Our client is a well-funded, early-stage company that has developed a revolutionary technology with extended services that make wastewater treatment less expensive and more efficient, while permanently sequestering CO₂. Their technology is being used across the US and Europe.

Due to company growth, our client is seeking an experienced and well-connected water/wastewater professional who combines deep technical acumen with curiosity and commercial drive to join their team as Business Development Manager – Wastewater. This position will play a key role in expanding the company’s footprint in the wastewater industry, from identifying opportunities and building relationships with utilities and strategic partners to guiding opportunities through the business development cycle toward signed agreements and successful deployments.

This is a high-impact role best suited for a self-starter who thrives in dynamic environments, enjoys working with wastewater utilities, and is excited about the intersection of water, climate, and technology. The BDM – Wastewater will work closely with the Commercial Strategy Lead, and the Engineering, Operations, and Science teams. They will also leverage key external partners, including water technology companies, engineering consultants, and mineral suppliers, to accelerate growth.

The BDM – Wastewater will help to continue positioning our client as a leader in the water technology and carbon removal industries, expanding the company’s reach and impact.

This is a full-time role, and the ideal candidate is located in the northeast US or eastern US near major utilities and transportation hubs.

Responsibilities for this position include:

• Identifying and qualifying new opportunities with municipal wastewater utilities.
• Owning and developing the business development pipeline: site visits, discovery calls, capability presentations, site assessments, and proposal development.
• Collaborating with internal teams (Engineering, Operations, Science) to develop business cases, leverage high-level financial models, and help build preliminary technical assessments to support decision-making
• Building and nurturing strong relationships with decision-makers at utilities, consulting engineers, and strategic partners.
• Developing insights into customer pain points, procurement processes, and industry trends to help refine our client’s GTM and commercial strategy.
• Negotiating key commercial terms and closing opportunities in alignment with our client’s partnership model.
• Representing our client on-site with prospects, customers, and at industry conferences.

Experience requirements for this position include:

• A degree in engineering or a relevant scientific field, or a degree in a business discipline if the candidate has extensive previous work experience in a comparable role. Degrees in environmental engineering or chemical engineering are preferred.
• 3-5+ years of experience in wastewater, environmental services, or engineering consulting.
• 1-3+ years of experience in business development, technical sales, or go-to-market roles. Experience with startups or technology companies is highly preferred.

• Proven ability to navigate complex sales cycles and work with municipal utilities and consulting engineers.
• Excellent communication skills—strong written, verbal, and presentation abilities.
• Technical aptitude and ability to communicate complex processes in simple, compelling ways.
• Strong relationship-building, trust-building, and negotiation skills.
• Comfortable working with commercial frameworks and financial models, high-level engineering designs, and building business cases for new opportunities.
• Entrepreneurial mindset: comfortable in a fast-paced, evolving environment with a small, agile team, where priorities can shift on a weekly basis.
• You practice extreme ownership (no task is too small).

Additional attributes include:

• Loving being in the trenches with your team and working with high empathy.
• Having a growth mindset.
• Willingness to travel 50%+ across the U.S. (and occasionally internationally).

The total compensation for this position is $135,000 to $175,000, or commensurate with experience, plus 100% health benefits and company equity.

Interested candidates should forward a resume (MS Word attachment preferred) plus a brief email describing your relevant experience and reasons for your interest to Christl@jsmithassoc.com. Or call (519) 270-3780 for more information. All inquiries will be held in strict confidence.

Jeff Smith & Associates is a technical recruiting firm that specializes in the placement of exceptional candidates in the Water and Wastewater Treatment industries. To view other opportunities on which we are currently working, go to our website at www.jsmithassoc.com.

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