Commercial Director

Ford & Stanley Recruitment; South Derbyshire; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading executive search firm is seeking a Commercial Director in Derbyshire. The candidate will be responsible for building pricing models, leading a capable team, and driving business growth. Ideal for someone with strong strategic and financial acumen, the role offers a hybrid working model and competitive salary of £90,000 to £100,000, plus benefits including a bonus and pension contributions.

Benefits

Bonus: 10% of annual salary

Pension: 8% Employer contribution

Qualifications

• Proven experience in building pricing models and leading negotiations.
• Strong commercial strategy skills.
• Ability to influence and navigate diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement a consistent costing model.
• Collaborate with leadership to build a robust pipeline of opportunity.
• Identify gaps in team capability and implement improvements.

Skills

Leasing knowledge

Rail operations knowledge

Commercial acumen

Line management experience

Bidding knowledge

Job description

Overview

We have been exclusively appointed by our client company on a retained search for a commercially astute Commercial Director with strong strategic and financial acumen, proven experience in building cost models and driving business growth, and the ability to provide clear direction and leadership to a capable but underdeveloped team.

This brief is designed to give candidates a deeper insight into the opportunity, the challenges the role presents, and access to the detail that sits behind the job specification.

Client Opportunity Statements

• We\'re looking for someone who can introduce clear processes, build confidence, and lead with intent as we scale out commercial function into a more mature, performance-driven operation.
• Our pricing and margin models vary too much across contracts. We need someone who can create a unified, data-led approach that supports profitable growth and gives us commercial control.

Challenges (first 12 months)

• The function currently lacks structure and consistency; the incoming Commercial Director needs to address the lack of processes, procedures, systems, contract standardisation.
• As the business grows, the cost models need to be fit for purpose; currently there is no consistency to these cost models and uniformity needs to be achieved.
• The team has lacked true leadership; expect some resistance to change as higher performance is demanded across the function.

Key Deliverables (first 12 months)

• Define and implement a consistent costing model.
• In close collaboration with the senior leadership team, build a robust pipeline of opportunity.
• Analyse the capability of the current team, identify gaps, and implement practical steps to address these.

Essential Hard Skills (Skills & Experience)

• Proven leasing knowledge with the capability of building pricing models and leading negotiations.
• Strong rail operations knowledge.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to set a commercial strategy and lead new business activity.
• Line management experience.
• Bidding knowledge highly desirable.

Essential Soft Skills (Attributes & Behaviours)

• Dedicated and capable of prioritising various responsibilities.
• Gravitas and the ability to influence and persuade.
• Exceptional negotiation skills.
• Strong emotional intelligence with the ability to navigate diverse stakeholders.
• Natural commercial acumen that can think on their feet.

Working Arrangements & Location

• Hybrid working model.
• Based in Derbyshire office, with 1 day working from home and another optional on client visits.

Interview Process

• 1st Stage - Face-to-face interview with General Manager, and HR & Administration Manager.
• 2nd Stage - Face-to-face interview with General Manager & Chief Executive Officer.

Good to Know

The working environment can be described as agile, quick, and unaffected by red tape. With a headcount of 75, this is an SME with an incredible passion for the products, industry, progress and achievements of the collective. With a culture of “name, not a number”, this is a business where everyone knows everyone, and this sets the business apart from other businesses in the Freight Sector.

It has been identified that there is a lack of leadership in the commercial function and as a result capability gaps in the team. The incoming Commercial Director needs to develop the team culture and clearly define the “mission” surrounding growth of the division. The Commercial Director will play a pivotal role in shaping the company's commercial strategy, building robust costing models and leading both a capable and under-directed team. We need the incoming Commercial Director to drive consistency in contracts, processes and system utilisation. In conjunction with the above, we need the successful candidate to build a strong pipeline and identify opportunities for growth. A major project, and indeed focus area of this role, for the company involves the introduction of a new product into the market. Early tests have shown exceptional capabilities and the product is described as being among the \'best\' in the sector. This is gaining a lot of interest, and the initial order numbers will likely be doubled.

Budget

• Low: £90,000 – £95,000
• Mid: £95,000 – £100,000
• High: £100,000+

Supporting Benefits

• Bonus: 10% of annual salary, structure and earning metric to be defined.
• Pension: 8% Employer contribution.

Executive Search Delivery Team

• Head of Executive Search, Tom Norton: Client & Opportunity Management, Client Advisory, Recommendations & Offer Negotiation.
• Principal Consultant, Billy Jackson: Longlisting, Networking, Research & Search, Interviews, Data & Market Intel & shortlist presentation.

About Ford & Stanley Executive Search

Please see supporting appendix: Executive Search Candidate Journey

Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer that is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy.

Services advertised by Ford & Stanley Executive Search are that of an executive search and talent advisory business