Director – Business Development & Alliance Management - China - Shanghai - Remote

We are seeking an experienced Director of Business Development and Alliance Management to lead growth strategy, strategic partnerships and alliance performance across the organisation. This role will identify new commercial opportunities, develop high-value relationships, and manage strategic alliances to support revenue growth, market expansion, and long-term business objectives. The successful candidate will be commercially astute, influential and confident leading complex negotiations and cross-functional initiatives in a fast-paced environment.

Director – Business Development and Alliance Management - Key responsibilities (business growth & strategic partnerships)

• Develop and implement business development and alliance strategies aligned with revenue, profitability, market share and organisational growth objectives.

• Identify, evaluate and prioritise new markets, customer segments, partnership opportunities and routes to market.

• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with customers, strategic partners, suppliers, investors and other external stakeholders.

• Lead the full business development lifecycle, including opportunity identification, qualification, value proposition development, proposal preparation, negotiation and close.

• Develop and manage strategic alliances, joint ventures, channel partnerships and other collaborative commercial arrangements.

• Define alliance objectives, governance frameworks, operating models, performance measures and account plans.

• Lead complex commercial negotiations covering pricing, scope, revenue sharing, intellectual property, exclusivity, service levels, liabilities and contractual obligations.

• Work closely with legal, finance, sales, marketing, product and operational teams to structure and deliver commercially viable agreements.

• Monitor pipeline performance, conversion rates, partnership value, revenue contribution, profitability and return on investment.

• Prepare business cases, market analysis, forecasts, budgets and board-level reports to support investment and strategic decision-making.

• Manage alliance risks, conflicts, escalations and performance issues, ensuring timely resolution and protection of organisational interests.

• Represent the organisation at industry events, conferences, customer meetings and senior stakeholder forums.

• Lead, mentor, and develop business development and alliance management colleagues, fostering a high-performance, collaborative culture.

• Establish scalable processes, systems and reporting frameworks to improve opportunity management, partner governance and commercial effectiveness.

Required skills and experience (business development & alliance leadership)

• Proven experience as a Director of Business Development, Strategic Partnerships Director, Alliance Director or similar senior commercial leadership role.

• Demonstrable track record of delivering revenue growth, market expansion, strategic partnerships or new business wins in a B2B, technology, professional services, engineering, manufacturing or related environment.

• Strong experience developing and executing business development strategies, go-to-market plans and strategic alliance programmes.

• Significant experience managing complex commercial negotiations, partnership agreements, tenders, proposals and contract lifecycles.

• Proven ability to establish trusted relationships and influence senior decision-makers across customers, partners and internal stakeholders.

• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to assess market opportunities, develop business cases and evaluate financial returns and risks.

• Excellent understanding of alliance governance, partner performance management, channel development and collaborative operating models.

• Highly analytical, with experience using market intelligence, CRM data, sales pipelines and performance reporting to inform decisions.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present compelling proposals to executive and board-level audiences.

• Experience leading, mentoring and motivating high-performing teams across multiple functions and geographies.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly PowerPoint and Excel, with experience using CRM, business intelligence or partner management systems.

• Experience operating in an international or multi-market environment is desirable.

Qualifications and professional attributes (commercial strategy & executive leadership)

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, Finance, Engineering or a related discipline.

• Postgraduate qualification in Business Administration, Strategy, Marketing or a related subject is desirable.

• Commercially minded, strategic and results-driven, with strong ethical standards and sound business judgement.

• Visionary and entrepreneurial, with the ability to identify opportunities and convert them into sustainable commercial outcomes.

• Confident senior leader with strong negotiation, influencing, decision-making and stakeholder management skills.

• Highly organised and capable of managing multiple strategic priorities, complex negotiations and long sales cycles.

• Resilient, adaptable and comfortable working with ambiguity in a changing business environment.

• Committed to collaboration, inclusion, continuous improvement and the development of high-performing teams.

What we offer (benefits & career development)

• Competitive salary and performance-related bonus.

• Company pension scheme, private healthcare and life insurance.

• Generous holiday allowance and flexible working options.

• Professional development, executive leadership training and support for career progression.

• Opportunity to shape business growth, strategic partnerships and market expansion at a senior level.

• Inclusive workplace culture with a strong focus on wellbeing and work-life balance.

How to apply (application process & equal opportunities)

Please submit your CV and a covering letter outlining your business development leadership experience, strategic alliance achievements and relevant commercial results. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.