Role: Business Development Manager

Location: EMEA – Prague/Italy

 

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.

 

Purpose:

Develops and secures a growing stream of profitable engineering consulting business from assigned markets. In accordance with Ricardo’s strategic plan, executes and coordinates the business development process. Leads cross product group high impact sales and marketing efforts and develops and maintains the Ricardo business relationship within markets and clients, focused on engineering consulting business and large programs. Also supports and works closely with other Ricardo Business Units including Energy, Rail, Defense and Strategic Consulting.   

• Proactively supporting the successful implementation and further development of the sales strategy
• Leading / coordinating / supporting regional sales initiatives as required, both to existing customers but also and mostly with new target prospects
• Developing (often from scratch), growing, and maintaining client intimacy 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 
• Developing (often from scratch), growing, and maintaining client intimacy and close contact with the purchasing department champions within the selected client accounts and target prospects
• Coordinating and managing the sales process, from prospecting to contracting
• 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 
• Presenting or supporting presentation of value propositions and bids as appropriate, with active follow-up and intelligence gathering to drive and champion successful closure
• 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 
• Maintains strong knowledge of assigned market/client business strategy, new product plans and organization charts; regularly disseminates such information to the Ricardo organization and converts such intelligence into market/client strategy and tactics
• Develops, supports and manages key events at assigned clients
• Deep understanding of the global and/or European automotive and/or industrial markets, products and OEM/Tier1 requirements
• (automotive meaning passenger cars, personal mobility and commercial vehicles; industrial meaning off-highway, stationary, marine, mining, agriculture…)
• Good understanding of engineering offerings across automotive and industrial propulsion systems including Engines, Transmission & Driveline, HV Batteries, Fuel Cell systems, Power Electronics, Motors and Drives systems 
• 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 
• Delivers superior levels of client service to both internal and external clients while demonstrating Ricardo’s core values of respect, integrity, creativity and innovation, and passion
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned
• Must be willing to travel as needed

Key accountabilities:

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or business; Master’s degree preferred
• Ten years’ experience in business development in similar industries, including demonstrated ability in effectively delivered strategy and value selling
• Strong business and commercial skills with an understanding of financial drivers and shareholder value; solid knowledge of industry-standard legal and business language, including familiarity with contracts, NDAs, IP, payment terms, proposals, pricing, margins
• Established industry/market network
• Five years leadership experience; highly professional in appearance and approach; exudes expertise and credibility
• Sound strategic thinker; possesses vision of what could be; ability to identify opportunities; nimbleness in thinking; initiator of improvements
• Strong but customer-aware negotiation skills; track record of building high-performing teams; ability to influence
• Demonstrated ability to effectively multi-task
• Excellent presentation and communication skills; ability to condense complex issues into succinct messages for both internal and external communication
• Strong problem solving, analytical and listening skills
• Ability to excel in a fast-paced, dynamic and matrixed local and global organization
• Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office suite
• Ability to handle and maintain confidential information
• Ability to work well with people, in a team environment, and to communicate effectively both written & oral
• Ability to excel in a fast-paced, matrix organization

 

 

Working here

Ricardo is an exciting and rewarding place to work and you have the opportunity to make a difference. You will work with teams of talented, dedicated, and supportive individuals. Alongside having a fantastic opportunity to develop your career with us through our broad range of projects, mentoring opportunities and a personalised approach to your learning and development. We are always keen to hear from people who have driven, ambition and a flair for innovative thinking.

 

Wellbeing and work life balance

We offer flexible approaches to work, whether that's 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. Our People are important to us, and we take pride in our wellbeing programmes and policies that support individuals including flexible working, carers policy, mental health first aiders and readily available support through our extensive Employee Assistance programme.

 

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion statement

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person's potential, and we'll help you reach yours. We have an ambitious diversity, equality, and inclusion approach as explained here. We value diversity; recognising that a more diverse workforce creates a richer and more varied working environment. Diversity also drives innovation, by allowing us to offer our clients the best consultancy service that we can. As part of our commitment to engage positively and pro-actively with all our employees to ensure an inclusive culture, we are a recognised as a 'disability confident' employer.

 

Benefits

Our core benefits include 25 days' annual leave, plus 8 flexible bank holidays, a competitive company pension scheme, life assurance and professional subscriptions reimbursement. We also offer a wide range of flexible benefits to suit your lifestyle.

 

Once you have submitted your application, if qualified, a member of our Recruitment Team will be in touch. Please be aware that the timing can vary dependent on the volume of applications that we receive for each role and in some cases, we may start to review applications prior to the closing date.