Director, Business Development

Calling all applicants across Canada! While we welcome talent from every corner, please be ready to relocate to Edmonton, AB. We're here to assist you in your seamless transition! The Driving Force is excited to offer the opportunity for a Director, Business Development to join our innovative team. With a rich history spanning 40 years and a strong presence across Canada, we are looking for a skilled leader to drive our strategic growth initiatives with sophistication and finesse. Are you prepared to help us shape the future of business development in our organization? Let’s work together to achieve this goal. As the Director of Business Development, you have the opportunity to guide our team in implementing innovative strategies to drive sales, revenue, and market growth. Your focus will be on fostering robust client partnerships, establishing effective pricing approaches, and defining key performance indicators for team achievements. Through your leadership, we aim to continuously improve customer satisfaction, striving to surpass our goals consistently. Are you prepared to be a part of reshaping the landscape of business development in our organization? Let’s work together to achieve this vision! Discover why you should work with us: You are valued and supported with competitive pay and benefits, such as extended health coverage, dental benefits, and a personal spending account. We prioritize your team’s well-being by offering various perks, including a 50% discount on rentals at any DRIVING FORCE location and a company matched savings and emergency funds program for your future security. We emphasize work-life balance, offering 3 weeks of accruable vacation, a flexible work arrangement, and wellness programs for personal and family focus. We are committed to your growth with our inclusive and enjoyable company culture that allows career advancement through hands on training and opportunities for career progression within the organization. You will experience a vibrant and cooperative work atmosphere, along with the chance to collaborate with a forward-thinking team in the automotive sector. Duties and Responsibilities Strategy, Planning and Execution Develop and execute a comprehensive Canada-wide business development strategy for the division, focusing on the acquisition of major accounts and the expansion of the company’s footprint in Fleet Solutions and Rentals. Work closely with both Branch and Centralized teams to identify key market opportunities, setting and achieving ambitious sales targets within the fleet space that align with the company’s mission and business objectives. Source, develop, and maintain relationships with key industry stakeholders in order to foster recognition within the marketplace as the company continues to grow. Lead high-level negotiations with national customers and fleet companies, focusing on their specific needs and our full suite of services and solutions. Utilize internal software and systems to manage and track interactions with potential and current clients, ensuring a systematic approach to business development and account management. Oversee the onboarding process for new fleet accounts, ensuring a seamless integration of our services into their operations and a superior customer experience from the initial sale through ongoing engagement. Act as a relationship holder for key accounts, offering strategic support and ensuring continuous engagement and satisfaction with our services and solutions. Spearhead initiatives to gather market intelligence, customer channels and staying ahead of industry trends and competitor activities to inform strategic decisions and adapt our approach as necessary. In conjunction and supported by in-house marketing department, draft business plans, sales pitches, presentations, reference materials and scopes of work as required. Ensures that government and project bids are sought out and monitored, including the timely completion of RFPs and scope of work proposals. Identifies and implements sales, service and retention strategies as well as analyze sales data to inform and update marketing strategies. Collaborate effectively with colleagues and contractors to strategically promote our brand and products on various social medial and digital platforms. Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage effectively with various levels of management, staff, and clients (from C-Suite to Operations). Business Development Team Leadership Manages the Business Development team nationwide. Leads team to work directly with branch management to develop strategies and actional plans to drive regional sales for local businesses and customers. Develops and uses contacts and relationships within the industry, business environment, and customer base to understand and respond to competition, pricing, and product demand changes. Oversees the development of proposals and contracts for new business opportunities and manages negotiations with and for the team. Build relationships with colleagues and contractors toward a continuously improving client engagement process. Support team in management of fluid transition of new clients to the Fleet Management Services team. Implements short- and long-term plans with BD team to build client relationships, generate new business, and drive revenue growth. Develops and sets objectives, targets and KPIs for each team member that includes closing ratios, customer retention and other metric. Actively helps team close opportunities. Establishes data collection and monitoring processes for the team that reflect the status and health of client accounts. Facilitates targeted action plans to resolve issues and maintain client satisfaction. Collaborates with other departments to suggest product or service improvements responsive to client feedback and industry trends and to support business development plans. In conjunction with SVP and support of in-house legal counsel, manages the review and execution of Master Rental Agreements (MRA’s) Responsible for communicating project updates to the executive on a regular basis and assuming full utilization of CRM once in place. Qualifications An established presence in the automotive fleet industry, with existing relationships and context required to generate business on day one. Prior relevant experience with at least 5 years at a senior management level Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with an ability to engage effectively with various stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to identify and develop new business opportunities. Commitment to delivering high-quality customer service and support. Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced and evolving environment. Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal High energy and passion to drive change and achieve results as a leader and through others. The Driving Force values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applicants from a wide range of candidates including women, men, visible minorities, Indigenous people, and persons with disabilities. While we welcome applicants from all interested individuals, please note that only selected candidates will be contacted for an interview.   IND1