Director, Commercial Partnerships

Summary

Join Climate-KIC as their Director of Commercial Partnerships and lead their commercial business development, revenue growth, and corporate partnerships. You will develop and execute commercial strategies, manage client relationships, and drive market expansion. This role requires at least 10 years of experience in a commercial or business development role within an international organization, proven revenue growth, and strong leadership skills. The ideal candidate will possess strategic thinking, excellent communication, and strong negotiation skills. Climate-KIC offers a high degree of flexibility in working patterns and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. Apply early as the role may close early if a sufficient pool of candidates is received.

Requirements

• Minimum degree qualification ideally in a relevant subject area such as environmental science, sustainable development, international development, economics, business or relevant comparable experience
• At least 10 year’s experience in a commercial or business development role in an international organisation
• Experience of leading a commercial sales team including lead identification, pipeline development, bid/proposal development and conversion
• Proven track record of driving revenue growth and managing key client relationships
• Strategic partnership and relationship management with senior stakeholders
• Coordinating and writing of high value pitches, funding applications and proposals
• Strategy and Strategic Sales
• Long-term Business Planning
• Communication and pitching
• Securing contracts from multi-territories across Europe
• Strategic Vision and Execution
• Revenue and Market Expansion
• Customer Relationship Management
• Leadership and Team Development
• Negotiation and Contract Management
• Financial Acumen
• Operational Efficiency
• Strong negotiation, influencing, and stakeholder management skills
• Excellent strategic thinking, analytical, and problem-solving abilities
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills
• Fluency in English, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and any additional European languages are a benefit
• Strong analytical skills with pronounced attention to detail
• Creatively-minded, good at thinking ‘outside the box’
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to quickly build rapport with internal and external stakeholders
• Highly motivated and target-driven
• Able to work in an international, distributed, and multicultural team; strong awareness of other cultures and working practices
• Interest and commitment to tackling climate change and its socio-economic, environmental impacts

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive commercial strategies in collaboration with teams across the organisation that align with organisational goals
• Identify new commercial market opportunities and drive strategic initiatives to diversify and grow revenue streams
• Oversee market research, competitor analysis, and customer insights to inform strategic decision-making
• Work closely with Communications and Marketing and with Community Team colleagues to develop and implement audience-led marketing strategies for Climate-KIC activities and programmes across functions
• Lead commercial business development efforts to secure new contracts, partnerships, and revenue-generating opportunities
• Liaise with delivery team leads and ecosystem builders to identify and capitalise on potential sales opportunities
• Develop strong relationships with key stakeholders, including customers, partners, and industry leaders
• Negotiate contracts and manage high-value commercial agreements to optimise revenue and profitability
• Manage and strengthen relationships with existing commercial clients, ensuring high levels of satisfaction and retention
• Act as a key point of contact for high-profile clients and partners
• Oversee customer engagement strategies and implement initiatives to enhance client experience
• Ensure commercial processes, tools, and practices are streamlined and effective
• Build a culture of disciplined prospects management, relationship cultivation and appreciation for the impact potential of commercial relationships
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Finance, Legal, Marketing, and Operations to deliver commercial goals
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and provide regular reporting on commercial performance
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Adopt a polyarchic style to work with the Leadership Team to provide commercial acumen and analysis to inform high-level decision-making and communication
• Work with Cluster Leads to ensure that commerciality lies at the heart of all delivery team strategies and development plans
• Set financial targets and develop strategies to achieve revenue and profitability goals
• Manage budgets related to commercial operations, ensuring cost efficiency

Preferred Qualifications

• Value proposition and concept design
• Working in a holacratic or “team of teams” environment
• Securing contracts from multi-territories globally
• Familiarity with and proficiency in using Salesforce would be an advantage

Benefits

• High degree of flexibility to accommodate all working patterns
• Fully remote or hybrid forms of working