Business Development Manager

Director of Business DevelopmentCompany: Challenge Testing, Inc.Location: Mobile, AlabamaTerritory: Southeastern United StatesReports to: Chief Executive OfficerCompensation: $110,000–$140,000 base plus performance incentiveTarget total compensation: $160,000–$200,000Travel: Approximately 30%–50%About Challenge TestingChallenge Testing, Inc. is a veteran-owned field-services company providing geotechnical drilling, environmental drilling, water-well drilling, and nondestructive testing services.We serve engineering firms, contractors, industrial companies, government agencies, and defense-related clients across the Southeast and Pacific regions. We are seeking an experienced business-development leader to acquire new clients, expand strategic accounts, and build a disciplined sales process.Position SummaryThe Director of Business Development will be responsible for generating profitable new business for Challenge Testing.This is a hands-on, client-facing role. The successful candidate will identify target accounts, open doors, build relationships, uncover upcoming projects, coordinate proposals, and convert qualified opportunities into profitable work.This is not primarily a marketing or administrative position. It is a revenue-producing role for someone who understands relationship-driven selling in technical field services.The ideal candidate has established relationships with engineering firms, environmental consultants, general contractors, heavy-civil contractors, industrial companies, federal contractors, or government buyers.ResponsibilitiesNew Client AcquisitionBuild and manage a prioritized list of strategic target accounts.Generate qualified opportunities for Challenge’s drilling and NDT services.Secure meetings with engineers, project managers, estimators, procurement leaders, quality managers, environmental managers, and executives.Develop Challenge into a preferred partner for recurring projects.Reactivate former and inactive clients.Represent Challenge at relevant industry meetings and events.Strategic Account DevelopmentCreate account plans for high-potential customers and prospects.Identify opportunities to provide multiple Challenge services to the same client.Develop relationships at multiple levels within each account.Maintain visibility into upcoming projects, budgets, procurement schedules, and contracting requirements.Coordinate executive and technical involvement in major pursuits.Opportunity and Proposal ManagementQualify opportunities based on fit, value, margin, schedule, capacity, and competitive position.Coordinate with operations, estimating, technical leaders, and executives to develop proposals.Ensure every opportunity has an owner, next action, and anticipated award date.Follow up consistently on submitted proposals.Support presentations, interviews, negotiations, and closing activities.Protect pricing discipline and avoid unprofitable or unsuitable work.Federal Business DevelopmentDevelop relationships with federal prime contractors, government buyers, small-business liaison officers, and teaming partners.Position Challenge’s service-disabled veteran-owned small-business status as part of its value proposition.Monitor relevant federal and defense opportunities.Support teaming arrangements, capability presentations, and subcontracting pursuits.Sales Process and ForecastingEstablish and maintain a disciplined CRM process.Produce accurate 30-, 60-, and 90-day forecasts.Track pipeline by client, service line, sales stage, value, probability, expected margin, and award date.Lead a weekly sales meeting focused on pipeline movement, obstacles, decisions, and next actions.Report sales activity, proposal performance, win rate, new-client revenue, and market conditions to leadership.First-Year Success MeasuresThe Director of Business Development will be expected to:Build a database of at least 100 qualified target accounts.Develop a qualified pipeline equal to approximately three to four times the assigned new-revenue goal.Generate 40–50 qualified sales opportunities.Convert approximately 15–20 prospects into active new clients.Increase profitable revenue from former and underdeveloped accounts.Establish relationships with targeted engineering firms, contractors, industrial companies, and federal prime contractors.Implement consistent CRM, proposal-follow-up, and forecasting practices.Achieve agreed new-client revenue and gross-profit objectives.Ensure new work meets Challenge’s margin, safety, capacity, and strategic requirements.Required QualificationsAt least seven years of successful business-development, sales, account-management, or project-development experience.Demonstrated success generating business in one or more relevant industries:Geotechnical or environmental servicesDrilling or construction-materials testingNondestructive testingEngineering or technical consultingHeavy-civil or commercial constructionIndustrial or maritime servicesFederal contracting or defense servicesEstablished relationships with relevant buyers, contractors, consultants, or project owners.Documented history of personally developing opportunities and winning business.Ability to understand and communicate technical services credibly.Experience managing complex, relationship-driven sales cycles.Strong commercial judgment and understanding of margins.Ability to work effectively with estimating, technical, operational, and executive teams.Willingness to travel for client meetings and project pursuits.Strong communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.Ability to maintain accurate CRM records and forecasts.Preferred QualificationsExperience selling to engineering firms, contractors, industrial clients, maritime organizations, federal prime contractors, or government agencies.Familiarity with drilling, geotechnical, environmental, water-well, NDT, or related services.Experience with federal procurement, teaming arrangements, or small-business programs.Relationships in Alabama and other Southeastern markets.Experience building a sales process within a growing technical-services company.Relevant bachelor’s degree or equivalent industry experience.Ideal CandidateThe right person:Is effective at opening relationships and creating opportunities.Has a credible network but does not depend entirely on existing contacts.Can demonstrate how they personally helped win business.Understands that sales activity is not the same as results.Protects profitability instead of chasing revenue at any price.Earns the confidence of customers, executives, and field personnel.Takes ownership without requiring a large support staff.Communicates honestly about pipeline risk.Wants to build a commercial organization, not simply inherit one.CompensationChallenge Testing offers:Base salary of $110,000–$140,000, depending on experience and demonstrated performance.Target annual incentive of approximately $40,000–$70,000.Additional upside for exceptional performance.Vehicle allowance or company vehicle.Company-provided technology and approved business-development expenses.Benefits consistent with Challenge Testing’s compensation program.Incentives will emphasize collected gross profit from qualified new business, strategic-account growth, pipeline development, forecasting discipline, and company objectives.How to ApplyCandidates should submit a résumé and a brief response addressing:The markets and clients in which they have the strongest relationships.Examples of accounts they personally helped develop.The types and approximate values of contracts they have pursued.Their approach to building a qualified pipeline.Their priorities for the first 90 days at Challenge Testing.Finalists will be asked to present a practical 90-day business-development plan.Challenge Testing, Inc. is an equal-opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, performance, and business needs without unlawful discrimination.