General Manager, Business Development Central Region

General Manager, Business Development Central Region

Wärtsilä Energy leads the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help our partners to accelerate their decarbonisation journeys through our market-leading technologies and power system modelling expertise. These cover decarbonisation services, future-fuel enabled balancing power plants, hybrid solutions, energy storage and optimisation technology, including the GEMS Digital Energy Platform.

Did you know Wärtsilä has delivered 79 GW of power plant capacity and more than 130 energy storage installations in 180 countries around the world?

In this fast changing world of energy, we are constantly on the lookout for future-oriented talent to join our team and to work towards enabling sustainable societies through innovation in technology and services - together. Want to join the ride?

We are looking for a General Manager, Business Development – Region Americas Central to lead New Build Sales for Engine Power Plants and a high-performing BD team.

Position: General Manager, Business Development – Region Americas Central

Location:

Open to Mexico City (Mexico), Bogotá (Colombia), Panama City (Panama), or Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Regional travel required.

Purpose:

Lead the regional New Build Sales for Engine Power Plants, drive commercial growth, and ensure alignment with business objectives. Manage a team of Business Development Managers and deliver predictable sales performance and margin outcomes.

Reporting Line:

Reports to the Energy Business Director, Region Amer Central.

Responsibilities:

• Leads the sales function, setting strategic direction and driving performance to achieve business targets.
• Oversees and leads large-scale sales projects, ensuring cross-functional collaboration and alignment with business objectives.
• Develops and implements sales strategies and policies for the assigned region.
• Responsible for sales expansion, ensuring new product introductions, services sales collaboration, and active relationship management towards existing and potential customers.
• Ensure customer focus, understanding customers' business drivers, managing customer relations from new build & life-cycle perspective.
• Establishes and monitors sales performance metrics and targets in region such as Order Intake and Margin, creating a reliable sales forecast for the rolling five quarters.
• Balances application of the Wärtsilä sales contract policy in customer negotiations and internal BUCC reviews.
• Mentors and develops sales team, fostering a culture of innovation, learning, and professional growth.
• Builds and maintains strong relationships with key clients and partners to ensure customer satisfaction and business development.
• Collaborates with cross-functional teams to align sales strategies with overall business plans, for example Growth & Development and Services Sales.
• Drives the use of analytics and market insights to identify sales opportunities and improve sales effectiveness.
• Manages budgeting and resource allocation within the sales function to maximize efficiency and results.
• Develop Thought leadership and speaking engagements.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Education:
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Energy Systems, or a related field.
• MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
• Experience:
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in sales, business development, or commercial operations within the energy or power generation sector.
• Proven track record in leading Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Sales, including order intake, margin management, and contract negotiation.
• Experience managing and developing high-performing sales teams across diverse geographies.
• Minimum 5 years' experience managing and developing teams.
• Demonstrated success in customer relationship management and lifecycle engagement strategies.

Core Skills:

• Strategic & Commercial Acumen:
• Strategic planning and execution; market development and demand creation; risk/reward-balanced contracting; sales forecasting and pipeline management; business case development and margin optimization.
• Sales & Customer Engagement:
• New Build sales leadership in the energy sector; customer lifecycle management (from new build to service); high-level customer relationship management; negotiation and deal-closing expertise; CRM and sales enablement tools proficiency.
• Leadership & Team Development:
• Sales team leadership and coaching; performance management and talent development; cross-functional collaboration (especially with ES&O, EPP, and ES); change management and transformation leadership.
• Analytical & Operational:
• Market trend analysis and competitive positioning; data-driven decision-making; contract and commercial risk assessment; sales performance metrics and reporting.

Personal Attributes:

• Visionary: Able to define clear direction and inspire teams toward long-term goals.
• Customer-Centric: Deeply understands customer drivers and tailors solutions accordingly.
• Collaborative: Works effectively across organizational boundaries and cultures.
• Resilient: Maintains focus and adaptability in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Ethical: Leads with integrity, aligned with Wärtsilä's Code of Conduct and The Wärtsilä Way.
• Decisive: Makes informed decisions confidently, even under uncertainty.
• Empowering: Fosters a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Innovative: Seeks new approaches to improve business value and customer outcomes.

Additional Information:

• Fluency in English and Spanish is required; Portuguese is advantageous.

Last application date: 22/12/2025

At Wärtsilä we value, respect and embrace all our differences, and are committed to diversity, inclusion and equal employment opportunities; everyone can be their true self and succeed based on their job-relevant merits and abilities.

Please note that according to Wärtsilä policy, voluntary consent for a security check may be required from candidates being considered for this position, depending on the applicable country.