Business Development Director at Essential Utilities

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, employs people in a variety of roles within our eight-state footprint, ranging from field workers and customer service representatives who are on the front lines working with customers, to scientists and engineers who help ensure we’re delivering reliable water and wastewater services to our communities.  If you’re looking for a rewarding career helping improve our environment and protect our natural resources, we encourage you to join our team!

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status - including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities.

We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. 

An outstanding opportunity exists for a Director, Business Development to join Aqua and play a critical role in developing a pipeline of municipal acquisition opportunities to grow Aqua Virginia’s water and wastewater services.

We are looking for a motivated individual to create the market by leveraging their existing business contacts, open doors and establish new relationships to uncover opportunities to acquire water and wastewater assets.

The Director, Business Development will be focused on prospecting for new business, leading the due diligence process, financial analysis, negotiation, and integration of acquisitions.  This is a hybrid position responsible for covering development opportunities throughout the State of Virginia; the primary office is in Richmond, VA.

The successful candidate will:

• Target, approach, and engage with prospective targets to “sell” Aqua’s value proposition.

• Develop and sustain relationships with municipal leaders and key stakeholders to generate acquisition opportunities for Aqua.

• Create and deliver effective presentations to decision-makers across the region to build name recognition and ascertain prospects interest level.

• Maintain a robust pipeline of opportunities by prospecting for both new and managing existing opportunities through the business development process.

• Partner with all primary functional areas of the organization in the pursuit and development of potential acquisitions including Finance, Engineering, Operations, Environmental Compliance, Human Resources and Legal. 

• Manage the proposal process and ensure that all requirements have been satisfied so that a deal can be submitted.

• Advocate for approval of deals through the Investment Committee. 

• Build strong working relationships with the senior leadership team at Essential.   

• Coordinate activities with external lawyers, advisors, accountants, and consultants to successfully close acquisitions.

• Liaise with elected and appointed officials, state agencies (i.e. Virginia State Corporation Commission, VA Treasurer, VA DEQ, VDH-ODW), industry organizations (i.e. Virginia Municipal  League, Virginia Association of Counties, Virginia Rural Water Association, NAWC, AWWA, WEG) and other utilities to further the interests of Aqua.

• Lead other related initiatives as assigned.

Required Experience & Education

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience assisting organization(s) with generating new business opportunities, acquisitions, or joint ventures.  Alternate high-demand career experiences will also be considered.

• Public Service experience with a town or municipality strongly preferred while experience with municipalities or utilities is a plus  

• A demonstrated track record in business development or consultative selling

• General knowledge of the water supply and wastewater market in Virginia

• Results oriented with a strong desire to win

• Ability to function in a high demand, competitive and performance-driven environment

• Experience with civil engineering/land development is preferred

• Bachelor’s degree preferably in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Engineering, or law degree required. (MBA a plus)

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Effective verbal and written presentation and communication skills. Well versed in making presentations.  

• Superior analytical abilities including advanced knowledge of financial and valuation techniques is desired.

• Mastery of Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel, while familiarity with CMR (i.e. Salesforce) is a plus

• Ability to identify and address cross-functional issues that may be relevant to completing or implementing acquisitions and alliances. 

• Excellent written and verbal communications skills (clearly, concisely, and professionally) necessary to effectively network and relationship build.

• A team player able to work effectively in a team fostered multi-tasking environment

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Perform sedentary work- exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time.

• Working conditions include travel to work sites of Essential Utilities and/or other constituents – Company vehicle is provided.

• Travel Requirements up to 50% with Overnight travel required as needed.      

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function(s).

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. Equal employment opportunity is provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, including medical conditions related to lactation), physical or mental disability, covered-veteran status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law.
Aqua is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities.  If you have a condition that may prevent you from applying for a job online or need to request an accommodation during the interview process, please call (1-877-271-9012).  
To maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest due to employment and/or assignment of family members and personal referrals, specific guidelines apply to the hiring and assignment of these individuals including, but not limited to:

• Family members cannot result in a supervisor/subordinate reporting relationship
• Family members cannot work in the same department.