Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead business development for key clients in the Data Centre sector, driving sales and client relationships.
- Company: Join Alternative Heat, a leader in prefabricated mechanical and electrical services for Data Centres across Europe.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, career development, health plans, and fun social events with your team.
- Why this job: Be part of a rapidly growing industry, making an impact while building strong client connections.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in business development or account management, ideally in construction or Data Centres.
- Other info: Flexible location options in Banbridge, Mallusk, or Dundalk; apply by 9 May 2025!
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 84000 £ per year.
This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.
Application Deadline: 9 May 2025
Department: Business Development
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Alternative Heat Head Office
Reporting To: Associate Director
Description
The opportunity has arisen to join an industry leader within the European Data Centre sector as a Lead Business Development Manager for one of our established Key Account Clients. Alternative Heat specialise in the design, offsite prefabrication, modularisation, and onsite installation of prefabricated mechanical and electrical services for new build Data Centre projects throughout Europe, with a core focus on mechanical fit-out and supply of packaged mechanical and electrical plantrooms.
With sector turnover set to exceed GBP 100m per annum, we are looking to integrate a Lead Business Development Manager for one of our Key Account Clients in order to maintain and grow annual client sales for this client in excess of GBP 25m per annum.
The Lead Business Development Manager will work closely with our client's Estimating, Work Winning and Decision Making/Procurement teams in order to support them with pricing and tender assistance during their working winning phases, with a strong focus on securing key packages with our client once these projects have been awarded.
The candidate will need to establish, track and internally communicate a pipeline of expected works to enable future growth and investment planning throughout the business. In addition to maintaining our current turnover value with the client, they will be expected to drive new revenue streams with the client through a number of different avenues to include: increased scope, additional projects in existing locations/regions, expansion into new locations/regions within which our client is already established or are trying to establish.
The Lead Business Development Manager will establish themselves as our client's main point of contact for work winning and will set up client Head Office and site-based visits with their work winning and project delivery teams at least once per month in order to build strong client relationships and support functions for work winning.
The candidate will work closely with our in-house teams throughout client engagement, tendering and negotiating phases of pre-construction to develop and submit a winning proposal aligned to both client requirements and our range of prefabricated M&E Data Centre solutions. They will also be tasked with developing and recruiting a team to service our client's requirements, supported by their line manager.
Reporting to the Associate Director, the Lead Business Development Manager will operate within the Business Development team and will work in conjunction with similar Key Account Client teams in achieving overall Business Unit sales targets in a rapidly expanding market sector.
What are we expecting from this role?
The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of Business Development, Key Account Management and Work Winning within a Commercial M&E, Building Services, Construction or Data Centre/Mission Critical sector. With typical project values between GBP 10m - GBP 25m, the candidate will have proven experience of having successfully worked on multi-million-pound contracts through the client engagement, tendering and negotiation phases of pre-construction.
The client will work closely with the Sales Director in the final negotiation and work winning phases and will have previous experience in a Business Development, Commercial, Pre-Construction or Project Management role.
Responsibilities
- Engage with our existing Key Account Client to initiate relevant Data Centre enquiries aligned to our core offerings.
- Set up meetings with the client to agree scope for pricing, raise any clarifications required and agree return dates as well as potential award and onsite dates.
- Prepare and deliver detailed project handovers to our Estimating teams, so they are clear on scope and requirements for pricing.
- When required, engage with our in-house Planning, BIM and/or Building Services teams for any input needed to support our bid return.
- Identify recruitment requirements in order to set up a standalone team to cover all work winning requirements and support functions required to achieve and exceed annual sales targets for this Key Account Client.
- Issue and follow up on quotes submitted to the client, setting up regular meetings with the work winning (head office estimating) and decision making (on site project teams) teams to optimise conversion rate of potential sales.
- Prepare and deliver internal handovers for secured projects to our project delivery teams and attend client kick-start meetings to ensure seamless introductions and transitions.
- Drive increased sales with our Key Account Client via increased project scope, additional projects in existing locations/regions and expansion into new locations/regions.
- Update and deliver sector specific company presentations to ensure our client is at all times up to speed with our current offerings and capacity.
- Prepare and deliver monthly reports on status of current live quotes and pipeline of expected projects.
- Where relevant, prepare detailed business cases to highlight potential expansion/growth opportunities with our client.
- Co-ordinate lessons learned meetings with key internal and external stakeholders and communicate findings to ensure continuous improvement of our Data Centre offerings.
- Help raise the company profile within the European Data Centre market by identifying and attending relevant industry specific events and networking opportunities.
- Assist our marketing teams with case studies and relevant project specific information to facilitate promotion of our Data Centre solutions.
Criteria
Essential:
- A minimum of 5 years' experience of Business Development, Key Account Management and Work Winning within a commercial M&E, Building Services, Construction or Data Centre / Mission Critical sector.
- Proven track record of having successfully worked on multi-million pound contracts through the client engagement, tendering and negotiation phases of pre-construction, with a strong commercial awareness, and the ability to influence and negotiate with senior managers and decision makers.
- Relevant third level qualification, with a strong understanding and previous experience with mechanical and electrical systems.
- Excellent communicator both verbally and written.
- Meticulous and structured in their approach, with experience or proven ability to prepare and deliver exceptional quality presentations and sales documents in order to generate leads and grow client base.
- Ability to work with, manage and instruct internal teams.
- Ability to generate and manage workloads in order to achieve targets.
Desirable:
- Previous experience within the Data Centre sector.
- Previous experience with offsite prefabrication.
Benefits
- Full in-house training and career development opportunities.
- Competitive pension scheme.
- Life assurance scheme.
- Health cash plan.
- Full access to smart wellbeing platform.
- Annual flu vaccine.
- Free annual health check during working hours.
- Annual leave increasing in line with length of service.
- Lavish Long service awards.
- Generously funded social events organised for all employees throughout the year via our Social and Wellbeing committee.
- Full access to car emergency kit.
- Annual Christmas raffle.
- Yearly allowance for AH Branded clothing merchandise.
- Secure, free onsite parking.
- Dedicated departmental budget allocated annually for team building events during working hours.
- Free Tea & Coffee.
- Friendly and supportive working environment.
Lead Business Development Manager - Data Centres (Can be based at Banbridge, Mallusk or Dundalk) employer: Alternative Heat
Contact Detail:
Alternative Heat Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Business Development Manager - Data Centres (Can be based at Banbridge, Mallusk or Dundalk)
✨Tip Number 1
Network within the Data Centre sector by attending industry events and conferences. This will help you connect with potential clients and gain insights into current trends, which can be beneficial during your interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Familiarise yourself with Alternative Heat's projects and their approach to mechanical and electrical services. Understanding their unique selling points will allow you to tailor your discussions and demonstrate how you can contribute to their success.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your previous experience with multi-million-pound contracts in detail. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully engaged clients and navigated the tendering process, as this will showcase your expertise.
✨Tip Number 4
Highlight your ability to build strong client relationships. Think of strategies you've used in the past to maintain and grow client accounts, as this role heavily relies on relationship management and client engagement.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Business Development Manager - Data Centres (Can be based at Banbridge, Mallusk or Dundalk)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in Business Development, Key Account Management, and Work Winning specifically within the M&E, Building Services, or Data Centre sectors. Use keywords from the job description to align your skills with what the company is looking for.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that not only introduces yourself but also explains why you are the perfect fit for the Lead Business Development Manager role. Mention specific achievements in previous roles that demonstrate your ability to manage multi-million-pound contracts and drive sales growth.
Showcase Relevant Experience: In your application, provide concrete examples of how you've successfully engaged with clients, managed tendering processes, and negotiated contracts. Highlight any experience you have with mechanical and electrical systems, as well as your ability to prepare high-quality presentations.
Proofread and Edit: Before submitting your application, take the time to proofread and edit your documents. Ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors, and that your writing is clear and professional. A polished application reflects your attention to detail and professionalism.
How to prepare for a job interview at Alternative Heat
✨Know Your Numbers
Be prepared to discuss specific figures related to your past achievements in business development. Highlight your experience with multi-million-pound contracts and how you successfully managed them, as this role requires a strong commercial awareness.
✨Understand the Sector
Familiarise yourself with the Data Centre sector, especially the trends and challenges it faces. This knowledge will help you engage in meaningful conversations during the interview and demonstrate your commitment to the industry.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
As an excellent communicator, be ready to present your ideas clearly and concisely. Prepare to deliver a mock presentation or discuss how you've effectively communicated with clients and internal teams in the past.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Anticipate questions that ask how you would handle specific situations, such as negotiating with clients or managing a project team. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses and showcase your problem-solving skills.
