Building automation systems have become central to how modern facilities operate. Controls professionals connect HVAC equipment, sensors, software, networks, and building data so that systems can perform efficiently and reliably. Their technical knowledge is essential, but technical expertise alone does not always determine whether a project succeeds.

Building automation professionals rarely work in isolation. They coordinate with mechanical contractors, engineers, electrical teams, information technology departments, facility managers, commissioning providers, project executives, owners, and end users. Each stakeholder approaches the building from a different perspective. The controls professional who can translate between those perspectives often becomes one of the most valuable people on the project. For organizations hiring within Building Automation Systems, communication should therefore be evaluated as a core job qualification—not simply a preferred soft skill.

The Controls Department Is No Longer an Island

Building controls were once viewed as a specialized function operating behind the scenes. Today, building automation influences energy use, occupant comfort, equipment life, maintenance planning, cybersecurity, reporting, and long-term operating costs. This broader role has increased the number of people involved in controls-related decisions. A technician may need to explain a sequence issue to a mechanical contractor. A project manager may need to clarify scope boundaries for a general contractor. A systems integrator may need to work with an owner’s IT team before devices can connect to a network. A sales engineer may need to present a technical solution to a financial decision-maker focused on return on investment.

The strongest professionals understand their systems while recognizing how their work affects the larger building. They can communicate with specialists without losing technical accuracy and with nontechnical stakeholders without overwhelming them.

Translating Technical Knowledge Into Business Value

Controls professionals often recognize problems that others cannot immediately see. They may identify unstable operation, inconsistent sensor data, unnecessary equipment wear, or a sequence preventing a system from performing as intended. Identifying the issue, however, is only the first step. To gain support for a solution, the professional must explain why the issue matters.

An owner may be less concerned with programming terminology than with energy costs, comfort complaints, service calls, or equipment failure. A project executive may need to understand how a controls delay could affect the schedule. A facility manager may need clear guidance for operating the system after turnover. Effective communicators connect technical findings to practical outcomes. They explain what is happening, why it matters, what should be done, and what the organization can expect afterward. This ability builds trust and positions the controls team as a strategic partner rather than a department contacted only when something stops working.

Coordinating With Mechanical and Engineering Teams

Controls professionals regularly work with the mechanical and engineering disciplines that shape system design and operation. Coordination can become difficult when drawings, specifications, sequences, equipment capabilities, and field conditions do not align. A strong controls professional does more than point out discrepancies. They ask informed questions, document concerns, propose workable options, and help the team understand the consequences of each decision. They know when an issue requires clarification from the engineer of record, when a mechanical contractor must make a field adjustment, and when the controls scope should be revised.

On complex or mission-critical projects, unclear communication can quickly become a schedule, cost, and performance problem. Professionals who can maintain productive relationships while defending system requirements help projects move forward without sacrificing quality. This is one reason controls candidates should be evaluated within the broader context of the built environment. The strongest hires understand not only the automation platform, but also how their responsibilities intersect with mechanical systems, electrical infrastructure, commissioning, construction, and facility operations.

Building a Productive Relationship With IT

The relationship between operational technology and information technology is increasingly important. Building automation systems may rely on connected devices, software platforms, remote access, data storage, analytics, and integration with broader enterprise systems. As a result, controls professionals often need support from IT teams before a solution can be implemented. The two departments may use different terminology and prioritize different risks. The controls team may focus on uptime, system access, response speed, and field functionality. IT may focus on network architecture, authentication, software standards, cybersecurity, and data governance. Projects can stall when the teams do not understand one another.

A controls professional who communicates effectively with IT can clearly describe device requirements, remote-access needs, permissions, vendor responsibilities, and system dependencies. Just as importantly, they listen to security concerns and adjust the proposed approach when necessary. Employers should look for candidates who do not treat IT review as an obstacle. The stronger candidate views it as part of delivering a secure, maintainable, and scalable solution.

Communicating With Facility Teams and End Users

The quality of a building automation system is measured not only by how it performs at startup, but also by how effectively the facility team can use it over time. Even an advanced system can underperform when operators do not understand the interface, alarms, schedules, trends, or intended sequence of operation. Controls professionals who work well with facility teams avoid assuming that every user has the same technical background. They provide practical explanations, demonstrate common workflows, document key functions, and confirm that the owner is comfortable with the system before the project is considered complete.

This communication is especially important during commissioning, turnover, and post-occupancy support. Facility professionals may identify conditions that are not visible during a short functional test. A controls professional who encourages feedback and responds constructively can resolve issues faster and strengthen the customer relationship. Strong customer-facing skills can also create value beyond project delivery. A trusted professional may identify opportunities involving service agreements, system upgrades, analytics, retro-commissioning, or expanded integration. Clear communication supports both customer retention and future growth.

What Employers Should Evaluate During the Hiring Process

Communication ability can be difficult to judge from a resume. A candidate may list project experience, platforms, certifications, and technical competencies without revealing how they interact with customers or cross-functional teams.

Interview questions should move beyond simply asking whether the person is a good communicator. Hiring teams can ask candidates to describe a time when they had to explain a controls issue to a nontechnical owner, resolve a scope disagreement with another contractor, coordinate network requirements with IT, or train a facility team after turnover. Employers should listen for how the candidate gathered information, adjusted the message for the audience, documented the issue, handled disagreement, and followed through.

A practical scenario can also help. For example, the interviewer could describe a failed integration for which the mechanical contractor, engineer, owner, and IT department each believe another party is responsible. The candidate can then explain how they would diagnose the problem, organize the conversation, assign next steps, and keep the project moving. This type of discussion helps distinguish someone who can complete the technical work from someone who can lead coordination around the technical work.

Communication Is More Than Personality

The strongest controls professionals do not all have the same personality. Some are naturally outgoing, while others are quieter and highly deliberate. Effective communication is not about being the most talkative person in the room. It is about making complex information understandable and helping people reach the right decision. Employers should look for clarity, active listening, audience awareness, thoughtful documentation, curiosity, composure, and follow-through. Candidates should be able to ask direct questions without creating unnecessary conflict and explain technical limitations without dismissing the customer’s goals.

At senior levels, communication becomes a leadership responsibility. Controls managers, branch leaders, project executives, and operations leaders must set expectations, develop employees, manage customer concerns, and coordinate resources across multiple projects. A technically excellent candidate who cannot create alignment may struggle as their responsibilities grow. Conversely, a professional who can combine technical credibility with clear communication may be well positioned to take on broader project, customer, or business leadership responsibilities.

Writing the Job Description Around the Real Role

Many controls job descriptions focus almost entirely on platforms, protocols, years of experience, and technical duties. Those qualifications matter, but the description should also reflect the communication demands of the actual position.

A project manager who interacts with owners and contractors needs a different communication profile than a programmer working primarily on internal production tasks. A service technician must explain findings and recommendations clearly to customers. A sales engineer must connect technical capability to business needs. A branch manager must communicate across sales, operations, service, finance, and leadership.

Before beginning a search, employers should identify:

• The departments and stakeholders the new hire will interact with
• The technical and nontechnical conversations they will lead
• The level of customer responsibility involved
• Whether they will train, mentor, or manage other employees
• How much documentation and reporting the position requires
• Whether the role is expected to grow into leadership

Defining these expectations creates a more accurate candidate profile. It also helps prevent companies from hiring for technical credentials while overlooking the daily realities of the role. Raymond Search Group’s executive search and recruiting services begin with understanding the position, the organization, and the results expected from the hire. A clearly defined role allows the search to target professionals who bring the right combination of technical depth, leadership ability, and communication skill.

Communication Creates Better Project Outcomes

Many costly controls problems begin as communication gaps. Scope assumptions are not clarified. Network requirements are discussed too late. Sequences are interpreted differently. Owners do not receive adequate training. Field issues are identified but not explained in a way that creates action. The right controls professional can reduce these risks. They help technical teams coordinate, make information accessible to decision-makers, and keep customers informed. They also strengthen the employer’s reputation by making complex projects feel organized and manageable.

As building systems become more connected, professionals who can work effectively across departments will become even more valuable. Employers should not view communication as secondary to technical competence. In many controls roles, it is the skill that allows technical competence to produce results.

Finding Controls Talent That Connects the Entire Team

Raymond Search Group recruits professionals across building automation systems, HVAC/R, engineering, and other sectors of the built environment. Our team understands that a successful controls hire requires more than familiarity with a platform or protocol. The right person needs the technical background to understand the system and the communication ability to work with those responsible for designing, installing, securing, operating, and investing in it.