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Business Development Manager

The Kendall Group
United States, Tennessee, Knoxville
170 Mabry Hood Road (Show on map)
Feb 14, 2026

About The Kendall Group

The Kendall Group is comprised of eight divisions with 75+ locations in ten states. Combined, we serve the Electrical, Automation, Pipe, Valve, and Fitting products, Steam, Lighting, Industrial Controls, and Instrumentation Industries. The Kendall Group is a 100% employee-owned company. Kendall offers a great opportunity for a rewarding career.

Why The Kendall Group?

Our employee ownership model is the core of who we are. You will not only own part of the company, but you will own your future. At Kendall, you'll have opportunities to learn and grow while being coached and mentored along the way. We're that company where people stay! We're proud to say more than 60% of our associates have more than 5 years of tenure, and more than 40% have greater than 10 years. At Kendall, you will be valued and supported, your ideas will be heard, your voice will matter, and you'll work alongside incredible people who care about your success.

Reporting to the Director of Business Development, the Business Development Manager is responsible for the establishment and deployment of the company-wide growth strategy surrounding government projects with the DOE, DOD, and other related government agencies. This is a commercial-centric role that works cross-functionally to identify, negotiate, and nurture business development opportunities that open new sales channels and drive revenue and margin growth. This role will be focused both internally and externally, interfacing regularly with various internal teams (sales, legal, finance, marketing, etc.) as well as key vendors and customers in this space.

Exciting work you will do:

The essential duties and responsibilities of the Business Development Manager position will consist of, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Establish and implement strategy to expand Kendall's presence and product/service offerings for government contracts
  • Develop a thorough understanding of key government projects and entities within Kendall's footprint, both for projects and ongoing operations
  • Identify and qualify new opportunities in the government space and any tangential markets
  • Operate as the Kendall Group subject matter expert and thought leader on the government opportunities
  • Operate as the Kendall Group subject matter expert on the quote process for government contracts, including those related to the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Energy (DOE)
  • Work closely with the legal team to understand complex contracts and T&Cs
  • Alongside legal team, actively work to ensure compliance with key internal and external requirements by the Kendall Electric government team
  • Advise Kendall leadership on changes to sales processes and product/service offerings to establish Kendall as the premier distributor in the space
  • Conduct regular voice-of-the-customer studies to understand the needs of these customers
  • Partner with general managers, sales managers, and sales teams to execute strategic sales and marketing plans to achieve sales goals
  • Identify, evaluate, and develop new business opportunities to expand the business and increase profitability
  • Provide input to Kendall sales leadership on current market conditions/trends, significant opportunities for growth, and changing customer dynamics
  • Perform other duties as assigned

Competencies you possess:

  • Service Excellence
  • Customer Focus
  • Results, Action Oriented
  • Accountability and responsibility
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Process Management
  • Planning and organizing
  • Strategic Ability
  • Inspiring & Motivating Others
  • Decision quality

What you'll need:

  • Work Experience: Minimum 5 years of experience in sales or business development; 2 years of experience working with government contracts and knowledge of bid and RFQ process
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in relevant field
  • Computer Skills: Experience working with MS Office
  • Organization Skills: Well-organized with the ability to multi-tasking and shift priorities as needed
  • Cross-functional skills: Ability to work well cross-functionally; provides excellent internal and external customer service
  • Communication Skills: Ability to communicate well with all levels of the organization; excellent negotiating skills; excellent presentation skills to influence all levels of the organization effectively, strong interpersonal and customer service skills; high degree of discretion when dealing with sensitive and confidential information
  • Physical, Mental and Visual Skills: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disability to perform the essential functions.
    • Frequent sitting, driving, and getting in and out of a vehicle
    • Ability to see/sit/stand/walk/talk and hear
    • Ability to be on your feet for 8 hours a day
  • Physical Environment: Normal office environment; occasional warehouse and fabrication environment and exposure to moving equipment
  • Travel: Must be able to travel up to 40% of the time will be a mix of overnight and local; customer visitation and offsite work activities require a good driving record and a dependable vehicle
  • Licenses: Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license and clean driving record; ability to attain or maintain appropriate security clearances for supporting customers

Qualifications we prefer but don't require:

  • Work Experience: 5 years of experience in sales or business development focused on federal government agencies and projects; knowledge of the nuclear energy space
  • Product Knowledge: Product knowledge of related manufacturers, applications, and pricing structures; product knowledge of various customer types and industry categories

The Kendall Group is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, military status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

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