Head of Sales – Rolling Stock Maintenance

Ford & Stanley Executive Search
Opportunity Brief:Head of Rail & Maintenance Services

Ford & Stanley Executive Search (Part of the Ford & Stanley Group) are a leading Executive search firm to the UK, North American and European Engineering, Technology, Sustainability & Heavy Manufacturing industries.

Our search directors, search consultants and research teams specialise in all horizontal functions of our clients’ organisations with expertise spanning engineering, commercial, procurement, HR, IT, finance, HSQE, sales, projects, operations and c-suite.

We are trusted by over 100 leading organisations when they seek to make a leadership appointment, be that a permanent appointment or an interim solution.

We have been retained and appointed by our client on a retained search for a Head of Rail & Maintenance Services, a hands-on Commercial professional who can create and implement a sales strategy for developing the rail services business and unlocking opportunities.

Below you will find an opportunity brief developed from notes taken during the scoping meeting (Situational Discovery) held between the Head of Executive Search and Research Manager of Ford & Stanley Executive Search and the Commercial Director of the client company. This brief is designed to give candidates a deeper insight into the opportunity inherent within the role, the challenges the role presents, and provide access to the detail that sits behind the job specification.

Client Opportunity Statements:

As a business, we are market leaders in rail haulage and the largest railfreight company in the UK. With our expertise and experience, we are now looking to grow our rail services and maintenance and offering, supporting our clients across ROSCO s, TOC s, FOC s and the wider industry. This will involve a mentality shift from the business as we are market challenger in this market, competing against established brands

We need an experienced commercial sales professional who not only has strong relationships across the Rail industry but is able to build internal relationships as the business goes on this journey

The right candidate will be the start of this new venture by working closely with the Commercial Director and Engineering Director to grow this business, map the industry and start putting us on the radar with customers, showcasing what problems our fully inhouse maintenance team can solve for them today and what solutions we can offer to solve for the future.

Challenges expected within the first 12 months include:

• The business mindset will need to change from being a market leader in rail haulage to a market challenger in this specific market. This will involve taking more calculated risks and being more agile.
• Working with the Directors to gear up the business to deliver the pipeline of opportunity, which sometimes has a short lead time. This will require strong internal relationships with those that are used to longer lead times and less customer pressure.
• Managing the changing dynamic from customer-supplier with the ROSCOs and lessors to working in greater partnership.

Key deliverables within the first 12 months include:

• Working with the Commercial Director and Engineering Director to build a commercial picture of the size of the market, key target and key contacts. Start to put RMS on the radar with customers.
• Working with key stakeholders throughout the business to minimise current leakage within existing contracts.
• Has worked with the Engineering Director to understand onsite depot capacity for projects and expanding offering into customer facilities and 3rd party sites.

Essential Hard Skills (Skills & Experience)

Experienced in commercial sales and account management in a technically challenging environment.

Strong ability to manage stakeholder relationships both internally and externally.

Experience working with ROSCOs and Rail Leasers.

A proven ability to drive revenue growth and market presence within the rail industry.

Track record operating within a rail business that incorporates maintenance and overhaul.

Essential Soft Skills (Attributes & Behaviours)

Engaging both externally and internally, strong communications skills, able to operate from boardroom to shop floor.

Able to self-manage their time and used to having autonomy to be where they are needed.

Hands-on approach and capable of bringing others on a journey.

Entrepreneurial flair and able to pivot with the needs of the business.

Resilient with an understanding as the business changes its direction that things won t happen straight away or on the first try.

Working Arrangements & Location:

Home-based with travel to company and customer sites across the UK.

Client Company Interview Process:

• 1st Stage interview: Face-to-face interview with the Commercial Director and Engineering Director.
• 2nd Final Stage interview: Face-to-face interview with the MD.

Ford & Stanley Interview Process:

• 1st Stage: Candidate Discovery: An open, conversational and consultative discussion where interested candidates are assessed on their suitability for the role in the context of the above and challenged on how the opportunity lines up with their career aspirations, motivations, financial expectations and personal circumstances.
• 2nd Stage: The shortlist : Candidates are asked to reflect on the candidate discovery discussion, take time to reflect on the opportunity and undertake subsequent research on the client business, reporting back on their thoughts, questions and providing additional specific information on their suitability (if applicable). Final checks of role, package and logistical alignments made.

Good to know:

• Service offerings include Bulk Haulage, Locomotive maintenance, track maintenance and Rail services. These include supporting ROSCO s, TOC s and FOC s in the moving of units and rolling stock maintenance service, which is where the business sees growth opportunities
• The role is to drive market and product development for the business in the Rail Services and Rolling Stock maintenance and holds responsibility over identifying and delivering new business wins with new customers, including leading responses to tenders as well as leading account management within the relevant sector.
• Ultimately, the business are looking to drive diversity in their portfolio to derisk the business.
• Will be involved in the further development of the strategic growth of the business, identifying new markets and developing new products & services.
• The Head of Rail & Maintenance Services will support the Commercial Director s efforts in: Market Research and Analysis, Market Strategy, Opportunity Identification, Capture Management & Implementation, Pricing strategy and Account Management
• Critical to the role will be the ability to work with colleagues from Finance, Operations & Engineering to analyse costs in a transparent manner such that commercial proposals can be both competitive and deliverable.
• As RMS grows, there will be opportunities to be involved in M&A opportunities to support continued growth opportunities.
• Currently, there is revenue leakage with existing contracts as the commercial process is sat within the engineering Teams and will be moving back within the commercial team with this appointment.
• The Head of RMS within Heavy Haul will report directly to the Commercial Director.
• There are also opportunities within Track maintenance within the private siding owners.
• This role is a newly created position within the structure aimed at supporting the business with its future growth ambitions.
• We are expecting the incoming Head of RMS to build relationships with the engineering teams.
• Emotional intelligence will be key to the success of this role, with the incumbent being required to build strong relationships and understand when to negotiate, compromise and stand their ground.
• It s worth noting that there may well be an M&A angle to this role in conjunction with the Commercial Director.

Main duties and responsibilities:

• To develop market strategy with Commercial Management team including sectors and customers to target and related pricing and margin assumptions.
• To input into pipeline and qualification of new business opportunities throughout the process.
• To manage the production of customer proposals and responses to tender exercises.
• To develop and manage pricing models for new business acting as a liaison to FDs and Operations.
• To assist the Commercial Director in managing the commercial sign-off process with Operations & Finance colleagues in order that P&L expectations for new business are understood.
• To lead and assist in contract negotiation and completion for new business wins in conjunction with the Development Director and other senior commercial management team.
• To work with Rail and Finance colleagues to establish customer and route profitability of sold work and agree on action plans to address any shortfall in commercial performance.
• Lead a team of Account Managers for the relevant sector.
• Challenge existing business protocols with your own initiatives, proactively adding value to the business;
• Actively promote engagement, communication and dialogue within the team for the benefit of information flow . click apply for full job details