Technical Business Development Manager – AI & Technology

📍 Rome or Milan, Italy

🗣️ Fluent English required

🏛️ Public Administration experience essential

We are looking for a Technical Business Development Manager to develop commercial and project opportunities across Artificial Intelligence, Cloud, Data and wider technology services.

This is a senior, client-facing role focused primarily on supporting Italian Public Administration organisations with the adoption of technologies including:

•Machine Learning

•Generative AI

•Agentic AI

•Cloud platforms

•Data and analytics

•Infrastructure and networking

•Managed technology services

•Emerging technologies such as Quantum Computing

You will act as the primary technology contact for a portfolio of public-sector clients, working closely with sales teams, architects, technical specialists and delivery teams.

The role requires someone who combines strong commercial ability, consulting presence and a credible understanding of complex technology solutions. You should be comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders including CIOs, CTOs, CAIOs and other technology, digital and business leaders.

Key responsibilities

•Act as the lead technology account contact for a portfolio of Public Administration clients.

•Develop commercial and project opportunities across AI, Cloud, Data and wider technology services.

•Coordinate commercial and technical presales activities across assigned accounts.

•Work with sales and sector teams to create client development and account plans.

•Contribute directly to annual sales targets, pipeline development and forecasting.

•Lead opportunity qualification, solutioning, proposal preparation and commercial positioning.

•Coordinate responses to RFPs, RFIs and other public-sector procurement processes.

•Organise and support proofs of concept, technical demonstrations and client workshops.

•Engage directly with CIOs, CTOs, CAIOs and senior technology or business stakeholders.

•Position solutions across:

oCloud

oData and Artificial Intelligence

oGenerative and Agentic AI

oData strategy and governance

oInfrastructure and networking

oData centres

oIT operations

oManaged services

oEnterprise platforms

oEmerging technologies

•Coordinate architects, technical specialists and delivery teams during presales and project execution.

•Support project staffing and ensure appropriate technical resources are assigned.

•Oversee the quality and commercial performance of sold projects.

•Monitor project progress, margin, effort, staffing and key operational metrics.

•Produce account, pipeline, project and commercial reporting.

•Identify new technologies and convert them into relevant client propositions.

•Help clients shape the evolution of their technology roadmaps.

Essential experience

•At least five years’ experience in technology consulting, sales, presales, account management or solution development.

•Strong experience working with Italian central or local Public Administration organisations.

•Experience managing enterprise or large-account clients within complex, multi-stakeholder environments.

•Proven experience in commercial and technical presales.

•Experience with solution selling, opportunity qualification, proposal development and commercial negotiation.

•Experience supporting RFP, RFI or public procurement processes.

•Ability to understand, explain and position complex technology solutions.

•Sufficient technical knowledge to contribute independently to demonstrations, workshops and presales discussions.

•Knowledge of the technology services market across one or more of the following:

oCloud

oData and AI

oGenerative AI

oAnalytics

oInfrastructure

oNetworking

oIT operations

oManaged services

oData governance

oEnterprise platforms

•Experience managing commercial targets, client budgets, pipeline and forecasts.

•Experience working closely with sales teams, delivery teams, architects and solution specialists.

•Strong relationships with senior client stakeholders, including CIOs, CTOs, CAIOs, IT leaders and digital leaders.

•Ability to oversee project quality and work effectively with delivery teams.

•Understanding of project economics, including margin, effort, staffing and delivery progress.

•Fluent written and spoken English.

•Degree in a STEM, economics or management discipline, or equivalent professional experience.

Relevant Public Administration experience

Candidates should have experience working within one or more of the following areas:

•Central government departments and ministries.

•Government agencies, regulators and national public bodies.

•Defence, national security, justice or law enforcement.

•Regional government and regional healthcare organisations.

•Local health authorities, hospitals and healthcare procurement bodies.

•Major municipalities, metropolitan authorities and strategic provinces.

•Local councils and smaller territorial authorities.

•Public-sector ICT organisations and procurement bodies.

•Publicly controlled companies and utilities.

•Transport, energy, water, waste, mobility and public infrastructure organisations.

Desirable experience

•An established Public Administration client portfolio or strong public-sector network.

•Background within management consulting, technology consulting or systems integration.

•Experience selling Cloud, Data, AI, GenAI, managed services or digital transformation programmes.

•Knowledge of Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure or AWS.

•Experience co-selling with hyperscalers, technology vendors or strategic partners.

•Experience working within matrixed, multi-practice or hub-and-spoke organisations.

•Experience creating account plans, client growth strategies and technology roadmaps.

•Experience developing new services, accelerators, propositions or commercial packages.

•Cloud, sales, technology or project management certifications.

•Practical technical experience that supports credible demonstrations and solution discussions.

Personal qualities

•Strong consulting and executive presence.

•Commercially focused and results-oriented.

•Able to build trusted, long-term client relationships.

•Confident communicating with technical, commercial and executive audiences.

•Strong interest in Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies.

•Able to turn technology trends into practical client opportunities.

•Comfortable coordinating multidisciplinary teams without direct line-management authority.

•Autonomous, entrepreneurial and accountable.

•Able to prioritise multiple clients, stakeholders and opportunities.

•Pragmatic, solutions-focused and comfortable working in an evolving environment.