Staff Manager, Business Development - Utilities Vertical

Qualcomm•San Diego, CA

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Qualcomm is seeking a senior Business Development leader to drive growth and ecosystem expansion within the Utilities vertical, including power generation, transmission & distribution, smart grid, water, wastewater, and renewable energy infrastructure. This role will be responsible for developing and executing vertical‑specific business development strategies, identifying new opportunities for Qualcomm’s edge compute, connectivity, AI, and digital infrastructure platforms, and building strategic partnerships that enable repeatable, scalable adoption across global utility operators. The ideal candidate combines deep industry understanding, strong executive engagement skills, and a proven ability to scale businesses through partner‑led, platform‑centric models.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and 6+ years of sales, business development, product development or related work experience.
OR
• Associate's degree and 8+ years of sales, business development, product development or related work experience.
OR
• High school Diploma or equivalent and 10+ years of sales, business development, product development or related work experience.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or related field.
Advanced degree (MBA or Master’s in Engineering or related field).
10+ years of experience in business development, sales, or partnerships, with exposure to utilities, industrial, energy, or infrastructure markets.
Proven experience building and managing strategic partnerships.
Strong executive communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
Experience working in large, matrixed organizations.
Direct experience with utilities, power, grid, water, renewables, or critical infrastructure.
Good experience with cellular technology (4G, 5G), low power wireless technologies, satellite communication (NB-NTN, NR-NTN), private networks for utilities
Familiarity with edge compute, AI, connectivity, industrial platforms, or digital transformation initiatives.
Demonstrated success scaling businesses through ecosystem‑led or SI‑driven models.
Experience operating in regulated or government‑influenced environments.

Responsibilities

Vertical Business Development Strategy
Develop and execute Qualcomm’s Utilities vertical business development strategy, aligned with corporate and industrial IoT priorities.
Identify and prioritize high‑value utility use cases such as grid automation, asset intelligence, predictive maintenance, safety, resiliency, DER management, and sustainability.
Translate utility customer needs into platform‑level opportunities across silicon, software, SDKs, and ecosystem solutions i.e define blueprints.
Customer & Partner Engagement
Build and manage senior‑level relationships with utility operators, regulators, government entities, and strategic partners.
Drive joint business development with system integrators, OEMs, and software partners, enabling partner‑led deployment and scale.
Lead opportunity qualification, business case development, and deal structuring while ensuring alignment with Qualcomm’s platform and licensing models.
Pipeline Development & Execution
Own and grow a qualified Utilities pipeline, from early engagement through lighthouse deployments and scaled programs.
Support deal execution in collaboration with sales, legal, finance, and product teams.
Ensure disciplined opportunity progression, prioritization, and executive visibility.
Internal Cross‑Functional Leadership
Serve as the Utilities vertical point‑of‑contact across sales, solutions/customer engineering, product management, and regional teams.
Influence product and roadmap alignment by bringing clear utilities‑specific requirements and market insights.
Drive clarity on positioning, value propositions, and go‑to‑market motions for utilities.
Market & Ecosystem Insight
Track market trends, regulatory drivers, and competitive dynamics within the utilities sector.
Represent Qualcomm at key industry forums, partner events, and strategic discussions.
Contribute to thought leadership and long‑term vertical positioning.