Business Development Director

Business Development Director Element has an opportunity for a Business Development Director (BDD). A BDD is a senior commercial individual contributor and first-step leadership role, bridging frontline sales execution and formal sales management.
The role combines ownership of a portfolio of high-value customer accounts with coaching, mentoring, and day-to-day leadership support for a small business development and quotation development team.
BDDs act as role models for commercial excellence, supporting the execution of Element's sales strategy by improving deal quality, pipeline health, and selling capability across the team. They play a critical role in preparing both themselves and others for sales success while delivering strong personal revenue performance.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate managerial courage, be action oriented, customer focused and have an entrepreneurial drive.
Responsibilities Senior Sales & Account Ownership
Own and grow a portfolio of strategically important, high-value, or complex customer accounts
Lead multi-stakeholder sales cycles, including senior customer engagement
Identify and convert opportunities across the full breadth of Element's services
Develop and execute robust business development strategies aligned to market growth and BU priorities
Drive share-of-wallet growth through cross-selling and service expansion
Represent Element confidently in high-level customer meetings and negotiations
Coaching, Mentoring & Team Enablement
Act as a day-to-day coach and mentor for local commercial colleagues
Support onboarding and ramp-up of new colleagues through deal reviews, shadowing, and guidance
Share best practice in prospecting, qualification, account planning, and closing
Provide constructive feedback to support capability and confidence development
Pipeline, Deal & Commercial Governance Support
Lead or co-lead pipeline and opportunity reviews
Support CRM discipline and data quality through role modelling and peer influence
Coach commercial colleagues on deal strategy, pricing consistency, and qualification standards
Identify stalled or at-risk opportunities and support recovery actions
Contribute to forecasting accuracy through strong pipeline management
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with General Managers, Sales Managers, Operations, Finance, and Technical teams
Support Strategic and Key Account activities as required
Translate customer needs into commercially viable solutions with internal stakeholders
Contribute to BU-level commercial initiatives and continuous improvement activity
Compliance & Conduct
Comply with Element's commercial policies and compliance requirements
Demonstrate Element's values of Integrity, Care, and Progress
Operate within all applicable laws and uphold the highest ethical standards
Promote safe, respectful, and professional conduct at all times
Ongoing Development
Actively participate in leadership, coaching, and commercial development activities
Engage with Element Academy and Commercial Excellence resources
Build readiness for future formal people leadership roles
Stay up to date with Element's service portfolio, markets, and competitors
Share knowledge and insights to strengthen overall team performance
Skills / Qualifications Qualifications & Experience
Bachelor's degree preferred, or equivalent combination of education and experience
Typically 7–10 years of business development, B2B sales, or account management experience
Proven success managing complex, high-value accounts
Demonstrated experience supporting or coaching peers (formal or informal)
Strong CRM experience and commercial data literacy
Skills & Attributes for Success
Strong commercial acumen and deal leadership capability
Confident influencer with customers and internal stakeholders
Coaching mindset with the ability to develop others
Strategic thinking balanced with hands-on execution
High emotional intelligence and communication skills
Organized, disciplined, and data-informed
Comfortable balancing personal sales targets with team contribution
Key Behaviours
Influences and elevates team performance
Role models Commercial Excellence
Develops capability through coaching and support
Thinks and acts beyond personal targets
Demonstrates commercial maturity and sound judgement
Acts as a role model for values and professional conduct
Demonstrates readiness for future leadership
Company Overview Element is one of the fastest growing testing, inspection and certification businesses in the world. Globally we have more than 9,000 brilliant minds operating from 270 sites across 30 countries. Together we share an ambitious purpose to 'Make tomorrow safer than today'.
When failure in use is not an option, we help customers make certain that their products, materials, processes and services are safe, compliant and fit for purpose. From early R&D, through complex regulatory approvals and into production, our global laboratory network of scientists, engineers, and technologists support customers to achieve assurance over product quality, sustainable outcomes, and market access.
While we are proud of our global reach, working at Element feels like being part of a smaller company. We empower you to take charge of your career, and reward excellence and integrity with growth and development.
Industries across the world depend on our care, attention to detail and the absolute accuracy of our work. The role we have to play in creating a safer world is much bigger than our organization.
Diversity Statement At Element, we always take pride in putting our people first. We are an equal opportunity employer that recognizes diversity and inclusion as fundamental to our Vision of becoming 'the world's most trusted testing partner'.
All suitably qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment on the basis of objective work related criteria and without regard for the following: age, disability, ethnic origin, gender, marital status, race, religion, responsibility of dependents, sexual orientation, or gender identity or other characteristics in accordance with the applicable governing laws or other characteristics in accordance with the applicable governing laws.