Sales Director

Sales & Marketing Director - Automotive Simulation Software

rFpro is a much-admired global provider of simulation software used by the automotive and motorsport sectors for development of vehicle dynamics, autonomous vehicles and ADAS.

As the retained talent partner to rFpro, Langham Recruitment is recruiting for a commercially driven Sales & Marketing Director with proven software / SaaS sales and leadership experience, ideally in the automotive sector, to lead global growth.

rFpro operates at the cutting edge of simulation, virtual testing and vehicle autonomy, supporting leading OEMs, technology developers and performance engineering teams worldwide. This role will be central to shaping commercial strategy, driving new market penetration, and strengthening long‑term customer partnerships as adoption of next‑generation simulation technologies accelerates.

Key Responsibilities

Sales Leadership & Commercial Strategy

• Lead, manage and develop a global sales team to deliver sustained, profitable growth across:
• Autonomous vehicle and ADAS development
• Automotive OEM simulation and virtual testing programmes
• Motorsport and high‑performance engineering environments
• Shift the organisation from predominantly reactive sales to a proactive, opportunity‑led engagement model, identifying strategic programmes early in their lifecycle.
• Define and execute data‑driven sales strategies for both new customer acquisition and expansion of existing accounts.
• Personally lead major commercial engagements with global OEMs, Tier 1 & Tier 2 suppliers, technology developers and ecosystem partners.
• Collaborate closely with engineering and product teams to develop technically credible, commercially compelling proposals aligned with customer requirements.

Marketing Leadership

• Oversee and evolve the marketing function, working with internal teams and external partners.
• Drive coherent product positioning, messaging, digital presence and thought‑leadership activity.
• Support go‑to‑market planning for new software capabilities and platform developments.
• Use CRM, analytics and marketing data to continuously refine targeting, messaging and conversion effectiveness.

Customer Engagement & Representation

• Build long‑term, trusted relationships with technical, commercial and executive stakeholders across the automotive and autonomous vehicle sectors.
• Champion a consultative, solution‑led sales approach aligned to customer programme objectives and roadmaps.
• Represent the business at selected industry events, conferences and customer demonstrations.

Experience & Profile

Essential Experience

• Proven senior‑level sales leadership experience within software or SaaS, ideally linked to:
• Automotive simulation or virtual testing
• Autonomous or assisted driving technologies
• Complex engineering or data‑driven platforms
• Experience operating at Sales Director / Head of Sales & Marketing / Commercial Director level or equivalent.
• Demonstrable success selling complex, technical solutions with long and consultative sales cycles. An Engineering background is desirable.
• Track record of winning and growing accounts with automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers or advanced technology developers.
• Ability to translate technical customer challenges into clear commercial propositions in partnership with engineering teams.

Leadership Style & Attributes

• Inspirational and pragmatic leader, capable of building and motivating high‑performing commercial teams.
• Strategically minded, with the ability to turn market insight into executable plans.
• Credible communicator at senior customer and internal leadership level.
• Collaborative, hands‑on and comfortable operating in a technically sophisticated environment.
• Confident using CRM systems, analytics and marketing insight to guide decision‑making.

Salary and Working model:

• Competitive salary and bonus
• Car scheme
• Working model: Remote Working with occasional visit to office