Senior Business Development Manager

Position Summary:

The Senior Business Development Manager is responsible for developing, maintaining, and expanding customer relationships while driving profitable growth for the HVAC Service Division. This position serves as the primary business relationship manager for key commercial, industrial, institutional, and government customers and actively develops new business opportunities.

The role focuses on growing recurring and service-related revenue through preventive maintenance agreements, service contracts, repairs, equipment replacements, retrofits, controls upgrades, and other HVAC service solutions. Working closely with the Service Manager, technicians, estimators, project managers, and company leadership, the Senior Business Development Manager identifies customer needs, coordinates proposals and opportunities, supports the fulfillment of customer commitments, and builds long-term customer relationships.

This senior-level position requires strong commercial HVAC industry knowledge, relationship-management skills, and the ability to identify and convert business opportunities into profitable, long-term service revenue.

Primary Responsibilities

Customer Account Management

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for assigned HVAC service customers.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with facility managers, building owners, property managers, engineers, general contractors, government representatives, and other key decision makers.
• Develop a thorough understanding of each major customer’s facility portfolio, HVAC equipment, key personnel, purchasing procedures, budget cycles, capital improvement plans, maintenance requirements, existing service providers, equipment replacement needs, and service history.
• Maintain regular communication with customers to identify current and future HVAC needs, upcoming projects, equipment concerns, and business opportunities.
• Conduct periodic account reviews with major customers and identify opportunities for additional services.
• Coordinate with the Service Manager and technicians to address significant customer concerns, service issues, and opportunities.
• Identify at-risk accounts and develop appropriate customer-retention strategies.
• Maintain relationships following completed projects and major repairs to encourage repeat and recurring business.
• Maintain accurate customer, opportunity, proposal, and follow-up information in the company’s CRM or service-management system.
• Position the company as a long-term HVAC service partner by proactively addressing customer needs rather than responding solely to individual service calls.

Business Development

• Develop new commercial, industrial, institutional, and government HVAC service customers.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for preventive maintenance agreements, service contracts, chiller, and VRF/VRV service, packaged and split-system service, building automation and controls, equipment replacements, retrofits and upgrades, energy-efficiency improvements, emergency service, equipment rental, and temporary cooling.
• Generate qualified leads through referrals, networking, industry and vendor relationships, existing contacts, and direct business development.
• Identify upcoming projects and facility requirements before the formal bidding stage whenever possible.
• Develop and maintain a strong pipeline of qualified service opportunities.

Service Agreement Development

• Identify opportunities for new or expanded preventive maintenance and long-term service agreements.
• Work with the Service Department to develop scopes of work and maintenance programs based on equipment inventories, service requirements, customer expectations, and contract requirements.
• Present maintenance agreements and service proposals to customers.
• Manage agreement renewals and identify opportunities to expand existing contracts.
• Monitor contract profitability and coordinate with management on necessary pricing or scope adjustments.

Estimating and Proposal Coordination

• Coordinate with service estimators and technical personnel to define customer requirements, develop scopes of work, and prepare proposals.
• Perform or assist with customer site visits as needed.
• Review proposals to ensure they address the customer’s technical, operational, and business requirements.
• Present major proposals to customers and maintain consistent follow-up on outstanding opportunities.
• Track proposal status, estimated value, probability of award, expected award date, and anticipated start date.

Revenue Growth

• Develop and execute strategies to increase HVAC service revenue, recurring maintenance-contract revenue, repair and replacement revenue, equipment replacement opportunities, rental and temporary cooling opportunities, and revenue from existing accounts.
• Identify opportunities to expand existing customer relationships and generate additional recurring and profitable service revenue.
• Establish annual sales, revenue-growth, and account-development objectives in coordination with company leadership.
• Monitor performance against established objectives and provide regular reporting on results, pipeline activity, and progress toward goals.

Internal Coordination

• Service Manager: Coordinate customer priorities, service requirements, technician availability, maintenance agreements, and service performance.
• Service Technicians: Communicate regarding equipment conditions, recommended repairs, customer concerns, and service opportunities.
• Estimators: Coordinate pricing and development of repair, replacement, retrofit, and other service proposals.
• Project Managers: Support the transition of larger service opportunities into projects.
• Accounting: Coordinate customer credit, billing issues, and outstanding accounts as needed.
• Company Leadership: Communicate regarding strategic accounts, pricing, revenue objectives, and major business opportunities

Clearly communicate customer expectations and commitments to the appropriate internal teams. Obtain appropriate approval and coordination before making commitments regarding pricing, scheduling, manpower, contract terms, or project execution.

Authority and Accountability

The Senior Business Development Manager is responsible for developing and maintaining customer relationships, generating business opportunities, and supporting profitable revenue growth. The position does not directly manage service technicians, field manpower, scheduling, or day-to-day service operations unless specifically assigned by management.

The position is accountable for accurately communicating customer needs, expectations, and commitments to the appropriate internal teams and coordinating with the Service Manager and other departments, as necessary.

Pricing, contract terms, significant discounts, nonstandard warranties, scheduling, or manpower commitments, and other significant contractual or operational obligations require appropriate management approval.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in commercial HVAC, mechanical contracting, facilities management, technical sales, or a related construction/service industry.
• 5+ years of business development, account management, or sales experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of commercial HVAC equipment, service operations, preventive maintenance agreements, and service contracts.
• Experience developing and managing large commercial, industrial, institutional, or government accounts.
• Ability to read and understand basic mechanical plans, equipment schedules, and specifications.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with both technical and nontechnical customers.
• Strong relationship-building, negotiation, presentation, and customer-service skills.
• Strong organizational, follow-up, and account-management skills.
• Proficiency with CRM, estimating, service-management, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience with chillers, central plants, industrial HVAC systems, government or military facilities, hospitals, hotels, high-rise buildings, educational facilities, or other large commercial properties is highly desirable.

Key Performance Indicators

Performance will be measured using a combination of revenue growth, profitability, business development, and customer-retention metrics, including:

• New HVAC service and recurring maintenance contract revenue.
• Gross margin on generated work.
• Revenue growth from existing customer accounts.
• New customer accounts are developed.
• Maintenance agreement renewal and customer retention rates.
• Qualified opportunity pipeline.
• Proposal conversion rate.
• Number and value of equipment replacement opportunities generated.
• Customer meetings, account activity, and proposal follow-up.
• Customer satisfaction and overall account development.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Regularly required to sit, stand, walk, communicate, and use standard office equipment.
• Travel to customer locations, jobsites, and company facilities as required.
• Ability to walk through commercial, industrial, construction, and mechanical-equipment areas, including stairs and uneven surfaces.
• Occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds.
• May be exposed to noise, dust, mechanical equipment, weather conditions, and other conditions typical of commercial HVAC environments.
• Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) may be required during site visits.
• Occasional work outside normal business hours may be required for customer meetings, site visits, networking events, or other business needs.