Business Development Manager: Marketing

ICF • Reston, VA

5d • Remote

About The Position

We are seeking a Business Development Manager to join our Utility Growth Team and accelerate growth across the utility market, selling integrated marketing, communications, and customer engagement services alongside ICF’s broader consulting and technology offerings. ICF’s utility clients are navigating one of the most significant transformations in the energy industry—decarbonization, grid modernization, electrification, and customer program innovation. Succeeding in this environment requires utilities to engage, educate, and motivate their customers like never before. We combine deep domain expertise with full-service marketing and communications capabilities to help utilities drive program participation, customer engagement, and brand trust. This role is ideal for a high-energy, consultative seller who thrives in complex, relationship-driven sales environments and can translate client challenges into growth opportunities across ICF’s utility marketing portfolio, including opening new relationships beyond ICF’s traditional energy efficiency contacts.

Requirements

• 10+ years in business development, sales, or capture management
• Experience selling into the utility, energy, or government (federal or state) sector
• Proven success managing multiple complex pursuits and closing $5M+ annually
• Experience selling, and leading teams to sell, core marketing services—including marketing strategy, campaign development and execution, creative and content production, crisis communications and stakeholder engagement, digital and social engagement, and research and analytics—ideally alongside consulting or technology solutions
• Proficiency managing the full sales lifecycle using CRM tools
• Bachelor’s degree

Nice To Haves

• Experience selling agency or full-service marketing engagements, including strategy, creative, digital, media, and analytics
• Direct experience working within, or competing against, marketing/communications/PR agencies, with fluency in how agencies price, package, and position their services
• Familiarity with marketing technology ecosystems such as content management, marketing automation, and CRM platforms
• Demonstrated experience leading competitive RFP responses and navigating formal procurement processes.

Responsibilities

• Build and advance a pipeline of utility marketing opportunities across North America, proactively opening doors with utility stakeholders beyond ICF’s traditional energy efficiency contacts—including corporate communications, corporate marketing, brand management, customer solutions, community relations, and procurement.
• Own the full sales lifecycle from prospecting and discovery through qualification, pursuit, negotiation, and close.
• Qualify leads based on client need, strategic fit, competitive position, budget, decision process, and timing, and advance or disqualify opportunities accordingly.
• Build compelling, client-specific value propositions that connect ICF’s marketing capabilities to measurable client outcomes.
• Maintain complete, accurate, and current opportunities, contacts, activities, next steps, close dates, and forecasts in the CRM.
• Meet established pipeline development, sales activity, and revenue goals, and communicate risks and opportunities through regular pipeline reviews.
• Selling: Marketing and communications strategy, campaign development, and implementation Creative, content, digital, strategic communications and brand management, including web experience, marketing automation, and campaign analytics Integrated offerings tailored to each client’s strategy, customer base, and regulatory environment

Benefits

• ICF is an equal opportunity employer.
• Reasonable Accommodations are available, including, but not limited to, for disabled veterans, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, in all phases of the application and employment process.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior