Director of Business Development – Railroad & Transit

About Burns:

Burns Engineering provides professional engineering design and project management services for transportation, facilities, and infrastructure projects. We help our clients attain their strategic goals and initiatives through successful large-scale infrastructure projects.  Burns’ full-service capabilities include mechanical, electrical, civil, structural, transportation, and energy consulting engineering.

Recently voted a Top Workplace by Philly.com, we credit our strength as an organization to our talented, driven, vibrant team.  Burns is an ENR Top 500 Firm, and has been named an MEP Giant by Consulting-Specifying Engineer Magazine, as well as a Hot Firm by Zweig.  We are industry experts, proven leaders, innovative thinkers, and team players. We put our clients’ successes and best interests first, because their success is our success. We have fun at work because we love making a difference in the world.  We are looking for high-energy, bright, collaborative individuals who want the opportunity to “write their own story” with us.

Burns Engineering is currently seeking a Business Development Leader to join our Railroad & Transit Team in Philadelphia, PA.

Summary

Burns is seeking a Director of Business Development to support and expand our Railroad & Transit practice. This role is responsible for driving strategic growth by identifying, developing, and securing new business opportunities, while strengthening relationships with key clients, partners, and industry stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Growth & Market Leadership

• Develop and execute business development strategies to drive sales growth and market expansion
• Identify, evaluate, and pursue new business opportunities aligned with Business Unit priorities
• Lead the annual business development planning process and oversee execution

Client Development & Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key clients, agencies, and industry partners
• Leverage an established network within rail and transit agencies and teaming partners
• Transition client relationships effectively to project delivery teams upon award

Opportunity Capture & Sales Execution

• Lead capture strategies, including positioning, teaming, and win approach development
• Collaborate with technical and marketing teams to assist in the development of proposals and fee strategies
• Support contract negotiations, due diligence, and partnership development

Market Intelligence & Positioning

• Maintain up-to-date intelligence on clients, competitors, and market trends through CRM tools
• Identify emerging opportunities based on industry trends, funding programs, and client needs
• Represent Burns at industry events, conferences, and client engagements

Internal Leadership & Collaboration

• Partner with Business Unit leadership to align business development efforts with strategic goals
• Lead regular business development meetings and pipeline reviews
• Provide mentorship, training, and guidance to staff on business development best practices
• Collaborate with marketing on branding, campaigns, and promotional initiatives

Qualifications

• 8–10+ years of relevant business development experience in the Rail and/or Transit industry.
• Demonstrated success in winning and growing client relationships
• Established network within rail and transit agencies and industry partners
• Strong understanding of mass transit policies, programs, and funding mechanisms
• Proven ability to develop and execute strategic plans and capture strategies
• Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills

Role Expectations

• Serve as a visible leader in the industry and represent Burns in key markets
• Spend significant time externally with clients, partners, and at industry events
• Drive measurable results aligned with company sales and growth targets
• Help position Burns as a national leader in Railroad & Transit services

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