Business Development Director for AI

As a Business Development Director for AI, you sell AI outcomes, not just technology. You engage customers across UK and Ireland to find where AI can shift their business performance: revenue growth, cost reduction, faster decisions, improved customer experience. You shape and close AI opportunities using Version 1's AI platform, tools, and delivery methods, spanning agentic AI, GenAI, machine learning, and data-driven decision making. You build pipeline independently and through partners like AWS, Microsoft, and Anthropic, turning early AI curiosity into funded programmes. You hold credible C-suite conversations on AI strategy and ROI, translating technical capability into business value. You grow Version 1's AI brand and reputation in market, positioning us as the trusted partner for AI-led transformation. Responsibilities: - Originate, develop new business pipeline, and secure business across Version 1’s industry sectors (Private Sector, Public Sector and Financial Services) through a combination of new logo and new growth with existing customers. - Whilst the primary focus will be on driving, shaping and closing AI opportunities, you will be an experienced Sales Lead across IT technology and services to be able to identify opportunities to bring the full suite of Version 1’s capability and offerings to our customers. - Lead sales opportunities whether generated by yourself, originated within Version 1 and/or introduced by one of our strategic partners. - Expand initial small AI adoption projects to bigger opportunities by bringing the full suite of Version 1 services to our customers to deliver their business outcomes. - Lead the development and delivery of customer facing presentations, proposals and tender responses, working the wider Version 1 team including Account Managers, Commercial Operations, Delivery Management and our Partners. - Developing trusted and impactful relationships with channel partners (including Anthropic, AWS, MSFT, Oracle, Databricks, Outsystems etc) to build effective collaborations, pipeline and new business. - Communicating effectively the value of Version 1’s AI products and services via lead generation, participation in events, customer presentations and clearly written proposals. - Robustly qualify all customer sales opportunities to ensure they are winnable with clearly defined win strategy and differentiation. - Managing pipeline, financial forecasting, activity tracking to achieve financial KPIs (e.g., TCV, ACV, Profit) - Establish long-term profitable relationships with senior-level key stakeholders in strategic and designated growth accounts. - Collaborating cross-functionally with colleagues within Version 1 to develop sales and marketing strategies to promote Version 1’s AI product and services - Deep knowledge and experience of shaping and selling AI solutions to both technology and business stakeholders in organisations up to CxO level. - Hold or working towards relevant AI certifications. Demonstration of AI skills, market dynamics and keeping up to date with AI innovations and developments. - Be knowledgeable of and able to converse with senior stakeholders on AI and how it delivers business outcomes. - Demonstrate tenacity, drive and individual ambition to be successful in a sales environment. - Demonstrate a consistent track record of achieving and exceeding sales targets in a highly competitive environment (winning against large global systems integrators and large off-shore consultancies) - Demonstrate the ability to develop and explain compelling AI value propositions based on technology and related services to senior level stakeholders. - Have experience of building and maintaining trusted customer relationships which can be leveraged into your new role with Version 1. - Influencing skills: the ability to form and lead teams operating across a highly matrixed organisation, ensuring customer focused deliverables are delivered on time, coherently and with high quality. - Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage at all levels across an organisation internally and externally. - Good commercial awareness and sound understanding of project and business dynamics.