Sr. Technical Business Development Manager, Chemical ...

Xylem is a Fortune 500 global water solutions company dedicated to advancing sustainable impact and empowering the people who make water work every day. As a leading water technology company with 23,000 employees operating in over 150 countries, Xylem is at the forefront of addressing the world's most critical water challenges. We invite passionate individuals to join our team, dedicated to exceeding customer expectations through innovative and sustainable solutions. Job Summary: Xylem is seeking a Sr. Technical Business Development Manager to accelerate growth in the Chemical Processing Industry (CPI) for Xylem's Water Solutions & Services (WSS) Heavy Industry Segment. The position is a senior, pre-sales role that blends technical sales support, solution architecture at the conceptual/pre-FEED stage, tactical opportunity development, and strategic market-building, working with our sales team to develop a pipeline of $1M-$100M of orders and realize >$10M/yr. of new business revenue. The Business Developer will partner closely with Sales, Application Engineering (AE), Service Operations, Commercial Leadership, and Product Management to develop winning technical solutions, structure, and de-risk process performance guarantees, drive bookings, margins, EBITDA, and increase our wallet-share in the CPI sector. Core Responsibilities and Tasks: + Own early-stage technical solutioning and problem-solving: frame customer problems, develop pre-FEED concepts, help qualify sales opportunities, and define a clear, implementable path before application engineer (AE) engagement + Architect robust CPI process water treatment (UF, MMF, RO, EDI, IX, Phys-chem., Clarification etc.) and wastewater solutions for build-own-operate and water-as-a-service projects + Engage customers with our sales team and build a revenue pipeline: Develop capability presentations, support field service and capital sales team with customer engagement, conceptual design and pricing calculations, bi-weekly sales ride-alongs, conduct voice-of-customer research, market mapping, and opportunity scouting through conferences and tradeshows + Work closely with business vertical director to develop pursuit strategy and ensure commercial excellence for large complex build-own-operate projects, collaborating across Legal, Finance, Risk, Operations, and R&D; support pilot planning and test programs as required + Lead sales technical training: Develop new solutions and train Heavy Industry sales team on new technology trends, pathways to increase margin, grow revenue, new market trends etc. + Prioritize high-margin opportunities, influence P&L performance for CPI, and contribute insights for M&A evaluations + Drive technical thought-leadership in CPI water treatment and adjacent emerging segments (e.g., blue/green hydrogen, direct lithium extraction) through conferences, publications, and strategic partnerships + Establish win plans and value-based proposals; ensure solution/value selling and negotiation mastery across pursuits + Track key business development KPIs (bookings, revenue, gross margin, EBITDA, win rate, penetration, pipeline coverage) and continuously improve pursuit processes _A successful Xylem WSS CPI business developer will support Xylem WSSu2019s Heavy Industry sales team in achieving the following outcomes at the end of 18 months:_ + Close ~$10M of new bookings + Lead the development of >$100M in total contract value of multi-decade, design-build-own-operate-maintain (DBOOM) opportunities in process water and wastewater treatment + Support the development of ~100 opportunities with a total order pipeline value exceeding $300M across all sales cycles (short term: ~1 year, medium term: 1-3 year, and long term: >3 year) Minimum Qualifications u2022 BS in Chemical, Mechanical, or Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, or a closely related field to industrial water / wastewater treatment with 7+ years of industrial water experience u2022 OR Masteru2019s with 5+ years of industrial water experience u2022 OR PhD with 2+ years of industrial water experience u2022 Overall 7+ years of combined experience across process engineering in industrial water treatment, research and development including academia, business development, consulting or technical sales u2022 Proficient in technical excellence and commercial problem-solving skills to participate in design reviews with senior and principal level application engineers u2022 Demonstrated success architecting complex industrial water/wastewater process flow diagrams u2022 Hands-on familiarity with pre-FEED solution development and key unit design/engineering/operations (process water: UF/RO/IX/EDI or wastewater: DAF/MBR/SBR/MBBR) u2022 Commercial fluency in delivery models (CAPEX/EPC, build-own-operate, short-term trailer water treatment) and financial analysis (DCF, IRR, payback) u2022 Proficiency with CRM (e.g., Microsoft Dynamics 365), and strong skills in PowerPoint, Excel, Word u2022 Excellent communication, executive presence, and cross-functional leadership u2022 High proficiency in English, written and oral u2022 Availability and willingness to be based in the US Gulf Coast with 30-40% travel largely across US Gulf-Coast with potential international travel, mainly North America Preferred Qualifications: u2022 PhD in Chemical, Mechanical, or Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, or a closely related field to industrial water / wastewater treatment with 2+ years of experience (industry, consulting, or start-up) u2022 OR Masteru2019s in related field with 10+ years of experience u2022 OR BS in related field with 12+ years of experienceTechnical sales/business development experience developing $1M+ of consulting sales, or $10M+ of technology sales in industrial water treatment, CPI, or a related industry Track record of thought-leadership (conference speaking, publications, patents) u2022 Prior experience developing complex industrial water/wastewater projects; experience with proposals including process performance guarantees u2022 Prior experience in CPI sub-sectors (e.g., petrochemicals, specialty chemicals, polymers) or emerging segments (blue/green hydrogen, direct lithium extraction) u2022 Background in start-up, consulting, applied R&D, and demonstrated commercial impact from problem-solving skills u2022 Strategic technical business development experience (tech. acquisition via M&As, tech. due-diligence etc.) u2022 Experience with field piloting systems and mobile water treatment systems High Impact Behaviors: u2022 Strategic Vision and Foresight: Senior professionals should have the ability to develop and communicate a clear vision for the future, anticipate trends, and prepare the organization to adapt to changes. This involves understanding the broader industry context and aligning team efforts with long-term objectives. u2022 Mentorship and Talent Development: They should actively mentor junior colleagues, helping to shape the next generation of leaders. This includes sharing knowledge, providing guidance, and supporting career development opportunities for their teams. u2022 Influential Leadership: Senior professionals must be able to influence and inspire others, both within and outside the organization. This requires strong communication skills, credibility, and the ability to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders. Competencies u2022 Technical solutioning & value selling u2022 Strategic thinking and market development u2022 Customer engagement and relationship management skills u2022 Technical depth with pragmatic risk management u2022 Strong analytical ability and communication skills u2022 Negotiation and commercial acumen u2022 Collaboration and stakeholder influence u2022 Data-driven decision making and pipeline discipline Additional Details u2022 Prior experience in a similar role is not required. Preferences are meant to encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds; candidates who meet the minimum qualifications are encouraged to apply. u2022 Travel: Up to 40% for customer visits with sales team, site tours, conferences, and internal collaboration. u2022 Work Location: US Gulf Coast (Required), Houston, TX (Preferred). Proximity to major CPI corridors (e.g., US Gulf Coast) required. Gulf Coast candidates outside of Houston, TX may see travel of 60% or more travel in the first year. u2022 Employment: Full-time, exempt Join the global Xylem team to be a part of innovative technology solutions transforming water usage, conservation, and re-use. Our products impact public utilities, industrial sectors, residential areas, and commercial buildings, with a commitment to providing smart metering, network technologies, and advanced analytics for water, electric, and gas utilities. Partner with us in creating a world where water challenges are met with ingenuity and dedication; where we recognize the power of inclusion and belonging in driving innovation and allowing us to compete more effectively around the world. At Xylem, you'll not only contribute to solving water issues but also have the chance to make a difference through our paid Volunteer Program, Xylem Watermark. We prioritize our employees' well-being through inclusion and belonging as well as our Employee Resource Groups (ERG). Proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity (including disability and veterans) and Affirmative Action workplace, Xylem fosters an inclusive environment free from discrimination or harassment. Please note that the information in this job description outlines the general nature of the position and is not an exhaustive list of duties. Xylem is dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to enable all employees to perform their essential job functions. We reserve the right to modify this job description and assign additional duties as needed. Embrace the opportunity to be part of Xylem's transformative journey in shaping the future of water technology #XylemCareers #GlobalImpact #WaterInnovation

Created: 2026-02-16