We are seeking a Business Development Director for the German market with global OEM partnerships. The client is a well-established, medium-sized organization in the powertrain components business, serving a range of clients in on- and off-highway sectors and supporting professional excellence through high-quality solutions.
Reporting directly to the CEO, the role will define and execute the group’s future growth strategy, with initial focus on German customers. Key responsibilities include developing and implementing strategic business development plans to drive sales growth; identifying and pursuing new opportunities across passenger and commercial vehicles and, over time, expanding into agriculture, construction, and mining vehicles (with military and defense potentially as a long-term target); building and maintaining relationships with global key clients and stakeholders; and collaborating with internal teams such as R&D, Quality, Finance, and program management to align sales strategies with company objectives.
The successful candidate will proactively analyze market trends and competitor activities, lead contract negotiations, close significant business deals, and monitor and report on sales performance to ensure alignment with targets. The role is expected to require a strong technical background (ideally an engineering master’s degree or equivalent experience) and a proven track record in sales and business development within the automotive Tier-1 environment, including experience developing sales strategies with OEM and Tier-1 purchasing and engineering organizations. Fluency in German and English is required, along with excellent communication and negotiation skills, strong deal management capabilities, and a results-driven, hands-on approach focused on achieving ambitious growth targets.