Vice President, Business Development

About Exponent

Exponent is the only premium engineering and scientific consulting firm with the depth and breadth of expertise to solve our clients’ most profoundly unique, unprecedented, and urgent challenges.  

Our vision is to engage multidisciplinary teams of science, engineering, and regulatory experts to empower clients with solutions that create a safer, healthier, more sustainable world. For over five decades, we've connected the lessons of past failures with tomorrow's solutions to advise clients as they innovate technologically complex products and processes, ensure the safety and health of their users, and address the challenges of sustainability.  

Join our team of experts with degrees from top programs at over 500 universities and extensive experience spanning a variety of industries. At Exponent, you’ll contribute to the diverse pool of ideas, talents, backgrounds, and experiences that drives our collaborative teamwork and breakthrough insights. Plus, we help you grow your career through collaboration, our rich client network, and our excellent support staff. Thanks for your interest in joining our team!   

Key statistics: 

• 950+ Consultants 
• 640+ Ph.D.s 
• 90+ Disciplines 
• 30+ Offices globally 

Our Opportunity

Exponent is seeking a Vice President of Business Development to provide firm-wide leadership for our global business development strategy and organization. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role is based at Exponent’s headquarters in Menlo Park, CA, and will partner with leadership across all practices and geographies.

At Exponent, our consultants are our primary business developers, bringing technical credibility, judgment, and trusted client relationships to the market. This role is designed to amplify and complement that model. The Vice President of Business Development will serve as a senior, market-facing partner to Exponent’s leadership and consulting teams, helping to create opportunities, open doors to new client relationships, and strengthen the firm’s presence with senior buyers in our core markets, while also leading and strengthening the firm’s business development and marketing teams.

This leader will combine external credibility, sound judgment, and a strong executive network with the ability to shape and execute a cohesive, firm-wide business development strategy. Working in close partnership with the CEO, President, Group Vice Presidents, Practice Directors, and Office Directors, the Vice President will strengthen Exponent’s global client ecosystem, support consultants as they go to market, and drive sustained, high-quality growth—both within and complementary to Exponent’s seller/doer consulting paradigm.

As a visible ambassador for the firm, the Vice President of Business Development will represent Exponent in premium, high-stakes environments where scientific rigor, independence, and credibility matter most, while ensuring the firm’s business development and marketing efforts operate as a disciplined, integrated engine aligned with Exponent’s long-term strategy, culture, and values.

You will be responsible for

• Developing and executing a firm-wide business development strategy that drives sustainable revenue growth, profitability, and long-term global market positioning
• Leading Exponent’s internal business development and marketing functions, ensuring an integrated, disciplined approach that supports consultant-led client development
• Serving as a senior, market-facing partner to firm leadership and consulting teams—helping to create opportunities, open doors to new and expanded client relationships, and strengthen engagement with senior corporate, legal, and regulatory buyers
• Monitoring market, industry, legal, and regulatory trends to identify emerging opportunities and inform the firm’s growth priorities
• Partnering closely with the CEO, President, Group Vice Presidents, Practice Directors, Office Directors, and consultants to develop new and differentiated service offerings and enhance cross-practice collaboration
• Strengthening Exponent’s brand, market presence, and reputation as a premier engineering and scientific consulting firm known for rigor, independence, and sound judgment
• Creating platforms and events to accelerate the business development capabilities and market connections of next-generation consultants
• Attracting, developing, and leading a high-performing business development and marketing organization, fostering a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative culture
• Building and sustaining strong internal and external relationships that advance the firm’s strategy and deliver meaningful value to clients and communities

You will have the following skills and qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, marketing, or another relevant discipline
• Technical fluency and the ability to understand, synthesize, and clearly communicate the breadth of Exponent’s engineering and scientific work—and to translate that capability into trusted client relationships and growth opportunities
• Ten or more years of experience leading business development within a high-end professional services firm, with demonstrated success supporting complex, expertise-driven offerings
• A strong, established network of senior-level relationships within the corporate, legal, and/or regulatory communities, with credibility among decision-makers, influencers, and buying audiences in Exponent’s core markets
• Demonstrated experience engaging with legal, regulatory, and risk-informed buyers, including the ability to navigate sophisticated client environments where independence, judgment, and scientific rigor are critical
• Proven ability to partner effectively with senior executives, practice leaders, and multidisciplinary technical teams in a collaborative, consultant-centric environment
• Demonstrated success building, mentoring, and leading high-performing business development and/or marketing teams that operate with discipline, accountability, and impact
• Strong strategic, analytical, and interpersonal skills, coupled with sound judgment and executive presence in premium, high-stakes client environments
• Leadership approach aligned with Exponent’s core values of technical rigor, objectivity, respect, collaborative diversity, and meaningful impact

Life @ Exponent

To learn more about life at Exponent and our impact, please visit the following links:https://www.exponent.com/careers/life-exponenthttps://www.exponent.com/company/our-impact

We value and encourage diversity, equity and inclusion across all facets of our firm. Having a team built of people with different backgrounds, skills and perspectives allows us to provide better value to our clients and enjoy an enriched work environment.

Our firm is committed to offering a variety of programs and resources to support health and well-being. We believe that providing competitive benefits, as well as compensation and recognition programs, empowers our staff to do work that makes a difference.

Work Environment

At Exponent, we have found that in-person interactions deepen employee engagement and are crucial for development, for realizing the full potential of our talented and diverse teams, and for​ building a more inclusive workplace where all have a sense of belonging. In our offices, you can expect a supportive culture and a collaborative, dynamic, multi-disciplinary work environment.I-Onsite

Compensation

The pay rate for this position is dependent on experience and capabilities which will be assessed during the interview process.

Salary Range

USD $300,000.00 - USD $375,000.00 /Yr.

Benefits you will enjoy

Access benefits information on our Life@Exponent page:  https://www.exponent.com/careers/life-exponent 

 Exponent is a proud equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status. 

 If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may email us at [email protected]. 

Job Locations

US-CA-Menlo Park