The Business Development Manager (BDM) for Total Water Management (TWM) drives end-to-end business development, from discovery phase to contract finalisation. Acts as gatekeeper between internal resources (MO, Engineering, ITC, CAM) and external partners, ensuring rigorous opportunity qualification, competitive proposals, and sustainable profitability (pricing engineering and ROI).
Accountability Objectives
- Assist CAMs and sales force during discovery phase by attending visits and presenting TWM applications.
- Ensure compliance with qualification process and focus on relevant opportunities.
- Support Sales in project mode, acting as gatekeeper between internal resources (MO, Engineering, ITC, CAM) and external partners (engineering companies).
- Propose to SGS Director mechanisms (scope of work, working mode) and alliances/partnerships to ensure competitiveness and expected profitability.
- Lead pricing engineering with Finance to guarantee acceptable profitability and return on investment.
- Manage contractual matters and customer satisfaction follow-up with O&M team and Sales/KAM for existing TWM accounts.
- Support Sales and Engineering in negotiating claims with vendors and customers.
- Drive strong business growth with high closure ratio and profitability.
- Lead TWM selling process from conceptual note to contract finalisation.
Key Responsibilities
- Play an active role in discovery phase by attending sales calls and raising TWM-specific core business questions to customers.
- Manage opportunity qualification process and recommend Go/No-Go to qualification committee.
- Provide support to CAMs and coordinate (gatekeeper) Ecolab/Nalco team (Engineering, Sales, Marketing, Finance) during selling phase.
- Prepare commercial proposals for review by Project Team prior to submission by Sales; responsible for pricing engineering.
- Ensure 100% compliance with processes and obtain approvals from Finance and divisional leadership.
- Support Sales & MO teams in follow-up of ongoing contracts from a commercial perspective: ensure commitments (progress, cost reduction) are implemented; manage contract renegotiation.
- Balance commercial and technical aspects after first year of contract operation to draw lessons learned and set reusable benchmarks.
- Prepare and deliver internal and external presentations of TWM capabilities with Marketing, working with CAM & DM.
- Network with Engineering, Key Industry Marketers and R&D to leverage new technical developments through new products/applications/systems.
- Maintain internal benchmarks with peers, ensuring relevant feedback (methods, technology, costing) is considered during selling phase.
- Enhance competitiveness and relevance of TWM proposals by challenging stakeholders to optimise costs.
- Drive contractual agreement finalisation with customers with support from Legal and CAM.
Additional Responsibilities
- Develop and expand existing and new national accounts in designated industry segments (e.g., GHT) in collaboration with Corporation CAM.
- Build and secure major new business accounts at corporate level with support from Corporation CAM.
- Experience in selling large equipment/project deals related to water processing under Design & Build regime.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Water Processing or related field; strong sales-driven mindset; solid understanding of sales processes; experience with mid-to-large projects.
- Knowledge of complex multi-discipline solution selling; strong market and vendor network (equipment, engineering); experience in Project Management (execution phase); outsourcing project experience is a must.
- Minimum 10 years’ experience in mid-to-large companies.
- Proven ability to manage cross-functional teams without direct authority; leadership skills; attention to detail; excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to multitask, strong organisational skills, resilience.
Preferred / Nice to Have
- Knowledge of water/effluent treatment technologies (RO/UF, DAF, MBR, etc.) and familiarity with plant commissioning/start-up.
- Financial acumen and ability to define business cases and ROI.
- Willingness and ability to travel 30–50%.
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