Business Development Manager

Newark DE Allentown PA Norristown PA Baltimore MD Houston TX Bridgeville PA Danbury CT Franklin MA Denver CO

Do you want to be at the forefront of shaping new opportunities in a growing automation and controls engineering firm If you thrive on strategic leadership and the challenge of building initiatives from the ground up keep reading.

ACE is introducing its first Business Development Manager a key role created to shape the companys future growth. This position is responsible for building and executing ACEs long-term business development strategy while integrating closely with Sales Project Delivery Innovation and Marketing. The Business Development Manager will lead a new team of Solution Architects and will play a central role in identifying high-value opportunities shaping pursuits early strengthening strategic partnerships and building the structure that supports sustainable growth across industries and regions.

This role is both strategic and hands-on. It is designed for someone who is comfortable operating in ambiguity building structure where it does not yet exist and influencing across functions without relying on authority.

Strategic Business Development
This role is accountable for shaping the quality and direction of ACEs opportunity pipeline not simply increasing volume. The Business Development Manager engages early in customer conversations to understand real needs influence how problems are framed and help define solution strategies that align with ACEs include:

• Identifying qualifying and shaping high-value opportunities aligned with ACEs markets services and strategic priorities
• Engaging early in the sales cycle to influence customer conversations solution direction and pursuit strategy
• Collaborating closely with Account Managers Project Delivery leadership and subject matter experts to improve opportunity quality
• Representing ACE in strategic customer conversations and industry engagement
• Supporting evaluation of new technologies industries and geographic markets in collaboration with executive leadership

The emphasis of this work is on improving alignment fit and long-term health of the work ACE pursues.

Solution Architect Leadership
The Business Development Manager leads ACEs Solution Architect team. Solution Architects are senior technically capable professionals who support business development efforts by bringing domain expertise solution thinking and credibility into early customer conversations. They help shape pursuits provide technical-commercial perspective and support regional and domain-specific market development. Responsibilities include:

• Directly managing and mentoring Solution Architects assigned by geography and or technical domain
• Ensuring Solution Architects are actively engaged in opportunity development customer relationship building and market intelligence
• Providing strategic direction for how Solution Architects interface with Sales Engineering and Project Delivery
• Supporting Solution Architects in developing targeted business development strategies for their assigned regions or solution areas such as MES SCADA cybersecurity or life sciences
• Developing Solution Architects into strong technical-commercial leaders who elevate ACEs overall Business Development capability

Alliance Partnership Management
ACE maintains strategic partnerships with major technology vendors manufacturers and distribution partners. The Business Development Manager serves as the central coordinator for these alliance efforts to ensure alignment visibility and value across the include:

• Coordinating ACEs alliance partnership program with technology manufacturing and distributor partners
• Facilitating collaboration between partner leads and ACEs sales marketing and delivery teams
• Supporting co-marketing co-selling training and technical alignment initiatives with partners
• Defining and maintaining shared KPIs for alliance performance
• Supporting quarterly partner reviews and identifying opportunities to increase ACEs impact within partner ecosystems
  

Organizational Integration and Enablement
A core responsibility of this role is to ensure business development becomes a shared organizational capability rather than a siloed function. The Business Development Manager builds the frameworks handoffs and clarity that allow Sales Project Delivery Marketing and Innovation to work together more effectively.

This will be especially important at first as the concepts of business development are woven into ACEs existing include:

• Developing the framework for how business development integrates with account management proposal development project delivery and marketing
• Collaborating with Account Managers to transition early-stage opportunities into well-qualified pursuits with clear ownership
• Supporting Solution Architects in coordinating with SMEs and delivery leadership to ensure strong technical alignment from the outset
• Collaborating with the VP of Innovation when evaluating emerging technologies new services or new markets
• Educating the organization on business development principles positioning and process
• Defining and rolling out business development metrics tools and tracking mechanisms

This work focuses on building long-term organizational maturity not just individual contribution.

Success Metrics
Initial performance in this role will be evaluated based on:

• Volume and quality of strategic opportunities generated across regions and industries
• Improved alignment between Business Development Sales Innovation Marketing and Project Delivery
• Engagement and effectiveness of the Solution Architect team
• Strength and impact of alliance partnerships relative to defined KPIs
• Development and deployment of repeatable business development processes tools and handoff structures
• Success is defined by sustainable organizational impact not short-term transactional wins.

About Applied Control Engineering
At ACE our mission is to help our customers compete globally provide a safe and enjoyable workplace and give back to our community. Founded in 1991 ACE has grown from a small startup into a trusted automation and controls integration partner with more than 200 professionals serving customers across diverse industries. We are known for our technical depth collaborative culture and long-term customer relationships.

Joining ACE means joining a company that values integrity partnership continuous learning and building something that lasts.

Ideal Candidate Attributes

• Familiarity with alliance ecosystems partner programs or vendor relationships is a plus
• Minimum ten years of experience in the automation and controls industry
• Minimum three years in a customer-facing role with demonstrated impact in the sales cycle
• Strong business and technical acumen within automation controls or adjacent industrial technology domains
• Proven ability to operate effectively in ambiguous environments and build structure over time
• Demonstrated experience influencing across functions without direct authority
• Excellent communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences
• Leadership experience in sales business development solution architecture or strategic technical roles
• Comfort with long-cycle opportunity development and strategic relationship building
  

Required Skills

• Thorough knowledge of business application software (MS Office package)
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Displays a positive and professional demeanor
• Demonstrates a flexible and cooperative working style
• Willing to work off-hours when required
• Must possess a valid drivers license
• Willing to submit to drug testing and/or background checks as mandated for a) employment and b) customer contract requirements

ACE is committed to a drug-free workplace. All employment is contingent upon successful completion of drug and background screening.

ACE is an equal opportunity employer. ACE will consider all qualified applicants for employment without discrimination on grounds of disability sex or sexual orientation race or national or ethnic origin age religion protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need a reasonable accommodation to meet any of the above qualifications please contact Human Resources.

Required Experience:

Manager