Data Center Business Development Leader

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?

Watch Our Story:' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story'

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

We believe building engineering is more than systems and structures, it's about powering progress and enabling innovation. As part of HDR's Building Engineering Services Group, you'll help design the critical infrastructure that supports the digital age and shapes the spaces where people work, connect, and thrive. From high-performance data centers driving the future of AI to dynamic commercial environments, your work will directly support technological advancement, sustainability, and human experience. We bring together mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineering experts to solve complex design challenges with precision, creativity, and collaboration. Whether you're optimizing energy efficiency, integrating resilient systems, or engineering the backbone of next-generation facilities, your contributions will help define the future of the built environment. This isn't just a job, it's a chance to lead innovation, engineer impact, and build a legacy of excellence.

Primary Responsibilities

HDR is looking for a Business Development Leader for datacenters in our Tech | Media | Telecom (TMT) practice. The focus of the roll will be to drive relationships, brand, business strategy and ultimately winning work with datacenters customers (hyperscale and colocation). This role is an opportunity to join one of the strongest and most comprehensive datacenter practices in the A&E industry. The successful candidate must possess the drive, experience and charisma needed to engage with current and new clients and expand upon HDR's reputation within the markets.

Critical to this role is a proven history and commitment to developing and nurturing strong relationships with multiple clients. There isn't a specific geographic focus of this role, although the candidate's location may drive some of the initial assignments in North America. Likewise, as a global practice, the candidate will also need to engage and collaborate with HDR's EMEA and APAC practices.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead and manage key client relationships, serving as a primary Account Manager to foster long-term, strategic partnerships within the datacenter sector.
• Drive the full business development lifecycle from target identification to proposal, negotiation, and contract finalization, consistently meeting and exceeding annual win-rate and revenue targets.
• Champion the full spectrum of HDR's services, effectively cross-selling and up-selling comprehensive solutions to clients to maximize project value and firm engagement.
• Elevate the HDR brand through active participation, speaking engagements, and strategic networking at industry conferences, events, and relevant professional organizations.
• Streamline and support critical commercial activities, including proposal development and administrative support for pursuits, ensuring efficiency and compliance.
• Collaborate with sector leadership and peer groups to define, articulate, and execute the long-term growth strategy for the datacenter business.
• Manage the performance of marketing and pursuit activities, including monitoring budgets, costs, investments, and calculating ROI to ensure resource allocation and financial returns are effective.
• Partner with talent acquisition and sector leadership to actively engage in recruitment efforts, helping to attract, interview, and secure top management and technical talent across various disciplines to support strategic growth.

All of HDR's services are intended to be leveraged in this business development roll with a focus on datacenters, but also to support developing business with other client including: semiconductor, advanced manufacturing, corporate campuses, site selection, media and telecommunications facilities.

Required Qualifications

• BS degree in discipline related to the position (Engineering, Architecture, Project Management, Business Administration, etc)
• 10+ years of experience in the datacenters, equipment providers, and/or A/E consulting.
• Must include a significant Tech client portfolio
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently to drive the success of project teams.
• Willingness to travel (25-50%)
• Proven track record of sales success.
• Planning & Budgeting experience
• Staff management, mentoring and general leadership skills
• Experience with driving successful project execution metrics with large clients
• Experience with negotiating commercial terms with clients and mitigation of risk exposure to consultant.

Preferred Qualifications

• Local candidates are preferred

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