Business Development Manager

Job Summary

You will play a key role in driving new business revenue growth for Zelra’s software and professional service solutions in the UK and Europe. Focused on rail operators and authorities across freight and passenger segments, you are accountable for proactively sourcing, developing, and closing high-value opportunities with both new prospects and existing clients, as assigned.

You will focus on expanding our market presence across the UK and Europe by positioning and selling our Driver Advisory System (DAS) solutions to Train Operating Companies (TOCs), Infrastructure Managers, Train Manufacturers (OEM) and industry partners.

Working closely with the Sales Director, UK / EU Operations, Product Management, Marketing, Technical, and Executive teams, you will define and execute sales strategies that target market expansion and revenue generation objectives in line with Zelra’s strategic business objectives. The role demands a proactive orientation, strong consultative selling capabilities, an understanding of customer drivers and value alignment, tender response coordination, commercial acumen and tenacity across long-cycle sales processes.

You will also need to bring a deep understanding of rail operations and procurement cycles, particularly in the UK and Europe, and the ability to articulate Zelra’s compelling value to customers in energy optimisation, environmental sustainability, and operational efficiency.

Job Description: About the Role

You will play a key role in driving new business revenue growth for Zelra’s software and professional service solutions in the UK and Europe. Focused on rail operators and authorities across freight and passenger segments, you are accountable for proactively sourcing, developing, and closing high-value opportunities with both new prospects and existing clients, as assigned.

You will focus on expanding our market presence across the UK and Europe by positioning and selling our Driver Advisory System (DAS) solutions to Train Operating Companies (TOCs), Infrastructure Managers, Train Manufacturers (OEM) and industry partners.

Working closely with the Sales Director, UK / EU Operations, Product Management, Marketing, Technical, and Executive teams, you will define and execute sales strategies that target market expansion and revenue generation objectives in line with Zelra’s strategic business objectives. The role demands a proactive orientation, strong consultative selling capabilities, an understanding of customer drivers and value alignment, tender response coordination, commercial acumen and tenacity across long-cycle sales processes.

You will also need to bring a deep understanding of rail operations and procurement cycles, particularly in the UK and Europe, and the ability to articulate Zelra’s compelling value to customers in energy optimisation, environmental sustainability, and operational efficiency.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Achieve or exceed quarterly and annual sales bookings results (i.e. deals closed / won and contracted) in line with targets, whilst maintaining a high quality of accuracy in Salesforce CRM reporting and forecasting.
• Represent Zelra’s solution portfolio for Europe and develop and execute a strategic business development growth plan to expand Zelra’s market presence across target countries in the UK and Europe.
• Own the execution of the Value Based Pricing methodology and pricing in relation to sales opportunity proposals submitted for approval and delivered to customers.
• Identify and qualify high-potential customers and markets, focusing on value-based outcomes for energy efficiency, carbon emissions reduction, digitalisation, and operational improvement.
• Develop a multi-year business growth roadmap: including market entry or expansion strategies in the UK and Europe with timelines and supporting resource needs.
• Lead end-to-end sales engagements: from lead generation and qualification to value-based pricing and proposal development tailored clients needs, commercial contract negotiation for multi-year engagements, and contract execution following the prescribed Zelra process.
• Manage, plan and lead discovery workshops with prospective customers, involving Zelra product/technical experts (including providing written follow-ups), including questioning with curiosity to understand the true business value that our solutions will provide to the customer, constraints and decision-making process prior to providing pricing or a proposal.
• Lead the preparation and delivery of compelling commercial proposals including detailed project costing, and participate in public tenders, direct negotiations, and framework agreements in line with Zelra / Modaxo policies and guidelines.
• Build and manage relationships with key customer stakeholders including operations managers, sustainability leaders, procurement teams, and executive sponsors (within TOCs, ROSCOs, OEMs, and other strategic partners).
• Foster strategic long-term customer engagement through regular reviews, feedback loops, and relationship development with both operational and executive stakeholders.
• Support the execution of pilot projects or proofs-of-concept that demonstrate measurable ROI and customer value.
• Ensure commercial outcomes align with company revenue targets and risk management guidelines.
• Identify and develop partnerships with local integrators, OEMs, and consulting firms to support joint solution offerings and market access.
• Continuously identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities within existing accounts and lead expansion efforts aligned to customer goals.
• Collaborate closely with Product, Operations, Technical, and Marketing teams to shape solutions that address specific customer needs and align with Zelra’s product roadmap.
• Collaborate with Marketing to develop targeted campaigns, including creating content such as whitepapers, case studies, and webinars.
• Provide accurate weekly/monthly/quarterly sales reports: pipeline status, forecast vs. actual, win/loss analysis, market insights.
• Build and manage a healthy opportunity pipeline, ensure accurate forecasting of opportunities in Salesforce and adhering to pipeline, best case and commitment principles.
• Maintain detailed CRM records and sales documentation to ensure visibility, compliance, and reporting accuracy.
• Represent Zelra at rail industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities to generate leads and enhance brand visibility.
• Provide market and customer insights to guide product evolution, AI-enabled product feature prioritisation, and strategic investment decisions.
• Stay informed of industry trends, competitor movements, and regulatory changes that may impact customer buying decisions.

About You

• Proven track record in business development and winning complex technology solution sales in the rail or transportation industry.
• Demonstrated ability to manage long and complex sales cycles and close multi-year, multi-stakeholder commercial agreements in line with revenue growth goals.
• Outstanding communication, negotiation (incl. commercial contract negotiation), and presentation skills, including the ability to tailor messages for technical and executive audiences.
• Commercial acumen to articulate business value, pricing model, and build compelling return-on-investment cases.
• Ability to translate technical capabilities into operational and financial outcomes.
• Familiarity with digital technologies relevant to rail (e.g., driver advisory systems, energy optimisation platforms, data analytics).
• Ability to build and nurture relationships with C-level stakeholders and navigate diverse cultural and organisational contexts across Europe.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to prioritise high-value opportunities and align efforts with broader business objectives.
• High self-motivation and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced, geographically dispersed team environment.
• Proficiency with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and sales performance tools, with