Sales & Business Development Director

Hitachi Rail Limited; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Hitachi Rail Limited is seeking a Sales & Business Development Director for the Signalling & Rail Solutions region. You will lead growth across key regional transport accounts, manage a small team, and run complex bids from early market engagement to contract award.

You will report to the UK Sales Director, with travel to customer sites across the UK and industry events. Based at multiple UK sites including Manchester, London, Birmingham or Newton Aycliffe, with 40–60% travel."

Qualifications

• Extensive sales, business development or commercial leadership experience.
• Proven record of winning major public sector and B2B contracts.
• Experience leading complex bid and capture management activities.

Responsibilities

• Drive profitable order intake growth across a designated regional account portfolio.
• Develop, qualify and maintain a robust pipeline of future business opportunities.
• Lead complex capture management activities, shaping winning strategies long before formal procurement begins.
• Develop and execute account and growth strategies for major customers and stakeholders.
• Lead and support high‑value, complex bids and commercial pursuits through to successful contract award.
• Build and strengthen relationships across government bodies, transport authorities, infrastructure owners, operators, partners and industry stakeholders.
• Work closely with strategy, product, engineering and delivery teams to develop compelling customer solutions.
• Represent Hitachi Rail at industry events, exhibitions and customer forums.
• Maintain accurate forecasting and reporting through Salesforce and business governance processes.
• Provide leadership, coaching and direction to a team of two direct reports.

Skills

Sales leadership

Bid & capture management

Public sector contracts

Stakeholder engagement

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

About Us

A career at Hitachi Rail will help create a legacy. With operations in every corner of the world, our work goes to the cutting-edge of digital transformation and technology. From the multi-cultural strength of our global organisation to the sustainable and innovative ways we work to bring people together, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into. And that’s where you come in.

About Us

A career at Hitachi Rail will help create a legacy. With operations in every corner of the world, our work goes to the cutting-edge of digital transformation and technology. From the multi-cultural strength of our global organisation to the sustainable and innovative ways we work to bring people together, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into. And that’s where you come in.

Job Description

Sales & Business Development Director

Signalling & Rail Solutions | Regional Transport

We're looking for an experienced and commercially driven Sales & Business Development Director to join our Signalling & Rail Solutions business and lead growth across key regional transport accounts.

This is a rare opportunity to take ownership of a significant market portfolio, influence strategic business direction, and play a defining role in securing major contracts that will shape the future of transportation across the UK and beyond.

For the right individual, the opportunity ahead is substantial. With significant market investment, ambitious growth plans and a strong pipeline of future opportunities, you'll be joining at a pivotal point in our journey.

Your New Role

As Sales & Business Development Director, you will be responsible for delivering profitable order intake growth while building a sustainable pipeline of future opportunities across regional transport markets.

Reporting into the UK Sales Director and managing a small team of Business Development professionals, you'll combine strategic market leadership with hands‑on business winning activities, leading complex sales and capture campaigns from early market engagement through to contract award.

Success in this role will come from your ability to identify opportunities before they reach the market, leverage your industry network, build trusted customer relationships and convert those relationships into long‑term business growth.

This role can be based from several of our UK sites, including Manchester, London, Birmingham or Newton Aycliffe with regular travel across customer locations and industry events.

Travel is expected to be approximately 40‑60% of your time, depending on your location and customer portfolio.

Some Key Responsibilities

• Drive profitable order intake growth across a designated regional account portfolio.
• Develop, qualify and maintain a robust pipeline of future business opportunities.
• Lead complex capture management activities, shaping winning strategies long before formal procurement begins.
• Develop and execute account and growth strategies for major customers and stakeholders.
• Lead and support high‑value, complex bids and commercial pursuits through to successful contract award.
• Build and strengthen relationships across government bodies, transport authorities, infrastructure owners, operators, partners and industry stakeholders.
• Work closely with strategy, product, engineering and delivery teams to develop compelling customer solutions.
• Represent Hitachi Rail at industry events, exhibitions and customer forums.
• Maintain accurate forecasting and reporting through Salesforce and business governance processes.
• Provide leadership, coaching and direction to a team of two direct reports.

About You

• Extensive sales, business development or commercial leadership experience.
• A proven record of winning major public sector and B2B contracts within transportation, infrastructure, rail, technology or adjacent sectors.
• Significant experience leading complex bid and capture management activities.
• A strong track record of delivering order intake growth and developing qualified opportunity pipelines.
• Established relationships and a strong professional network across relevant transportation and infrastructure markets.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders at executive and board level.
• Demonstrable success identifying, shaping and winning strategic opportunities before procurement launch.
• Experience operating within matrix organisations and collaborating across multiple business functions.
• Strong commercial acumen, negotiation skills and contract‑winning capability.
• The ability to balance strategic market development with hands‑on deal leadership.

Desirable

• Experience of recognised Business Development methodologies such as Shipley or Miller Heiman.

What We Can Offer

We are committed to giving you opportunities to be your best. We believe in embracing the passion and potential of our people, and to achieve this we offer market leading training, development and experiences, along with the opportunity to be mentored and coached by some of the smartest minds in the industry. We hire from within as our first priority, so you will have a myriad of opportunities within our diverse, global organisation.

At Hitachi Rail, there is a place for everyone. We welcome and value differences in background, age, gender, sexuality, family status, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, and world view. It is our commitment to create an inclusive environment - we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.