Director of Business Development - Commercial & Industrial HVAC | Mechanical, Plumbing & Building Automation | Chicago, Illinois

Director of Business Development - Commercial & Industrial HVAC | Mechanical, Plumbing & Building Automation | Chicago, Illinois

Description

Gryphon Oakwood is currently partnered with an established building services and mechanical contracting organisation in the Chicago area on a search for a Director of Business Development to drive its next phase of growth across the commercial and industrial markets.

With a broad service offering spanning HVAC and mechanical systems, electrical, plumbing and building automation, our client provides essential building services to commercial and industrial customers, including preventative maintenance agreements, system retrofits, equipment replacements and associated mechanical solutions.

This is an exciting opportunity for a commercially driven business development professional to play a key role in expanding market share, winning new customers and developing long-term client relationships. The organisation has ambitious growth plans and is looking for someone who can combine a proactive, new-business approach with the ability to build a substantial portfolio of clients and recurring service revenue.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to take ownership of their business development activity, identify untapped opportunities across the Chicago market and work closely with operational leadership to convert new relationships into sustainable, profitable growth. For an ambitious individual with experience in commercial HVAC or building services, this represents an opportunity to make a measurable impact within an established and growing organisation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a targeted business development strategy to drive revenue growth across the commercial and industrial HVAC and building services markets.
• Identify, engage and secure new customers across the Chicago metropolitan area, building a strong pipeline of qualified opportunities.
• Develop and grow a personal portfolio of clients, taking ownership of new customer acquisition and long-term account development.
• Generate opportunities across HVAC maintenance agreements, preventative maintenance programmes, system retrofits, equipment replacements and related mechanical services.
• Build relationships with facility managers, property owners, commercial real estate stakeholders, industrial operators, building owners and other key decision-makers.
• Identify opportunities to establish recurring revenue streams through long-term service agreements and ongoing maintenance contracts.
• Develop a strong understanding of customer requirements, identifying opportunities to deliver additional services across HVAC, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and building automation.
• Manage the full business development lifecycle, from prospecting and initial engagement through to proposals, negotiations and contract award.
• Work closely with estimating, service, operations and technical teams to develop commercially competitive proposals that align with customer needs and delivery capabilities.
• Build a consistent pipeline of new business opportunities, maintaining accurate forecasts and reporting on sales activity, conversion rates and revenue performance.
• Research market trends, competitor activity and customer requirements to identify new sectors, target accounts and opportunities for expansion.
• Establish and maintain a strong network of industry contacts, representing the organisation at customer meetings, industry events and relevant networking opportunities.
• Develop long-term customer relationships that support repeat business, customer retention and sustainable growth.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to identify opportunities to expand service offerings, strengthen market positioning and support wider business growth objectives.
• Focus primarily on opportunities within the Chicago metropolitan area, with occasional travel to support customer requirements in surrounding markets, including Milwaukee, Champaign and Indianapolis.

Requirements

• Significant experience in business development, sales or commercial account development within commercial HVAC, mechanical contracting, building services or a related sector.
• A proven track record of winning new customers, developing client relationships and delivering measurable revenue growth.
• Strong understanding of commercial and industrial HVAC services, including preventative maintenance agreements, equipment replacements, retrofits and ongoing service contracts.
• Experience developing a personal book of business through proactive prospecting, networking and new customer acquisition.
• Established relationships with commercial property owners, facility managers, industrial customers, building operators or other relevant decision-makers would be highly advantageous.
• Demonstrable ability to identify commercial opportunities, develop a qualified pipeline and convert prospects into long-term customers.
• Strong commercial awareness, including experience preparing proposals, negotiating contracts and developing service agreements that deliver sustainable revenue.
• An understanding of recurring revenue models and the value of preventative maintenance contracts within commercial building services.
• Ability to work collaboratively with service, estimating and operations teams to ensure customer requirements are met and opportunities are commercially viable.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to engage stakeholders at multiple levels.
• A proactive, entrepreneurial mindset, with the motivation to develop new markets, build a substantial customer portfolio and take ownership of sales performance.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple opportunities, customer relationships and competing priorities.
• Experience across electrical, plumbing, building automation or broader MEP services would be an advantage.
• Willingness to travel as required, with a primary focus on the Chicago metropolitan area and occasional customer-driven travel to surrounding markets.