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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead business development for commercial vehicles and industrial markets, building client relationships and managing sales processes.
- Company: Join Ricardo plc, a global leader in engineering consulting with over 100 years of innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working options, a supportive culture, and a comprehensive benefits package focused on wellbeing.
- Why this job: Make a positive impact on sustainability while working in a diverse and inclusive environment.
- Qualifications: Significant B2B sales experience in engineering services; understanding of automotive and industrial markets is essential.
- Other info: Opportunities for travel within the US and abroad; autonomy in your role with leadership support when needed.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Ricardo plc is a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company. With over 100 years of engineering excellence and employing close to 3,000 employees in more than 20 countries, we provide exceptional levels of expertise in delivering leading-edge and innovative cross-sector sustainable products and solutions. Every day, we enable our customers to solve the most complex and dynamic challenges to help achieve a safe and sustainable world.
Automotive and Industrial is one of Ricardo plc’s five operating business units and is a trusted global engineering services partner for clean and efficient integrated propulsion and energy systems. Our experience and history over more than 100 years at the forefront of mobility innovation enables us to deliver solutions to the most complex challenges, allowing our customers across all global transport sectors to achieve a sustainable zero-carbon future.
The Role
We are currently looking for a Business Development Director to join our team with a focus on Commercial Vehicles, Off-Highway, and Industrial Market Sectors.
Key Responsibilities
- Developing (often from scratch), growing, and maintaining client relationships and close contact with engineering procurement champions at selected client accounts and target prospects, to identify, qualify and communicate their needs to the appropriate Practice leaders and Engineering Capability heads in Ricardo.
- Coordinating and managing the sales process, from prospecting to contracting.
- Proactively supporting the successful implementation and further development of the sales strategy and go-to-market plan, to deliver pipeline volume objectives.
- Working with the Ricardo teams (Practices, Engineering, and Legal/Finance), to develop and promote attractive value propositions, sales presentations, and bids.
- Driving sales actions plans, in line with regional order intake (OI) objectives.
- Producing high quality client-visit and trip reports, capturing and growing leads and opportunity within the Ricardo CRM system (customer relationship management).
- Building and leading capture plans for specific opportunities.
- Negotiating with client purchasing/finance stakeholders to close OI/cash.
- Ensuring best practice tracking and forecast of sales to selected clients.
Key Competencies and Experience
- Significant sales experience in Business-to-Business engineering services.
- Deep understanding of the US automotive and/or industrial markets, products and OEM/Tier1 requirements.
- Good understanding and experience of engineering offerings across automotive and industrial propulsion and energy systems including Engines, Transmission & Driveline, HV Batteries, Fuel Cell systems, Power Electronics, Motors and Drives systems.
- A degree in an engineering discipline would be a valued plus.
- Driven and self-motivated, leveraging an extensive portfolio of existing contacts in relevant industries and markets.
- Able to work in autonomy, and happy to accept leadership when required, including regular monitoring and reporting of activities.
- Used to work with a CRM (customer relationship management) tool, and understanding the importance of it for the success of the wider business.
- Innovative, creative, client-focused and commercially aware.
- Interested in proactive business development and in engineering services.
- Excellent listening and communication skills.
- Happy to travel (mostly within the US and occasionally abroad) and visit customer sites as and when required.
Working here
You will be warmly welcomed into our workplace where every voice matters. We are diverse thinkers and doers, coming together to create a culture of inclusion. We will support you to find your place. We will encourage you to use your passion and expertise to make a positive impact through the projects you work on. Your knowledge and desire to bring about change will be invaluable in helping deliver innovative solutions that support communities across the globe in becoming safer and more sustainable.
Work life balance
We offer flexible approaches to work, whether that is working from home, being in the office, or as a hybrid worker. We're happy to discuss flexible working arrangements. Wellbeing is at the core to our culture, allowing employees to flourish and to achieve their full potential. We want you to know how much you are valued. Your remuneration and benefits package will reflect that. You will receive a range of benefits which include support for your physical and mental health.
Diversity, Equality and Inclusion statement
We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, creed, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, marital or parental status, height, weight, national origin, citizenship status, age, domestic violence victim status, arrest record or conviction record, genetic information, military or veteran status or disability, or any other classification protected by applicable federal, state, or municipal law.
Business Development Director employer: Ricardo
Contact Detail:
Ricardo Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Development Director
✨Tip Number 1
Network actively within the automotive and industrial sectors. Attend industry conferences, webinars, and local meetups to connect with potential clients and partners. Building relationships in these spaces can give you a significant edge when applying for the Business Development Director role.
✨Tip Number 2
Familiarise yourself with Ricardo plc's recent projects and initiatives. Understanding their current focus areas and challenges will allow you to tailor your conversations and demonstrate how your experience aligns with their goals during interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your existing network of contacts in the engineering services field. Highlighting your connections with key stakeholders in the automotive and industrial markets can illustrate your ability to drive business development effectively.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss specific sales strategies you've successfully implemented in the past. Be ready to share examples of how you've developed client relationships and closed deals, as this will demonstrate your capability to meet the expectations of the Business Development Director role.
We think you need these skills to ace Business Development Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in business development, particularly in the engineering services sector. Emphasise your understanding of the automotive and industrial markets, as well as any existing client relationships you have.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should reflect your passion for business development and engineering services. Discuss specific achievements in previous roles that demonstrate your ability to grow client relationships and drive sales.
Showcase Relevant Skills: In your application, clearly outline your skills related to CRM tools, sales strategy implementation, and client negotiation. Highlight your innovative approach and ability to work autonomously while also being a team player.
Research Ricardo plc: Familiarise yourself with Ricardo plc's mission, values, and recent projects. Mentioning specific initiatives or values in your application can show your genuine interest in the company and its goals.
How to prepare for a job interview at Ricardo
✨Understand the Market
Make sure you have a solid grasp of the US automotive and industrial markets. Be prepared to discuss specific trends, challenges, and opportunities in these sectors, as well as how your experience aligns with Ricardo plc's goals.
✨Showcase Your Sales Experience
Highlight your significant sales experience in B2B engineering services. Prepare examples of how you've successfully developed client relationships and closed deals, particularly in the context of commercial vehicles and off-highway sectors.
✨Demonstrate CRM Proficiency
Since working with a CRM tool is crucial for this role, be ready to discuss your experience with CRM systems. Share how you've used them to track sales processes and manage client relationships effectively.
✨Emphasise Leadership and Autonomy
This position requires both leadership and the ability to work independently. Prepare to discuss situations where you've taken the lead on projects or initiatives, as well as times when you've successfully worked autonomously to achieve objectives.
