Business Development Manager

Transient Detect is an angel-backed IoT/AI start-up protecting and extending the life of critical water infrastructure. Through its ruggedised TD.Edge sensors and TD.Cloud AI analytics platform, Transient Detect helps water utilities make hidden destructive forces visible, converting pressure transient data into pipe fatigue, leak detection and asset risk intelligence.

As Business Development Manager, you will be Transient Detect’s first dedicated commercial hire, responsible for building and converting a qualified sales pipeline across ANZ and select international markets. This role will focus on opening doors with Tier 1 and Tier 2 water utilities and long-contract O&M providers, running technical solution-selling cycles from first engagement through pilot, business case development and multi-year programme conversion.

This is not a corporate sales role, but rather a hands-on opportunity to help build the commercial foundations of a fast-growing company solving global water security challenges. You will work closely with the Founder & CEO and Product Manager, translating technical complexity into buyer language and ensuring every opportunity is grounded in real network problems, measurable utility outcomes and long-term commercial potential.

What you’ll do:

• Build and maintain a qualified sales pipeline across ANZ water utilities and O&M providers.
• Identify, map and engage target accounts across asset planning, network operations, digital, innovation and procurement teams.
• Generate net-new opportunities through outbound prospecting, industry events, referrals and partner channels.
• Run consultative, technically credible sales cycles from discovery through pilot scoping, proposal and close.
• Develop business cases focused on capex deferral, risk reduction, leakage reduction and asset performance.
• Maintain accurate pipeline, forecast and activity records in TD’s CRM.
• Feed market intelligence, competitive insights and voice-of-customer feedback into product planning.

Nice to have:

• Experience selling into water utilities or adjacent regulated sectors such as energy, gas, rail or mining services.
• Exposure to IoT hardware, connected devices, enterprise SaaS or technical infrastructure solutions.
• Familiarity with utility procurement, regulatory pricing cycles and business-case-driven buying.
• Existing networks across ANZ utilities, major O&M contractors or relevant industry bodies.
• A STEM qualification in engineering, science or an environmental discipline.

About you:

• Demonstrated success in technical solution selling across complex, multi-stakeholder B2B environments.
• Proven ability to create, maintain and grow pipeline independently from a cold or near-cold territory.
• Strong commercial discipline, resilience and hunger to build something from the ground up.
• Comfortable engaging with engineers, asset planners and operations teams on instrumentation, data and network performance topics.
• Able to operate with pace, ambiguity and accountability in an early-stage, mission-driven business.
• Willing to travel regularly across the east coast, periodically to SA, WA and New Zealand and occasionally to Asia.

This role will suit a proactive, commercially driven professional with strong technical credibility, disciplined pipeline management and the ability to build trust with complex customer groups. Interested candidates are invited to apply by contacting Mina Jafari at TESS Search Partners on (08) 7093 9945 or apply via the link.