Strategy & Development Leader III

HED is seeking an experienced Strategy & Development Leader to serve as the HED Strategy and Business Relationship Leader in Dallas–Fort Worth and the surrounding Metroplex area . This leader will build relationships with the business executives, institutional leaders, civic leaders, and elected officials who influence the region’s growth. Working across HED’s market sectors, they will connect regional priorities with the firm’s architecture, engineering, and design expertise.

Based in HED’s Dallas office, this Strategy and Business Relationship Leaderwill guide the firm’s relationship building and growth efforts across the Metroplex in Texas. As HED’s Market representative, this person will establish a visible presence in the region, build connections with influential decision makers, and identify opportunities where HED can make a meaningful contribution.

The role calls for someone who can move comfortably between executive conversations, civic forums, client strategy, and pursuit teams. They will work closely with Dallas office leadership, sector leaders, and marketing and business development colleagues to develop target accounts, advance opportunities, and strengthen HED’s position across multiple markets.

Qualified candidates will bring an evolving network in the Dallas–Fort Worth region, strong judgment about how major projects take shape, and the ability to turn trusted relationships into lasting client partnerships

ABOUT HED:

We are a team that is full of ideas, experience, creativity, passionate opinions, insatiable curiosity, uncompromising integrity, commitment, and skill. Our culture is about aspiration, embracing change and challenges, listening to (and learning from) each other, encouraging continual learning, and inspiring collective growth. As an inclusive, integrated architecture and engineering practice, we value the diversity of perspectives, experiences, abilities, and expertise that advance both the work we do, and the world we share.

POSITION SUMMARY:

This Strategy and Business Relationship Leader position focuses on growing presence and market share in multiple markets aligned with HED’s practice and geographic areas of strategic growth. Leads the pursuit and development activities of new client relationships for HED, working with Sector Leadership in focusing on targeted clients.

Conduct business development efforts, lead high-value pursuits in coordinating with the sector team(s) and sector leadership by identifying prospects, performing market research, and integrating with the development of strategy for client proposals. Drive revenue growth and sales by fostering strong client and industry relationships. This position will be based out of our Dallas office.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as a visible, credible representative of HED within the Dallas–Fort Worth business, institutional, and civic communities
• Develop and sustain relationships with corporate executives, institutional leaders, developers, civic organizations, elected officials, and other people who influence capital investment and development across the Metroplex
• Build a clear understanding of regional priorities, planned investments, and emerging needs, and connect those insights with HED’s capabilities
• Partner with Dallas office and sector leadership to establish an annual regional growth plan, priority relationships, target clients, and measurable business development goals
• Develop and execute capture plans for strategic accounts and major opportunities, with clear relationship owners, actions, and next steps
• Introduce HED’s sector and practice leaders to prospective clients and collaborators, bringing the right expertise into each conversation
• Strengthen existing client relationships and serve as a senior point of contact for selected strategic accounts
• Represent HED at relevant business, civic, institutional, and industry events; seek opportunities for HED’s leaders to contribute to regional conversations
• Monitor market activity, funding priorities, planned capital programs, and competitive dynamics to inform HED’s regional strategy
• Work with sector teams to identify and qualify opportunities, shape pursuit strategies, and make informed Go/No-Go decisions
• Collaborate with pursuit teams on proposals, interviews, and client presentations, helping them respond to the client’s priorities and decision process
• Partner with Marketing and Communications to develop introductions, events, and targeted communications that strengthen HED’s visibility in the Dallas–Fort Worth area
• Maintain accurate relationship, opportunity, and pursuit information in the CRM, including owners, stages, next actions, and dates
• Review pipeline health, pursuit outcomes, and relationship progress with office and sector leadership; recommend adjustments where needed
• Coordinate internal and external pursuit debriefs and share lessons that improve future efforts

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, planning, business, marketing, communications, or a related field; equivalent experience will be considered
• At least 10 years of progressive experience in business development, client leadership, market strategy, or a related role, preferably within architecture, engineering, construction, development, or a closely related industry
• An established strategy to network with executive, institutional, civic, and political relationships in Dallas–Fort Worth, with a demonstrated ability to build trust across different organizations and interests
• Experience developing strategic accounts and advancing complex opportunities involving multiple decision makers
• Ability to understand and represent a broad range of HED services and market sectors, while drawing on technical and sector leaders for specialized expertise
• Strong communication, presentation, relationship management, and organizational skills
• Ability to coordinate multiple priorities and teams and follow opportunities through to a decision
• Working knowledge of CRM systems and standard office applications
• Conduct market analysis to inform, develop and implement sales growth strategies that align with targeted client lists, the company, and multiple sector goals
• Collaborate with office, national practice, and sector leadership to establish yearly business development plans and targeted clients
• Executes and expand key client accounts, serving as the initial point of contact
• Refine the market strategy, analysis, and competitive intelligence on behalf of sector leaders and the business development team
• Create annual target client capture plans and executing on those capture plans working with project teams, practice, and regional leadership
• Position firm as a thought leader and problem solver to potential clients and influencers
• Represents HED and identifies opportunities to connect with potential clients through participation in local, regional and national events, including conferences
• Collaborates in the preparation of materials for business development introductions and relationship building
• Research and follow up on opportunities and pursuits for individual projects and targets
• Coordinates and tracks business development pursuits in CRM to inform reporting for a comprehensive overview of business development and marketing activities; Including monthly pipeline reporting and win/loss hit rate ratios to determine corrective actions for future success
• Participate in and lead Business Development Huddles for the practice/region
• Ensure that every opportunity and related activity is documented in the CRM
• Collaborate with Marketing and ensure that a Go/No-Go process is conducted for each pursuit and that the appropriate people participate
• Ensure that the Go/No-Go process is completed and documented in CRM
• Collaborate with pursuit champion and team on RFx response and interview to enhance deliverables
• Coordinate internal and external pursuit debriefs with appropriate parties and shares information as appropriate
• Participate in client calls with other business developers and leaders as needed

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to effectively communicate in writing and verbally via phone, video conferencing, and in-person.
• Ability to attend after-hours business functions and conferences
• Ability to travel to other company locations, client sites, or out-of-town events
  
  

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• We embrace a hybrid model that promotes both autonomy and collaboration, including the freedom to work from home, with regular in-office days to connect with teammates and build culture
• The office is a professional, open-space environment for collaborative and independent work

OTHER DUTIES:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

#LI-RS1