Manager, Business Development

Hubbell Incorporated•Lenoir City, TN

About The Position

Are you ready to Electrify economies and energize communities? This business development professional will identify, evaluate, and generate new product ideas within the Electric Utility Enclosures market. This individual will engage directly with key stakeholders—including Investor‑Owned Utilities (IOUs), Rural Electric Cooperatives (REC’s), and Municipal Utilities—to understand unmet needs, emerging challenges, and innovation opportunities. Partnering closely with our Hubbell sales organization, this role focuses on building strong relationships with Standards Engineers, linemen, field operations personnel, and procurement influencers to generate actionable product concepts that align with market demand and company strategy.A Day In The Life• Drive customer and market driven product ideation by identifying trends and solution gaps in utility operations, construction, maintenance practices, and safety processes. • Build and maintain strong, trust‑based relationships across IOUs, REC’s, and Municipal Utilities.• Conduct regular field visits, ride‑alongs, and technical conversations with Standards Engineers, linemen, and operations teams to uncover pain points and unmet needs.• Serve as the “voice of the customer” internally, translating real‑world challenges into validated product opportunity concepts.• Collect market intelligence on trends such as grid modernization, resiliency, electrification, renewable integration, and workforce challenges.• Collaborate with engineering and project management to scope, prioritize, and develop business cases for new product ideas.• Work in tandem with Hubbell sales to strategically engage key accounts and unlock access to technical and standards groups.• Support the Hubbell sales team during customer meetings, demonstrations, pilot programs, and product evaluations related to new concepts.• Partner with marketing to develop messaging that aligns with customer needs and utility operational language.• Map out key utility organizations, decision makers, influencers, and approval pathways within targeted accounts.• Monitor competitor activity, technology shifts, regulatory changes, and utility procurement processes.• Support long‑term strategic planning by providing insights on market sizing, adoption barriers, and product fit.• Present findings, insights, and opportunity assessments to leadership.• Guide internal teams to prioritize opportunities with the strongest technical fit and market viability.• Ensure customer expectations and field realities are incorporated into product design and pilot validation.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in the electric utility industry, product development, technical sales, or related field.
Strong understanding of utility distribution operations, field practices, or standards processes.
Demonstrated ability to build relationships with utilities, including engineers and field personnel.
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to travel to customer sites regularly.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience working with Standards Engineers, operations leaders, and linemen.
Familiarity with utility safety practices, grid hardware, construction methods, or maintenance workflows.
Technical or engineering background desirable but not required (Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or similar).
Experience influencing cross‑functional teams and leading customer‑driven product ideation.

Responsibilities

Drive customer and market driven product ideation by identifying trends and solution gaps in utility operations, construction, maintenance practices, and safety processes.
Build and maintain strong, trust‑based relationships across IOUs, REC’s, and Municipal Utilities.
Conduct regular field visits, ride‑alongs, and technical conversations with Standards Engineers, linemen, and operations teams to uncover pain points and unmet needs.
Serve as the “voice of the customer” internally, translating real‑world challenges into validated product opportunity concepts.
Collect market intelligence on trends such as grid modernization, resiliency, electrification, renewable integration, and workforce challenges.
Collaborate with engineering and project management to scope, prioritize, and develop business cases for new product ideas.
Work in tandem with Hubbell sales to strategically engage key accounts and unlock access to technical and standards groups.
Support the Hubbell sales team during customer meetings, demonstrations, pilot programs, and product evaluations related to new concepts.
Partner with marketing to develop messaging that aligns with customer needs and utility operational language.
Map out key utility organizations, decision makers, influencers, and approval pathways within targeted accounts.
Monitor competitor activity, technology shifts, regulatory changes, and utility procurement processes.
Support long‑term strategic planning by providing insights on market sizing, adoption barriers, and product fit.
Present findings, insights, and opportunity assessments to leadership.
Guide internal teams to prioritize opportunities with the strongest technical fit and market viability.
Ensure customer expectations and field realities are incorporated into product design and pilot validation.