Strategic Sales Manager - New Business

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE JOB

Our client is the vehicle funding and fleet management division of a major motor manutaftrer for both retail and business user customers. 

This area of the business is the “multi-marque” corporate vehicle leasing and fleet management division and is seeking to appoint a new Strategic Sales Manager – New Business. The Strategic Sales Manager – New Business is tasked with increasing the customer base through acquisition of new corporate customers running in excess of 500 cars & light commercial vehicles. The role involves negotiation of highly complex deals with senior stakeholders within some of the UK largest companies often requiring involvement and “buy in” from senior stakeholders within the business up to and including BOM level.

Reporting to the National Sales Manager (New Business Corporate) the role works closely with Group brands to actively identify and secure new business opportunities and deliver high value-add solutions to clients, whilst optimising sustained profitability.  Using their highly effective networking skills, the role holder will develop and maintain a pipeline of opportunities within a defined geographical region, securing referrals and recommendations through proactive self-generation of leads; working closely with appointed prospecting agencies to secure incremental business for Fleet in order to deliver sales targets. 

This is achieved by conveying complex customer requirements to the internal commercial and operational areas, and working collaboratively to develop and present solutions that meet the customers underlying needs, without creating unnecessary internal pressure or risks.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Use expertise to build relationships with new customers which achieve sales in line with the required of volume and profit targets as agreed with the National Sales Manager – New Business
• Work closely with the Group brands and dealer network to identify new business sales opportunities and agree a joint sales strategy to target and win new  business and manage customer acquisition through a structured sales process. 
• Develop and deliver sales proposals for new strategic customers
• Maintain records on  Fleet Corporate Relationship Management system and seek commercial approval for new strategic sales opportunities
• Management of professional account implementation and structured handovers to the Existing Business Team
• Own the relationship with introducers and fleet procurement companies to provide a single point of contact and to develop a valuable referral point for new business opportunities
• Through proactive prospecting, networking and lead follow up, create a pipeline of opportunities to win new business
• Negotiate new business deals with executive level decision-makers at the customer to achieve the required sales targets
• Maintain a regularly updated lost business analysis, feeding all findings (pricing and otherwise)  into the National Sales Manager – New Business) to equip the business with an increasingly more robust proposition
• Take ownership of all applicable bids and tenders working closely with Bids & Tender team to ensure they meet business requirements
• Create and develop a deep understanding of each prospect’s business and their sector through thorough research and maximising face to face time with their key stakeholders and decision makers.
• Gain a full understanding of (and document)  each prospect’s definitions of value and what will motivate change in their organisation
• Adopt a planned and structured approach to winning business e.g. CEB Challenger Sales, Solution Selling, Insight-led Selling, Sense Maker Approach
• Maintain up to date knowledge of the full product portfolio to capitalise on all available prospect ‘entry points’
• Keep up to date with any environmental, legal, economic, political developments directly impacting fleet users

PRINCIPAL CONTACTS / WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Actively build relationships with fleet sales functions within Group, other vehicle manufacturers, fleet suppliers and intermediaries
• Build extensive networks, within Group, other vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and networking groups (e.g. ACFO, ICFM) to secure referrals and recommendations to large fleets
• Ensure the Strategic Account Manager – Existing Business, is briefed/ideally engaged at the earliest appropriate time to ensure smooth transition/handover
• Engage, motivate and lead virtual teams (as and when needed during the pursuit process) spanning implementation, internal service delivery and invoicing to ensure the proposition and delivery capability are fully aligned
• Work closely with external telemarketing resource in order to maximise generation of new sales opportunities

DECISION MAKING SCOPE

• Collaborate with pricing colleagues, National Sales Manager and Head of Sales to develop commercial proposition for new customer opportunities – subject to appropriate sign off
• Make decisions regarding new sales opportunities which operate within the agreed pricing matrix

KEY CHALLENGES

·Operate within the large fleet market which can be complex and demanding

·Managing prospect opportunities that typically have very specific requirements and formal procurement processes.  (Sales cycles are extended, typically 12-24 months (with a minimum 6 months in most cases));

·Requirement for multi-level contacts within the customer organisation and a formal tender process. 

·Customers of this scale are likely to require the option of taking vehicles from any manufacturer, in addition to Group Brands, as often choice of vehicle lies with the employee within the customers’ car policy rules

·There are relatively few organisations running fleets of this size (a few thousand) and they will be fiercely protected by their existing supplier(s) and targeted by most of competitors within the leasing sector.  Securing new customers therefore requires an exceptional calibre of sales person. 

STATISTICAL DETAILS

1. Number of direct reports (state extent of supervisory responsibility)

None

2. Economic data (Level of budgetary or expenditure control)

c.700 new business cases per annum

3. Any other quantitative data

N/A

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

• Documented track record in winning sole supply and major corporate fleet accounts (100 unit+ fleet full service solutions and ideally fleet sizes of at least several hundred)
• Has undertaken structured sales training – such as CEB Challenger, Solution Selling, Insight-led Selling, Sense Maker Approach
• Experience of operating within a new business environment with a track record of establishing effective relationships with new customers
• Experience of using advanced consultative selling skills to win multiple deals year-on-year
• Experienced at putting together contracts spanning several years