Managing Director – Expanding Communications Coaching Company – £competitive plus equity – Lond[...] in City of London

Our client is a fast‑growing communications coaching business with a highly successful dual model: a well‑established consumer division, helping individuals become better, more confident presenters and speakers, and a rapidly expanding business‑to‑business arm serving an impressive list of household names. With an empathetic, human‑centred approach, the company helps individuals and organisations communicate with clarity, confidence, and emotional intelligence. Their work spans public speaking, leadership communication, storytelling, and high‑impact client engagement.

The B2B division, although still young, has already partnered with leading global brands across consumer goods, technology, retail, hospitality and professional services. With ongoing conversations across multiple blue‑chip organisations, the opportunity for strategic expansion is significant.

As the business enters its next phase of growth, the Founder is now seeking an exceptional Managing Director to take operational and commercial ownership of the company – a true people leader to guide the business with integrity, kindness, and humility. This is a critical moment for a calm, values‑led and commercially mature MD to act as the organisation’s “centre of gravity” and allow the founder to focus on overall strategy and creative direction. This is a unique opportunity to join a genuinely values and purpose‑driven organisation dedicated to human connection, impact and meaningful communication.

The role

• Building on the company’s strong foundations, you will take full operational and commercial ownership of the business, ensuring stability, clarity, and momentum during a period of accelerated growth.
• Provide steady, emotionally intelligent leadership that protects and strengthens the company’s human‑centred culture across a diverse team of permanent staff and associate coaches, both remote and on site.
• Drive commercial performance and scale the B2B division, including go‑to‑market strategy, profitability, and long‑term planning.
• Introduce systems, processes, and structures that enable the business to scale sustainably.
• Build and develop the sales function, implementing a robust sales methodology (HubSpot, MEDDIC or similar).
• Lead client acquisition and deepen strategic client relationships with warmth, clarity, and integrity.
• Establish commercial rigour across forecasting, pricing, margin management, contracts, and risk.
• Ensure psychological safety and high performance across the organisation through values‑aligned leadership.
• Take responsibility for the entire business, anticipating needs, making decisions early, and creating pace and clarity.
• Champion the company’s mission, voice, and ethos in all internal and external interactions.

Skills and experience required

• Proven leadership experience within small or founder‑led organisations, ideally during periods of growth or transformation.
• Strong commercial and sales leadership background (ideally at MD, SD, COO, or equivalent senior level).
• Experience within learning and development, HR tech, people development, coaching, or broader human capital industries.
• Deep understanding of enterprise sales cycles, complex stakeholder management, and long‑cycle commercial relationships.
• High emotional intelligence, with the ability to lead with calm authority, kindness, and values‑driven decision‑making.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the maturity to balance strategic thinking with hands‑on execution.
• Gravitas, steadiness, and cultural sensitivity, able to build and inspire diverse in‑house and remote teams across multiple functions by fostering accountability and enabling an environment of psychological safety.

This is an outstanding opportunity for a values‑aligned, commercially confident, and emotionally intelligent leader to guide a mission‑driven business into its next chapter of growth. The role offers the chance to make a profound impact on a company whose work genuinely changes how people communicate and connect.

If you combine strategic leadership with human‑centred commercial insight, we’d love to hear from you. This is a Hybrid role with the whole team coming together for two days a week in London. There is a competitive salary on offer for the right candidate which will include equity.

Portman Scott is a highly respected boutique specialist sales recruitment consultancy founded by two highly successful professionals who previously built their own sales teams. All enquiries will be treated with absolute confidentiality. Only candidates currently residing and authorised to work in the UK will be considered.

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