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Sales Director and General Manager DER-IC programme

The University of Nottingham is seeking to appoint a Sales Director and General Manager for its leading edge Driving the Electric Revolution (DER) programme. Reporting to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Engineering, you will be responsible for developing and implementing an ambitious industrialisation growth strategy for the DER programme at the University of Nottingham, translating our outstanding research expertise into profitable solutions for industrial clients. This will in the first instance be leading a new business unit, Nottingham Drives Specialist Services (NDSS) which should serve to grow into a much larger operation as part of the University’s zero carbon strategy.

This role will include overall leadership of the exciting new Midlands DER Industrialisation Centre at the University of Nottingham, its team and its facilities to deliver all commercial activity and support research activities in line with DER objectives and commitment to our funders. More broadly, using the NDSS as a vehicle, the role will lead on the development of policy and procedures for the widespread commercial use of equipment across the University.

You will engage and lead an initially small team covering business development, operations and technical management at the Centre and work with engineers, and programme managers within the wider PEMC group to deliver the growth strategy with a safe, efficient, and market-led approach.

Your expertise in working with technical teams to build compelling propositions, winning new clients, building an order book and backlog, and putting in place project processes to be delivered on time and to cost, will strengthen the university’s external reputation and relationships, and deliver the targeted income and profit from commercial testing, characterisation, and technical consultancy activities.

You will bring to the role a strong understanding of the market for power electronics, electrical machines and drive systems, the competitive landscape and our current and potential client base and will build a commercial pipeline of new opportunities and manage budgets and resources to maximise the commercial potential of the new centre and the wider DER programme.

You must have proven strategic commercial/sales experience along with operational planning, management, and business process skills, and demonstrate project and change management experience along with the ability to lead, motivate and coach staff to be a part of an inclusive, high performing team. You will have the ability to understand technical requirements and communicate technical value propositions in a highly credible way and possess excellent influencing, facilitating and commercial negotiation skills.

At our University we believe that teams that combine people who have different personal experiences and backgrounds result in decisions and actions with more impact.  We are looking for someone who is committed to the university’s values of Inclusivity, Ambition, Openness, Fairness and Respect and has a strong desire to support us in developing a university community that values diversity and fosters cultural humility.

This is a full-time, permanent opportunity.