Client Development Director-Transmission Strategy & Business Development

ESA is seeking an experienced Client Development Director of Transmission Strategy & Business Development to lead market expansion, strategic client development, and transmission growth initiatives across the U.S. power sector. This position will be responsible for identifying and converting transmission market opportunities into revenue-generating projects, strategic partnerships, and long-term client relationships. The successful candidate will combine deep transmission industry expertise with a strong commercial mindset, established utility relationships, and demonstrated experience developing and advancing complex transmission opportunities. This role is based out of our office in Tampa, FL with a hybrid schedule. 

The role will engage directly with utilities, transmission owners, developers, RTOs/ISOs, infrastructure investors, EPCs, and other energy-sector stakeholders to identify emerging grid needs and position the organization to capture opportunities associated with transmission expansion, new builds, grid modernization, generation interconnection, large-load integration, and grid-enhancing technologies. In addition, this role will help ESA expand and scale our transmission business by bringing technical expertise, market insight, client engagement, and project delivery leadership to an already strong and growing ESA platform. Success will come from partnering across the energy market and technical practices to identify the right opportunities, deliver high-quality results, and grow. 

The ideal candidate is a transmission industry leader who is strong with business development and client relationship building, brings a strategic mindset, and understands how to translate grid challenges into commercially viable solutions and long-term client relationships. The role will assist with: (1) building the transmission strategy, (2) understanding the market, and (3) understanding ESA's capabilities and gaps.

Who You Are

• • Bachelor's degree in Program Management, Environmental Sciences, Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
  • 15+ years of experience in transmission, utilities, power infrastructure, renewable energy, or related energy markets.
  • Demonstrated success developing business and building executive relationships within the utility and transmission industry.
  • Proven experience generating and advancing multi-million-dollar transmission or utility infrastructure opportunities.
  • Strong understanding of transmission development, interconnection, grid planning, permitting, and project execution.
  • Experience working with investor-owned utilities, public power entities, transmission owners, developers, RTOs/ISOs, EPCs, and other energy-sector stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated ability to translate technical transmission challenges into commercial solutions.
  • Experience leading multidisciplinary teams through complex pursuits and project development.
  • Strong executive presentation, negotiation, relationship-management, and commercial skills.

What You Will Do for ESA

 Business Development & Revenue Growth

• Develop and execute a national or regional business development strategy focused on transmission development, grid modernization, interconnection, and utility infrastructure.
• Build and maintain a qualified pipeline of transmission opportunities aligned with annual and multi-year revenue targets.
• Identify opportunities through utility capital plans, transmission expansion initiatives, independent system operator, and regional transmission organization (RTO/ISO) planning processes, generation development, large-load growth, reliability requirements, and grid modernization programs.
• Lead the full business development lifecycle from market intelligence and opportunity identification through client engagement, solution development, proposal strategy, contract negotiation, award, and account expansion.
• Develop capture strategies for strategic pursuits and major transmission programs.
• Partner with technical teams to develop differentiated solutions addressing client transmission challenges.
• Maintain visibility into pipeline value, probability of award, timing, competitive position, and expected revenue.
• Support pricing, commercial strategy, contract negotiations, and presentations for major pursuits.

Strategic Transmission Market Development

• Develop and maintain a transmission market growth strategy that aligns ESA's capabilities with utility, developer, RTO/ISO investment priorities.
• Partner with the Energy Market Leader, Practice Leaders, and business development teams to identify, prioritize, develop, and advance transmission opportunities that align with ESA's strategic growth objectives.
• Advance the firm's transmission pursuit strategy by assessing evolving market conditions, transmission system needs, and infrastructure investment trends.
• Establish and manage a transmission opportunity pipeline, prioritizing pursuits based on market demand, strategic fit, resource availability, risk profile, and probability of success.
• Collaborate with operational and technical leadership to align staffing, recruiting, teaming, and capability investments needed to support successful pursuit and delivery of transmission projects.

Market Intelligence & Industry Insights

• Evaluate transmission market trends, regulatory drivers, grid expansion initiatives, interconnection demands, reliability needs, and infrastructure investment programs to inform business strategy and market positioning.
• Assess transmission constraints, system needs, and emerging development opportunities involving generation interconnection, renewable integration, energy storage, data center growth, grid modernization, and regional transmission expansion.
• Monitor competitive activity, client investment priorities, and industry developments to identify strategic opportunities and potential risks affecting ESA's transmission market position.

ESA Capability Assessment & Competitive Positioning

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of ESA's transmission-related project portfolio, technical qualifications, client relationships, geographic presence, and market differentiators.
• Collaborate with Practice Leaders to inventory and evaluate technical expertise, resource capacity, and delivery capabilities across environmental planning, permitting, biological resources, cultural resources, land services, CEQA/NEPA compliance, and project delivery disciplines.
• Conduct capability and gap analyses to identify deficiencies in technical services, staffing, geographic coverage, client access, strategic partnerships, and emerging service offerings necessary for transmission market growth.
• Recommend strategic investments, organizational enhancements, and capability development initiatives that strengthen ESA's competitive position and expand its role in transmission planning, siting, permitting, environmental compliance, and project implementation.
• Communicate strategic findings and recommendations to the Energy Market Leader and Practice Leaders to support informed decision-making and execution of ESA's transmission growth strategy.

 Strategic Account & Relationship Management

• Develop executive-level relationships with major investor-owned utilities, public power organizations, transmission owners, developers, EPCs, and energy infrastructure companies.
• Assist with the development of client development plans and, for priority clients, identify capital programs, organizational priorities, decision-makers, upcoming projects, and competitive positioning.
• Expand existing accounts by identifying environmental opportunities across transmission planning, early-stage siting and routing, development, permitting, interconnection, project management, and grid modernization.
• Establish trusted-advisor relationships with utility executives and technical leadership.
• Create recurring executive engagement with priority accounts to identify opportunities before formal procurement processes begin.

Opportunity Development & Capture Strategy

• Lead go/no-go decisions for major transmission pursuits based on client relationships, strategic fit, competitive position, technical capabilities, and expected commercial value.
• Develop pursuit strategies identifying key decision makers, client priorities, competitors, differentiators, teaming opportunities, and win themes.
• Coordinate technical, environmental, permitting, regulatory, and project management teams during major pursuits.
• Lead or support proposals, presentations, interviews, negotiations, and executive client meetings.
• Develop partnerships and teaming arrangements where complementary capabilities strengthen the organization's competitive position.
• Conduct post-award and lost-opportunity reviews to continuously improve capture performance.

What’s Special About ESA 

Joining ESA means becoming part of an industry leading team of employee owners who contribute to outstanding projects, improve environmental stewardship, and advance a more sustainable and resilient future for our communities and wild places. 

ESA provides medical, dental, and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you and your family), annual allocations of company shares through our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), a 401(k) plan with company match, and paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.