Date: Jul 23, 2026
Location: Portland, OR, US
Company: NW Natural
Business Development Director - West Region - Water Utilities
Non-Union Position
WTR-President Water Staff; Portland, Oregon (US-OR)
Regular FT, Exempt
Posting # 5652
About Us:
NW Natural Water owns and operates water and wastewater utilities in communities throughout Texas, Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Since 2018, we have acquired more than 30 utilities and today serve more than 190,000 people via 76,000 connections.
Our parent company, NW Natural Holding Company (NYSE: NWN) (NW Natural Holdings), is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and has been doing business for over 165 years. The company operates through NW Natural Gas Company (NW Natural), SiEnergy Operating (SiEnergy), NW Natural Water Company (NW Natural Water), NW Natural Renewables Holdings (NW Natural Renewables), and other business interests, serving a combined population of over 2.6 million people.
NW Natural Holdings' Texas operations are some of the fastest growing utilities in the nation, where our focus is on supporting developers by providing essential services to new communities. Our highly driven out-of-the-box thinkers are motivated to meet developer/builder timelines and requirements and pride themselves on partnerships with the developers, builders, and communities we serve.
The Role:
NW Natural is seeking a Business Development Director to lead the efforts in identifying, evaluating, originating and executing a variety of potential business development opportunities in the Western United States. The Business Development Director will be a member of the NW Natural Water business development team and will have direct responsibility for building relationships with public and private sector water and/or wastewater utilities to advance NW Natural’s commitment to investing in this segment for the future. This role will identify and develop new project and/or acquisition investment opportunities in the water and wastewater sectors with a principal focus on the western United States, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Arizona, and Nevada.
Day to Day:
- Initiate and manage relationships with key industry participants, including private sector investor-owned utilities, real estate developers, and public sector water/wastewater entities such as home-owners associations, districts, authorities, and municipalities
- Develop relationships with state and county agencies including water and wastewater regulators to introduce the NW Natural Water business model and identify potential partnership candidates
- Lead and manage all due diligence activities and evaluative analysis
- Create regional business plans, target lists, and outreach campaigns for approaching the market
- Represent stakeholder interests in the development of proposals to meet stakeholder expectations in balance with NW Natural Water’s business goals
- Draft, structure, and negotiate proposals for water and wastewater projects, including acquisitions, development projects, joint ventures and/or public-private partnerships, in collaboration with the business development team.
- Collaborate across internal and external teams, including engineering, finance, legal and regulatory, among others, to develop successful water/wastewater proposals and agreements
- Work closely with NW Natural Water General Managers to develop and execute outreach activity
- Develop and manage independent representatives to support origination goals, as necessary
- Gather necessary information for the business development team to assess potential investment opportunities, including financial analysis, benefit and risk analysis, and pro forma impacts on shareholders, customers, and other key stakeholders
- Gather, interpret, and summarize regional market intelligence and maintain accurate information about targets
- Present business plans/strategies and selected investment opportunities to executives for approval
Come on your first day with:
- 10 + years of well-proven business development, sales, infrastructure project development, or relationship management experience
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. Master’s degree in business or engineering is desirable.
- Qualitative and quantitative analytical skills, including ability to analyze a wide variety of business opportunities and technical considerations
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate across functional groups within an organization
- Demonstrated ability to self-direct, analyze, evaluate, form independent judgments, and achieve goals
- Proven ability to build trusting and genuine relationships
- Operates with a sense of urgency, with a solutions-oriented and creative approach
- Demonstrated negotiation skills
- Demonstrated tenacity to bring stakeholders through long and complex deal cycles
- Understanding of utilities, water industry, public-private partnerships, privatization and/or related businesses preferred
- Existing relationships with water and wastewater utility sectors (investor-owned utilities, districts, authorities, municipalities, consultants and/or contract operators) preferred
- Excellent organizational and written/oral communication skills and a strong attention to detail
- Ability and desire to travel 50%+ in region to achieve goals
- Superb interpersonal skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Computer work, occasional lifting of less than 25 pounds
- This position is based in our Portland, OR office. Remote/home-based location considered for the right candidate. Travel by air and automobile to various states within the region required. Candidate should reside near a major airport in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, or Nevada.
What we offer:
Health & Wellness –
- Rich health insurance benefits with competitive employer contribution
- Free access to an online wellness resources platform
Work Life Balance -
- Start at 20 Vacation Days
- 80 Hours of Sick Time
- 13 paid holidays
- 3 weeks paid parental leave
Financial -
- Competitive 401K company contribution and match
- 15% discount on NW Natural stock through Employee Stock Purchase Program
- Up to $5250 a year in tuition reimbursement
Base salary range: $170,100.00 - $251,550.00 per year, depending on qualifications
Application Process: To be considered for this position, submit a complete electronic application including cover letter and resume via our website.
https://www.careers.nwnatural.com/nwnaturalwater
Deadline: 8/6/26
Disclosure: We are a drug free workplace and we comply with Federal Drug Free Workplace Act and Department of Transportation regulations. NW Natural Water participates in E-Verify. Individuals hired will have their Form I-9 information submitted to E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility.
E-Verify Information
NW Natural participates in E-Verify. Individuals hired will have their Form I-9 information submitted to E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility.
All applications must be submitted through NW Natural Water’s Electronic Application System. Resumes submitted via email, fax or mail will not be accepted in lieu of an electronic application.
We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
NW Natural Water does not accept unsolicited submissions or assistance from search firms for posted positions. Resumes submitted by search firms working under a valid and current written contract with NW Natural Water valid written Statement of Work in place for this position from NW Natural Water HR/Employment will be deemed the sole property of NW Natural Water. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by NW Natural Water as a result of the referral or through other means.
Nearest Major Market: Portland Oregon