Vice President, Business Development

Aclima, Inc.

. Lead Aclima’s business development efforts and drive commercial priorities, execution, and results .

Posted 10/15/2026contractRemote • California • United StatesLeadWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead Aclima’s business development efforts and drive commercial priorities, execution, and results
Serve as a trusted commercial representative in consequential customer and partner discussions
Occasionally brief the board on commercial performance, pipeline outlook, and strategic recommendations
Lead opportunities from qualification and customer discovery through proposal development, commercial negotiation, contracting, and handoff to delivery
Coordinate internal specialists and maintain momentum across customer stakeholders
Personally conduct outreach, lead customer meetings, write proposals, negotiate terms, and manage the pipeline
Own selected strategic accounts and opportunities from qualification through signed agreement and delivery handoff
Establish customer need, executive sponsor, budget owner, decision process, purchasing requirements, and path to close
Create viable commercial paths where no established buying process exists
Develop business cases, build internal sponsorship, identify potential funding sources, and shape approvable engagements
Lead development of proposals, scopes, pricing, and commercial terms with product, engineering, science, finance, and legal
Ensure commitments reflect delivery capacity and sound economics
Resolve pipeline obstacles and provide recommendations requiring executive approval
Structure initial engagements to support continuing services, additional locations, and repeatable offerings
Build relationships with customers, industry leaders, and decision-makers in priority markets
Recommend where to concentrate or discontinue effort
Work with external lobbyists and government affairs teams to advance market priorities
Connect customer needs and community demand with clear offerings and funded deployments
Maintain disciplined CRM processes and credible pipeline forecasts
Provide concise updates on progress, risks, decisions needed, and expected timing
Use AI tools to improve research, preparation, proposal development, and commercial execution
Operate initially as a hands-on individual contributor with no direct reports

Requirements

What you’ll need

Record of independently leading business development or a comparable commercial mandate and personally closing complex B2B or institutional sales, including paid pilots, technical services, software, data products, or comparable offerings
Experience selling an emerging product or service in a startup or similarly resource-constrained environment
Ability to build and sustain deep relationships with customers, industry leaders, and decision-makers
Ability to independently own strategic accounts through discovery, proposal development, negotiation, procurement, and contracting
Experience expanding initial engagements into repeat business, recurring services, or broader deployments
Strong commercial writing and executive communication skills
Ability to make scientific and technical capabilities relevant to customer decisions
Demonstrated record of independently leading negotiations with senior decision-makers
Ability to make consequential commercial decisions balancing revenue opportunity, pricing, scope, delivery obligations, and company reputation
Strong political acumen and confidence working with external lobbyists and government affairs teams
High proficiency using AI tools for commercial work
Mission alignment and stakeholder sensitivity regarding environmental and community outcomes
Strong plus: experience selling environmental solutions, geospatial analytics, climate technology, enterprise software and services, digital transformation, or other complex technical products, projects, and services
Must be open to a 90-day independent contractor structure
Resume required
Must be prepared to discuss complex deals personally closed, obstacles overcome, and commercial results delivered

Benefits

Comp & perks

Potential conversion to a full-time position at Aclima’s sole discretion
If converted to FTE: competitive compensation
If converted to FTE: equity
If converted to FTE: medical, dental, and vision insurance
If converted to FTE: life, AD&D, and LTD insurance
If converted to FTE: 401(k)
If converted to FTE: wellness credits
If converted to FTE: company events