Business Development Strategic Advisor

About the Role

NTT DATA is expanding its Public Sector footprint and seeking a highly skilled Business Development Executive (BDE) to accelerate pipeline creation and new client acquisition across our Education subvertical of the State, Local Government, and Education (SLED) Business Unit (BU). This role is central to NTT DATA’s growth strategy and focuses on identifying, shaping, and progressing early-stage opportunities in K-12 and Higher Ed that align with our portfolio of managed services, application modernization, cloud, cybersecurity, digital government, and infrastructure transformation offerings.

The ideal candidate brings deep Education domain expertise and a well-established network of relationships within the Education market and the vendor ecosystem. A hunter mindset and the ability to navigate complex procurement environments are imperative. They excel at building and maintaining trusted relationships with agency executives, understanding government priorities, and positioning NTT DATA as a strategic partner capable of delivering mission-critical outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Pipeline Growth & Market Expansion
  • Proactively identify, qualify, and develop new opportunities across targeted K-12 school districts and institutions of higher learning, with a focus on multi-year IT services, cloud, and modernization initiatives.
  • Collaborate with Sales Executives and Client Executives to execute territory and account development plans aligned to budget cycles, legislative priorities, and procurement pathways.
  • Shape opportunities early by engaging agency leadership, program owners, and procurement teams to influence requirements and establish NTT DATA differentiation.
  • Monitor RFP forecasts, cooperative purchasing vehicles, and statewide IT initiatives to anticipate demand and build a predictable pipeline.
• Sales Execution & Deal Progression
  • Own the top of the funnel, including prospecting, discovery, qualification, and early solution alignment.
  • Partner closely with Solution Architects, Sales Executives, Client Executives, Proposal Teams, and Delivery Leaders to advance qualified opportunities.
  • Maintain rigorous CRM discipline, ensuring accurate forecasting, pipeline hygiene, and executive-level visibility.
  • Support capture strategy development, including competitive analysis, teaming recommendations, and win-theme creation.
• Relationship Development & Ecosystem Engagement
  • Cultivate senior-level relationships with CIOs, CTOs, program executives, procurement officers, and agency influencers.
  • Engage with strategic partners — hyperscalers, OEMs, ISVs, and regional integrators — to expand reach and co-sell opportunities.
  • Represent NTT DATA at industry events, conferences, and association forums to elevate brand presence and generate leads.
  • Serve as an ambassador for NTT DATA’s Public Sector capabilities through thought leadership, speaking engagements, and digital presence.
• Government Consultant (Lobbyist) Management
  • Manage and maintain relationships with appropriate education consultants, lobbyists, and advisory firms engaged to support NTT DATA’s SLED strategy.
  • Oversee contract lifecycle activities for government consultants, including scoping, renewals, performance evaluation, and compliance alignment.
  • Ensure consultants are briefed, aligned, and effectively representing NTT DATA’s priorities, value propositions, and pursuit strategies.
  • Leverage consultant insights to anticipate legislative shifts, procurement changes, and agency priorities that impact pipeline development.
  • Coordinate internal communication to ensure Sales, Legal, Compliance, and Executive Leadership have visibility into consultant activities and outcomes.
• Market Intelligence & Strategic Insight
  • Track competitor activity, contract awards, pricing trends, and statewide IT modernization priorities.
  • Provide actionable insights to Product, Marketing, and Delivery teams to ensure NTT DATA’s offerings remain aligned to SLED needs.
  • Identify whitespace opportunities, emerging technology demands, and areas where NTT DATA can expand its value proposition.

Requirements

• 7+ years of business development, sales, or capture experience in IT services.
• 5+ years supporting Educational institutions with a proven track record of pipeline creation and new logo acquisition.
• 5 years of experience working with SLED procurement processes, budget cycles, and contract vehicles (e.g., NASPO, cooperative purchasing).
• 4+ years of experience with managed services, cloud, cybersecurity, application modernization, digital government, or infrastructure transformation.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles.
• 5+ years experience with strong executive communication skills, including presentations, written proposals, and RFP responses.

About NTT DATA

NTT DATA is a $30 billion business and technology services leader, serving 75% of the Fortune Global 100. We are committed to accelerating client success and positively impacting society through responsible innovation. We are one of the world's leading AI and digital infrastructure providers, with unmatched capabilities in enterprise-scale AI, cloud, security, connectivity, data centers, and application services. Our consulting and Industry solutions help organizations and society move confidently and sustainably into the digital future.

As a Global Top Employer, we have experts in more than 50 countries. We also offer clients access to a robust ecosystem of innovation centers as well as established and start-up partners. NTT DATA is a part of NTT Group, which invests over $3 billion each year in R&D.

Whenever possible, we hire locally to NTT DATA offices or client sites. This ensures we can provide timely and effective support tailored to each client’s needs. While many positions offer remote or hybrid work options, these arrangements are subject to change based on client requirements. For employees near an NTT DATA office or client site, in-office attendance may be required for meetings or events, depending on business needs.