Business Information (BI) Director - Coface UKI in City of London

At Coface, we make trade happen every day. Our 5,200 experts representing 80+ nationalities in 58 countries are united by a shared purpose: helping companies navigate through uncertainty by empowering them to make the right decisions and trade smarter in a complex world.

With nearly 80 years of global experience, we offer companies a full range of solutions: Trade Credit Insurance, Business Information, Debt Collection, Single Risk insurance, Surety Bonds, Factoring — all driven by a unique data patrimony, cutting-edge technology, innovation and a deep understanding of the global economy.

Joining Coface means being part of a close-knit international organization, where your ideas matter. We foster a culture of learning, collaboration and inclusion where you are given responsibilities and can see the impact of your actions.

Role overview: Overseeing the growing Business Information (BI) department across the UK & Ireland (UKI) while leading and developing a team of ~16, including Team Leaders, Sale & Account Managers, marketing and data experts and support staff.

Your key role objectives include:

• Strategic Leadership: Spearhead the BI department leading and growing a team of senior sales, account management, marketing, data and executives to achieve ambitious profitable growth targets across Enterprise (1bn+), Large Corporate, and Mid-Market segments.
• Business Development: Develop and implement innovative, field-based business development and lead generation processes to enhance market penetration and customer acquisition.
• Marketing Synergy: Oversee and collaborate with marketing managers to drive effective lead generation strategies that align with both local and global marketing initiatives, ensuring a robust pipeline to meet sales and retention objectives.
• Brand Advocacy: Elevate the profile of Coface BI solutions within the Coface Credit Insurance network, including strategic engagement with key broking partners and strategic partners.
• Global Collaboration: Act as a liaison with Coface Global teams to prioritize critical development projects and feature/function requests, ensuring the alignment of global and local business objectives.
• Customer-Centric Feedback: Gather and analyse customer feedback to inform product roadmap planning, collaborating closely with Product teams to enhance our service offerings.
• Talent management and development: Lead the recruitment, onboarding and development of high-calibre sales and support executives (including Marketing and Data), fostering a high-performance and engaged team culture.
• Financial Stewardship: Manage the BI department’s P&L effectively, maximizing ROI across data purchases, marketing, people/recruitment, travel expenses etc.
• Executive participation: Contribute actively as a senior member of the local Management Committee, supporting governance and driving growth initiatives at local, regional and global level.

Expected knowledge/experience/qualifications:

• Experience: 10+ years at Senior level, managing B2B sales teams with a focus on Credit Management solutions / Business Information.
• Education: Degree educated in a Finance, Business or related field. MA (master’s) / MBA is desirable.
• Expertise: Comprehensive knowledge of credit risk management, business information, strategic sales, project management, P&L, business planning, strategic presentations.
• Skills: Strong communication and presentation abilities. Experienced in developing compelling sales pitches. Ability to lead sales team in a competitive environment, drive winning marketing / lead generation initiatives to boost growth. Outstanding organizational skills, an attention to detail and the ability to see the big picture.
• Leadership: Superior leadership skills, demonstrate ability to drive results, customer-focus, forward-thinker. Strong collaborative skills with internal stakeholders and a supportive approach to change.

Why Join Coface? At Coface, we offer a dynamic, international working environment where your expertise will directly contribute to the success and expansion of our UK business. You will work alongside high-calibre professionals in a fast-paced, strategic role with strong exposure to senior leadership and cross-border collaboration.

If you are a commercially minded senior executive looking for an exciting opportunity to make an impact, we invite you to apply.