Sales Director

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR - MA BUSINESS
Celebrating 40 years of industry leadership, Mark Allen invites you to join a culture driven by passion, creativity, fairness, and a commitment to nurturing talent. We seek an experienced Commercial Director to lead commercial revenue across our MA Business division, based in Dartford and London. This is a key leadership role responsible for driving revenue growth, developing high-impact commercial strategies, and managing a team to deliver exceptional results. This is a hybrid role, with three in-office days primarily in Dartford with travel to the Henre Hill office as and when required.

About the Role

As Commercial Director, you will be at the forefront of our commercial strategy, overseeing sales, business development, marketing initiatives, and people development. You will play a pivotal role in expanding our market presence, strengthening client relationships, and ensuring the continued success of MA Business. You will be responsible for leading and developing a high-performing commercial team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence. The ideal candidate will be a results-driven leader with a strong track record in commercial growth, relationship-building, solution selling, and people management.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive new business growth, with a strong focus on securing new client accounts and expanding existing relationships.
• Sell MA Business' unique suite of AI commercial services, leveraging digital innovation to create value for clients.
• Develop and implement commercial strategies that align with the portfolio's growth objectives.
• Lead and mentor the commercial team, providing support, guidance, and professional development to drive high performance.
• Build and manage strong client relationships, using solution-selling techniques tailored to the engineering sector. Experience in this sector is not essential, but an interest in immersing yourself in this market is.
• Acquire, manage, and expand new client accounts, ensuring long-term revenue growth.
• Demonstrate a hunter mentality to proactively identify and secure new business opportunities.
• Leverage digital media expertise, understanding advertising, educational initiatives, and industry trends within our markets to deliver revenues.
• Present and engage with senior management teams at prospective client companies, articulating strategic value propositions effectively.
• Negotiate high-value contracts, ensuring profitable and sustainable business agreements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including finance, operations, and editorial, to align commercial objectives.
• Analyse market trends and competitor activity to inform strategic decision-making.

About You

• A commercially astute leader with extensive experience in business development, sales, or commercial management.
• Proven track record in solution selling, particularly within the engineering sector.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to sell at a strategic level based on real value.
• A passion for digital innovation and emerging AI-driven commercial services.
• Excellent negotiation and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence senior decision-makers.
• Ability to thrive in a high-pressure sales environment and drive results.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• A proactive, hands-on approach with a strategic mindset and the ability to work at pace and to deadlines.

Key Details

• Office location: Please check the office location before applying; you will need to drive to this office, as we are not close to public transport.
• Engineering Industry: Experience in this sector is not essential, but it is advantageous. An interest in immersing yourself in this market is.
• Diversity & Inclusion: We value diverse perspectives; they make us stronger. If you're excited about this role but don't match every requirement, apply but share how your transferable skills will allow you to thrive.
• Right to Work: Applicants must have the right to live and work in the UK. Unfortunately, we cannot offer sponsorship at this time.
• Our Communities: We're home to eight communities, including MA Agriculture, MA Business, MA Dentistry Media, MA Education & Music, MA Exhibitions, MA Financial Media, MA Healthcare, and MA Travel Retail. Our Focus: Content is at the heart of everything we do, across print, digital, and events.

Nice-to-have skills

• Business Development
• Marketing
• Advertising
• Contract Negotiation

Location: Dartford, England