electrical Engineering preferred) or equivalent experience.
• 5–10+ years of experience in:
  • Electrical utility sales
  • Oil & Gas/Petro-Chem
  • Heavy industrial power systems
  • T&D equipment sales
• Proven track record of closing multi-million dollar capital equipment deals.
• Strong understanding of:
  • Static & Dynamic Reactive Power Compensation
  • Transmission & distribution systems
  • Substation design and equipment
  • Utility procurement processes
• Ability to manage long sales cycles (6–24 months).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience selling:
  • FACTS devices (STATCOM/SVC)
  • HV/MV capacitor banks
  • Substation automation
• Knowledge of:
  • NERC, FERC, IEEE, and utility standards
  • EPC bidding structures
  • Interconnection processes (ERCOT, CAISO, PJM, etc.)
• CRM experience (Salesforce).

Key Competencies:

• Strategic thinker with long-range planning capability
• Strong professional & technical acumen
• Executive-level communication skills
• Negotiation & contract management expertise
• Self-driven with high accountability

Performance Metrics:

• Annual revenue growth targets
• New project pipeline development
• Win rate on strategic bids
• Gross margin performance
• Key account penetration

Thank you for your interest in Southern States LLC. At this time, we are only considering candidates who are authorized to work in the United States and who will not require sponsorship now or in the future. We appreciate your understanding and wish you success in your job search.