Vice President Sales and Business Development

About The Role

A global industrial leader in the mobility sector is seeking a Vice President of Sales and Business Development to lead and expand its European operations. The role is critical to driving profitable growth, leading an experienced sales team, and executing strategic go-to-market plans within the automotive fastening industry. This is a key executive position based in Germany, reporting directly to company leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead the European sales and business development organization (approx. 40 staff)
• Define and execute strategic sales and marketing initiatives to grow revenue and market share
• Identify new market opportunities and oversee expansion into target geographies
• Build and maintain relationships with key customers and stakeholders across Europe
• Personally manage strategic accounts and represent the company at events and conferences
• Optimize internal sales processes and implement state-of-the-art CRM and pricing tools
• Oversee performance metrics and KPI reporting for all business development activities
• Align product development and sales teams in customer-centric innovation projects
• Ensure consistent and effective communication with internal teams and global regions (Asia, Americas)
• Drive risk management practices in commercial and reputational matters
• Manage cross-functional projects to enhance business performance and efficiency
• Coordinate market trend and competitor analysis for strategic decision-making

Requirements

• University degree (business or technical discipline preferred)
• Minimum 7 years of senior sales leadership experience in the automotive sector (ideally C-parts/Fasteners)
• Strong leadership skills with a proven ability to develop and mentor high-performance teams
• Expertise in CRM systems, pricing tools, and performance management strategies
• Strong customer focus with excellent negotiation and communication skills
• Fluent in German and English
• High stress resilience and self-management skills
• Flexibility and willingness to travel frequently across Europe
• References from previous employers and willingness to complete a background check