Business Development Director Signalling & Infrastructure

University of Fort Hare; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,100,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Fort Hare is seeking a senior Business Development Director for Southern Africa, focusing on rail signalling and infrastructure growth. You will shape market strategy, lead engagement with government authorities, and drive major opportunities across sales, tendering, finance, and legal functions.

The role demands a senior, strategic mindset, deep industry relationships, and gravitas to engage C-suite stakeholders.

Qualifications

• A degree in Engineering or Business — MBA/Engineering master’s preferred.
• At least 10 years’ experience in rail or related industries, or project engineering.
• Proven ability to identify and lead winning BD strategies.
• Strong relationships with customers, government authorities, and internal stakeholders.
• Knowledge of competitor offerings and market dynamics.
• Excellent communication, including executive-level interpersonal ability.
• Sharp problem-solving and decision-making capability.
• Global and cultural awareness.
• Fluency in English; additional languages are an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement the BD strategy for Southern Africa, aligned to regional and global plans.
• Promote a world-leading portfolio of signalling and infrastructure solutions to win new business.
• Build and maintain relationships with decision-makers across customers and government authorities.
• Compile and analyse market intelligence on trends and competitor strategies.
• Develop lobbying action plans and form strategic partnerships.
• Support tender leaders and customer directors through negotiations and contracts.
• Ensure BD activity complies with ethics and governance standards.
• Maintain accurate opportunity tracking and market reporting via CRM tools.

Skills

Business development

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Public speaking

Education

Engineering degree

MBA / Master's in Engineering

Job description

Business Development Director Signalling & Infrastructure

8 Sep 2026 - 8 Oct 2026

Permanent

CPT003680

Sales and Marketing

A global leader in rail transport and mobility solutions is looking for a seasoned Business Development professional to drive growth across the Southern Africa region. This is a rare opportunity to shape market strategy for a world-class organisation at the forefront of smarter, greener mobility.

About the Opportunity

This is a senior, strategic role with real influence. You'll be at the centre of identifying and converting major business opportunities in the rail signalling and infrastructure space — working across sales, tendering, finance, legal, and global performance functions. If you have deep industry relationships, a commercial mindset, and the gravitas to engage government authorities and C-suite stakeholders, this role was built for you.

About the Opportunity

This is a senior, strategic role with real influence. You'll be at the centre of identifying and converting major business opportunities in the rail signalling and infrastructure space — working across sales, tendering, finance, legal, and global performance functions. If you have deep industry relationships, a commercial mindset, and the gravitas to engage government authorities and C-suite stakeholders, this role was built for you.

What You'll Be Doing

• Defining and implementing the Business Development strategy for Southern Africa, aligned to regional and global market plans
• Promoting a world-leading portfolio of signalling and infrastructure solutions to win new business and expand market share
• Building and maintaining relationships with key decision-makers across customers, government authorities, and industry stakeholders
• Compiling and analysing market intelligence on trends, competitor strategies, and customer needs
• Developing and executing lobbying action plans and forming strategic partnerships
• Supporting tender leaders and customer directors through negotiation and contract implementation phases
• Ensuring all business development activity is conducted in full compliance with ethics and governance standards
• Maintaining accurate opportunity tracking and market reporting via CRM tools

What You'll Need

• A degree in Engineering or Business — a Master's in Business Administration or Engineering is a strong advantage
• At least 10 years' experience in the rail or related industries, or project engineering
• Proven ability to identify and lead winning strategies in business development
• Strong relationships with customers, government authorities, and internal stakeholders
• In-depth knowledge of competitor offerings and market dynamics
• Excellent communication skills, including public speaking and executive-level interpersonal ability
• Sharp problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making capability
• Global and cultural awareness
• Fluency in English — additional language skills are an advantage

Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted