Rail Business Development Director – Engineering Services

Role overview

This opportunity is for a senior individual contributor focused on accelerating growth in the rail sector through engineering services. The role is based in Canada and can be performed remotely. It centers on winning new work, expanding important rail accounts, building relationships with senior stakeholders, and securing major engineering engagements.

The successful candidate will bring strong rail engineering services sales expertise, established industry connections, and a demonstrated track record of closing and managing large opportunities worth $5M or more.

Business development and account expansion

• Find, develop, and convert new opportunities in the rail market.
• Maintain a healthy opportunity pipeline that supports quarterly and yearly revenue goals.
• Create account strategies and drive growth within assigned rail clients.
• Develop strong relationships with senior decision-makers, including Directors, VPs, and C-level leaders.

Client relationship management

• Act as the main contact for key customers in the rail industry.
• Hold regular reviews with clients to understand their priorities and uncover growth possibilities.
• Build trusted-advisor relationships with customers and wider industry stakeholders.

Sales leadership and deal execution

• Lead proposal creation, commercial discussions, and contract negotiations.
• Design and negotiate large engineering services engagements.
• Move opportunities from qualification through to contract award.
• Deliver against or exceed assigned sales and revenue targets.

Cross-functional partnership

• Work closely with engineering, delivery, operations, and leadership teams to shape strong solutions.
• Support a smooth handoff from sales to delivery.
• Contribute to customer satisfaction and long-term account success.

Market awareness and strategic input

• Track rail industry trends, market shifts, and competitor activity.
• Spot opportunities tied to rail modernization, digital transformation, sustainability, and automation.
• Share growth-focused recommendations with leadership.

Qualification requirements

• At least 10 years of sales experience in Engineering Services (ER&D) within the rail industry.
• Proven success in winning and managing deals valued at $5M+.
• A current or recent leadership-level designation such as Senior Manager, Director, AVP, VP, or an equivalent title.
• A strong network of executive contacts across rail organizations.
• Background in selling engineering services, not products or staffing services.
• Experience working with rail OEMs, locomotive design groups, or rail engineering firms.
• Clear evidence of success in business development, account growth, and strategic selling.
• Stable work history with a consistent pattern of career progression.

Preferred background

• Experience with rail OEMs, infrastructure providers, rolling stock manufacturers, or rail technology companies is an advantage.
• Knowledge of locomotive design, rail engineering, and transportation systems is helpful.
• Experience in global rail environments is preferred.
• Additional language ability, especially German or Italian, is a plus.

Required skills

• Executive relationship management
• Strategic account planning
• Complex sales negotiation
• Proposal development
• Pipeline management
• Revenue growth planning
• Presentation and communication
• Commercial and financial analysis
• Independent senior-level working style

Additional information

The position is a full-time remote role in Canada.