Commercial Director

Purpose of the job

This role will drive the India market growth strategy within the Financial Services and Non- Financial Services vertical with a primary focus on Collinson s Travel Experiences/Priority Pass solutions. The purpose of this role is to work in line with global and regional business strategies, to determine the market focus and goals, and to lead and manage a team of high performing business development, account management, and lounge partner management individuals. The Commercial Director, India will be expected to deliver challenging commercial results and help develop future for the group in this key market. The end objective is India market dominance.

This is a senior leadership role in India that will be expected to develop and project Collinson s identity and reputation in the local market, act as a figurehead for the business through engagement and participation in industry groups, trade / media functions, other marketing and awareness activities, and networking with key influencers.

A critical part of this role will be working in very close collaboration with Collinson s Regional Account Directors for Visa, MasterCard, and Amex to ensure tight global, regional and local alignment with these key customers.

This role will include working with the regional and global propositions team to develop localised propositions for our global solutions, where it is commercially feasible and agreed with global and regional stakeholders. This may require collaborating with local, regional or global 3rd parties as needed.

Key Responsibilities

Ongoing assessment of the market landscape and opportunities in India - building go to market plans that include the key propositions in the focus vertical.

Assess where to deploy resources most effectively and identify where there is the highest likelihood for long term sustainable profit.

Ensure that local market execution plans are aligned to global and regional credit card networks

Develop and maintain deep senior level relationships within Indian Financial Services institutions.

Ensure the continuous expansion of Collinson s India lounge network through the establishment of deep relationships with lounge operators and maintaining Collinson as the preferred partner

Wherever possible establish exclusive relationships with lounge operators

Oversight of robust negotiation of Collinson India s lounge costs to ensure a best in market cost base.

Driving growth in market share with a key objective of obtaining market leader status.

Work with regional and central resources to ensure that products and services are fit for purpose in market, priced appropriately, with all the necessary sales and marketing collateral in place and that there is a clear set of value propositions in place

Deliver an agreed revenue target of new business sales on an on-going basis, drive a high performing sales and account management team providing inspirational leadership

Personally contribute to results through managing senior / strategic opportunities, developing business through presenting at conferences, networking events, being a media spokesperson for the market and where appropriate leading pitches and RFP responses

Track market and competitor trends to identify business and proposition threats and opportunities relating to Collinson propositions and products within market

Make a strategic contribution to global product / proposition development and evolution, representing local market needs, opportunities and perspective and where agreed work with global teams to develop local propositions

Knowledge, skills and experience required

Experienced, customer facing individual with the ability to work autonomously

Overall 15 years business experience would be expected for a role of this seniority

Well networked in the financial services and travel sectors and with a good understanding of customer engagement

Aptitude and enthusiasm for pitched and consultancy/solution-based business development with demonstrable experience in landing major clients and projects

Able to work effectively in a complex matrix organisation environment with multiple interfaces at a central, regional, and local level.

Able to provide thought leadership and direction to functional teams thereby leading the development of the market ensuring products and propositions fit the market and are constantly refined as the market, and competitors, evolve their offerings

Person Specification

Strong relationship / network manager, able to successfully collaborate with peers, executives, staff and external contacts as part of a global matrix organization

Growth/ profit focused with proven ability to assess and develop large and complex opportunities

Excellent sales leadership skills; able to inspire, develop and motivate a commercial team

Fluency in English articulate and able to convincingly present complex ideas and concepts in verbal and written form

Having a can-do, problem-solving attitude with a sociable personality

Strong influencing skills, ability to inspire confidence and create trust

A driven individual that will roll-up their sleeves and lead the team from the front inspiring the art of the possible