Business Development Director

Job description / Role

SNC Lavalin's Atkins business is one of the largest multidisciplinary, multi sector engineering design consultancies in the world and is part of the SNC Lavalin Group.

As one of the world's most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies with a leading track record in the defence sector, Atkins are ideally placed to respond to this market. We have a broad establishment and proud, 50 year history throughout the Middle East region.

We provide a full range of design, engineering and project management services for buildings, transportation and other infrastructure programmes.

Atkins in the Middle East now employs around 2,000 staff serving Gulf clients across all market sectors from offices in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Kuwait City, Manama, Muscat, Riyadh, and Sharjah.

The Business Development Manager will report through the Country Director and will be responsible for winning projects aligned to the growth strategy of UAE Design and Engineering. The role also includes key account management working closed with the Engineering Design and Project Management Growth Strategy Director. The development of new clients, sectors and services are also a key focus of this role.

Principle Requirements
- Extensive sales, client relationship, engagement and market experience with a track record of leading and winning major work opportunities.
- Managing complex sales processes and long sales cycles. Naturally understand the value of using sales tools and processes to plan out major pursuits and sales campaigns.
- Pursuit director expertise whilst working closely with the proposals team
- Strategic thinker and ability to sell
- Demonstrable experience of successfully operating within a target driven environment. Someone who consistently achieves and often over-delivers their targets.
- Whilst experience and knowledge of the Middle East built environment and transport & infrastructure market is a distinct advantage, it is not an absolute requirement for the role.

Responsibilities
- A passion for health & safety and the drive for continuous development of our behavioural safety culture working within Atkins, with our clients and with our suppliers to ensure we minimize incidents across the industry.
- Supporting the account managers to drive sales across markets, achieving revenue and margin targets
- Develop innovative propositions through effective collaboration through technical and delivery teams
- Where necessary support the Practice Directors to create the capacity and capability necessary for successful delivery of target opportunities won
- Identify pipeline and lead the pursuit process for opportunities (including contribution to pipeline where appropriate).
- Managing sales pipeline and win work dashboard to track and position for strategic opportunities with support from Strategic Growth Director
- Leading on the development of new market/value propositions
- Formulate Market Plans and with Client Directors to formulate key account plans, identifying opportunities for new service penetration
- Devise cross selling initiatives seeking to create new opportunities for Atkins services
- Coach staff on business development and opportunity/pursuit management and promote BD career path
- Ensure the messages and learnings from Client feedback are shared and acted upon to help
increase opportunity conversion and client satisfaction.
- Competitor analysis: planning competitive advantage through differentiation
- Partnering: Planning strategic advantage through partnering with the right JV Partners and strategic suppliers
- Acting as the "win work" champion and representative in group activities to ensure alignment and implementation

Requirements

The Individual
- Able to demonstrate experience of building effective networks both internally and external to the organisation
- Able to make significant contributions to sales strategy
- Competitive, highly motivated and ambitious for the success of the team
- Strong business acumen with a demonstrated knowledge of identifying potential value creation.
- Proactive, goal oriented individual with superior verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong organisational skills
- A track record for driving health & safety culture and performance.
- Excellent team player, able to influence technical and delivery staff and collaborate effectively with other divisional colleagues.
- Naturally strategic, always looking for the next opportunity and testing the market for new ideas and propositions.
- Understands the importance of solid account planning, timely reporting and CRM administration.
- Degree level or equivalent professional qualification
- Be available to travel across the Middle East and work away from home, including periods overseas on assignments

Key Measures
- Revenue and margin targets (based on propositions, pursuits etc.)
- BD cost, return on BD investments (e.g. sales time, marketing)
- Pipeline, win rates, win/loss analysis
- Cross-selling of services (within/beyond division)
- New service developments (lead)
- Collaborative behaviours supporting and championing One Atkins and ME&A business objectives
- Alignment of group win work activities

Rewards & Benefits

We offer an excellent package which includes:

- A competitive salary
- Transportation allowance
- Medical and life insurance cover
- 22 calendar days annual leave
- Medical and life insurance cover
- Company gratuity scheme
- Discretionary bonus scheme
- Annual flight allowance to point of origin
- Employee Assistance Programme - 24 hour free advice on financial, legal and family care specialists and also access to personal health, fitness and nutrition consultants

About the Company

Atkins is one of the leading providers of professional, technology based consultancy and support services to the industry, commerce and governments in all of the worlds major economies. With over 17,000 staff operating in Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and the Americas, Atkins has a broad range of skills and resources and provides Clients with a comprehensive service throughout the entire life cycle of the projects in the built environment.

We aim to be the international first choice supplier of technical and integrated services. Shaped by our customers' needs, our vision is to:

• focus on quality
• seek world class design and excellence
• strive to add value
• be flexible to the evolving needs of a changing society

Atkins first carried out design and supervision commissions in the Gulf area in 1967. From its regional head office in Dubai, U.A.E. Atkins Middle East now employs over 2000 staff located in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Oman (Muscat ), Qatar (Doha) Bahrain (Manama), Kuwait (Kuwait City) and India (Bangalore).