Sales & Business Development Director

A career at Hitachi Rail will help create a legacy. With operations in every corner of the world, our work goes to the cutting-edge of digital transformation and technology. From the multi-cultural strength of our global organisation to the sustainable and innovative ways we work to bring people together, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into. And that’s where you come in.

As Sales & Business Development Director, you will be responsible for delivering profitable order intake growth while building a sustainable pipeline of future opportunities across regional transport markets.

Reporting into the UK Sales Director and managing a small team of Business Development professionals, you'll combine strategic market leadership with hands-on business winning activities, leading complex sales and capture campaigns from early market engagement through to contract award.

Success in this role will come from your ability to identify opportunities before they reach the market, leverage your industry network, build trusted customer relationships and convert those relationships into long-term business growth.

This role can be based from several of our UK sites, including Manchester, London, Birmingham or Newton Aycliffe with regular travel across customer locations and industry events.

Travel is expected to be approximately 40-60% of your time, depending on your location and customer portfolio.

• →Drive profitable order intake growth across a designated regional account portfolio.
• →Develop, qualify and maintain a robust pipeline of future business opportunities.
• →Lead complex capture management activities, shaping winning strategies long before formal procurement begins.
• →Develop and execute account and growth strategies for major customers and stakeholders.
• →Lead and support high-value, complex bids and commercial pursuits through to successful contract award.
• →Build and strengthen relationships across government bodies, transport authorities, infrastructure owners, operators, partners and industry stakeholders.
• →Work closely with strategy, product, engineering and delivery teams to develop compelling customer solutions.
• →Represent Hitachi Rail at industry events, exhibitions and customer forums.
• →Maintain accurate forecasting and reporting through Salesforce and business governance processes.
• →Provide leadership, coaching and direction to a team of two direct reports.

You are a recognised commercial leader with a reputation for building relationships, opening doors and winning complex business.

You'll bring the credibility, network and market presence needed to engage confidently with senior customer stakeholders while retaining the strategic mindset required to develop long-term growth opportunities.

You'll likely have:

• Extensive sales, business development or commercial leadership experience.
• A proven record of winning major public sector and B2B contracts within transportation, infrastructure, rail, technology or adjacent sectors.
• Significant experience leading complex bid and capture management activities.
• A strong track record of delivering order intake growth and developing qualified opportunity pipelines.
• Established relationships and a strong professional network across relevant transportation and infrastructure markets.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders at executive and board level.
• Demonstrable success identifying, shaping and winning strategic opportunities before procurement launch.
• Experience operating within matrix organisations and collaborating across multiple business functions.
• Strong commercial acumen, negotiation skills and contract-winning capability.
• The ability to balance strategic market development with hands-on deal leadership.

• Experience of recognised Business Development methodologies such as Shipley or Miller Heiman.

We are committed to giving you opportunities to be your best. We believe in embracing the passion and potential of our people, and to achieve this we offer market leading training, development and experiences, along with the opportunity to be mentored and coached by some of the smartest minds in the industry. We hire from within as our first priority, so you will have a myriad of opportunities within our diverse, global organisation. 

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