Business Development Manager in Stoke-on-Trent

About the Role

You will play a key role in driving new business revenue growth for Zelra's software and professional service solutions across rail operators and authorities. You will be accountable for proactively sourcing, developing, and closing high-value opportunities with both new prospects and existing clients.

Working closely with UK / EU Operations, Product Management, Marketing, Technical, and Executive teams, you will define and execute sales strategies that target market expansion and revenue generation objectives in line with Zelra's strategic business objectives. The role demands a proactive orientation, strong consultative selling capabilities, an understanding of customer drivers and value alignment, tender response coordination, commercial acumen, and tenacity across long-cycle sales processes.

You will also need to bring (or be able to acquire) an understanding of rail operations and procurement cycles, particularly in the UK and Europe, and the ability to articulate Zelra's value to customers in energy optimisation, environmental sustainability, and operational efficiency.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Represent Zelra's solution portfolio for Europe and develop and execute a strategic business development growth plan to expand Zelra's market presence across target countries in the UK and Europe.
• Achieve or exceed quarterly and annual sales bookings results in line with targets, whilst maintaining a high quality of accuracy in Salesforce CRM reporting and forecasting.
• Own the execution of the Value Based Pricing methodology in relation to sales opportunity proposals submitted for approval and delivered to customers.
• Identify and qualify high-potential customers and markets, focusing on value-based outcomes for energy efficiency, carbon emissions reduction, digitalisation, and operational improvement.
• Develop a multi-year business growth roadmap, including market entry or expansion strategies in the UK and Europe with timelines and supporting resource needs.
• Lead end-to-end sales engagements, from lead generation and qualification to value-based pricing and proposal development tailored to clients' needs, commercial contract negotiation for multi-year engagements, and contract execution.
• Manage, plan and lead discovery workshops with prospective customers, involving Zelra product/technical experts, including questioning with curiosity to understand the true business value that our solutions will provide to the customer.
• Lead the preparation and delivery of compelling commercial proposals including detailed project costing, and participate in public tenders, direct negotiations, and framework agreements in line with Zelra / Modaxo policies and guidelines.
• Build and manage relationships with key customer stakeholders including operations managers, sustainability leaders, procurement teams, and executive sponsors.
• Foster strategic long-term customer engagement through regular reviews, feedback loops, and relationship development with both operational and executive stakeholders.
• Support the execution of pilot projects or proofs-of-concept that demonstrate measurable ROI and customer value.
• Identify and develop partnerships with local integrators, OEMs, and consulting firms to support joint solution offerings and market access.
• Continuously identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities within existing accounts and lead expansion efforts aligned to customer goals.
• Collaborate closely with Product, Operations, Technical, and Marketing teams to shape solutions that address specific customer needs and align with Zelra's product roadmap.
• Collaborate with Marketing to develop targeted campaigns, including creating content such as whitepapers, case studies, and webinars.
• Provide accurate weekly/monthly/quarterly sales reports: pipeline status, forecast vs. actual, win/loss analysis, market insights.
• Build and manage a healthy opportunity pipeline, ensure accurate forecasting of opportunities in Salesforce and adhering to pipeline, best case and commitment principles.
• Maintain detailed CRM records and sales documentation to ensure visibility, compliance, and reporting accuracy.
• Represent Zelra at rail industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities to generate leads and enhance brand visibility.
• Provide market and customer feedback to guide product localisation, feature prioritisation, and strategic investment decisions.
• Stay informed of industry trends, competitor movements, and regulatory changes that may impact customer buying decisions.

About You

• Proven track record in business development and winning complex technology solution sales in the rail or transportation industry.
• Demonstrated ability to manage long and complex sales cycles and close multi-year, multi-stakeholder commercial agreements in line with revenue growth goals.
• Outstanding communication, negotiation, and presentation skills, including the ability to tailor messages for technical and executive audiences.
• Commercial acumen to articulate business value and build compelling return-on-investment cases.
• Familiarity with digital technologies relevant to rail.
• Ability to build and nurture relationships with C-level stakeholders and navigate diverse cultural and organisational contexts across Europe.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to prioritise high-value opportunities and align efforts with broader business objectives.
• High self-motivation and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced, geographically dispersed team environment.
• Proficiency with CRM systems and sales performance tools, with an ability to accurately manage pipeline stages and sales forecasting.
• Comfort working with cross-functional global teams, including Product, Marketing, Professional Services, and Legal.
• Willingness to travel regularly across the UK and Europe for meetings, conferences, and client engagements.
• A degree in business, engineering, transport, or a related field.
• Proficiency in English and ideally another European language to support customer engagement across diverse regions.
• Strong understanding of the UK and European rail landscape, procurement practices, and sustainability/compliance drivers is highly desirable.

About Us

Zelra is a leading provider of Rail software solutions that enhance train performance through real-time driver advice. Our Driving Advice System (DAS) is installed in train cabins across the world, providing precise and dynamic guidance to help drivers operate more efficiently.

DAS delivers significant benefits to our customers, including reducing energy consumption, supporting right-time running, minimising wear and tear, and lowering the rail sector's carbon footprint.

Zelra is part of Modaxo, the people-transport division of Constellation Software Inc., a global technology leader with over $8 billion USD in annual revenue. At Zelra, we value our people and foster a collaborative, inclusive, and balanced work environment where everyone can thrive.

Want to Join Us? If you feel excited by the opportunity to join a growing network of global businesses, please apply now. We’d love to hear from you.