SCUK Leasing Sales Director

Country: United Kingdom

Santander Consumer Finance has an exciting opportunity for a senior leader within the Leasing division, responsible for ownership of the sales strategy, sales plan, sales delivery and sales development of the Leasing division. They will also be expected to deputise for the Head of Leasing when applicable.

As well as having day-to-day sales objectives the successful candidate will also be joining a project team helping to design, create and put live a new Leasing Company based in Milton Keynes which is expected to go live around Q1 2026.

The successful candidate will be expected to be responsible for the existing broker and rental sales teams as well as building a corporate sales team for direct B2B business.

This role will be a national role with the first few months based in Milton Keynes at least 3 days a week. Moving forward there will be increasing field-based sales activities as the Leasing Company nears go live. There is also occasional travel to Redhill to the SCUK Head Office.

Responsibilities will include:

• To ensure the growth of SCUK is driven by sound commercial decisions, backed up with key industry knowledge and insights.
• Identify process and performance improvements in the new Leasing business to drive improvements and efficiencies focussed around both the customer and the business
• Leading a high performing sales team to successfully deliver against the strategy
• Promotes an open culture through regular genuine two-way communication with their management team
• Develops people’s potential and is a good coach whilst managing and evaluating people in an objective manner                  
• Ownership of the sales plan including the sales strategy for profitable delivery
• Able to provide insight across the business unit and wider industry to senior stakeholders with a thorough understanding of the market
• Support the business ambition for platform enhancements, including inputting into the functional and non-functional requirements
• Work with other Heads of the Leasing division to ensure that any new developments are managed effectively across different departments
• Responsible for the annual budgeting process and effectively managing the sales departmental budget.  Ensure team’s activities are contained within the cost budgets
• Identifies shortfalls or opportunities and initiates appropriate responses
• Strategic collaboration with the Head of Operations and particularly the Tactical Buyers, to seek out opportunities and deliver units required for business objectives
• Present reports to stakeholders on progress, including risks, issues and suggested solutions
• Deal with or escalate any identified risks in relation to Santander Consumer risk policies and/or legislative and regulatory guidelines in accordance with the Santander UK group risk framework.
• Contribute to wider divisional best practice and look for opportunities to continuously improve
• Keeps up to date with competitor initiatives and industry trends.  Ensure issues that arise with external parties are promptly and courteously resolved
• Proactively develop and facilitate effective business relationships with internal stakeholders at all levels to optimise business effectiveness. Demonstrate an ability to influence others at all levels promoting trust, honesty and openness
• Adhering to our commitment to Consumer Duty ensuring we put our customers’ needs first and set higher and clearer standards of consumer protection

What we’re looking for:

• Extensive demonstrable experience and well-developed understanding of the Leasing industry
• Expertise across automotive finance, products, services and influences both micro and macro-economic
• Previous experience in leading high performing teams
• Credible, effective and enthusiastic leader who gains commitment from others and demonstrates the ability driver others to success
• Has experience working on projects and understands the challenge with working closely with internal and external teams as well as coordinating with project team SMEs to successfully deliver projects in line with agreed scope, timelines and budgets
• Proven experience of playing a part in the designing and costing bringing new products to market in a mature marketplace
• Identification and opportunity management of current customer trends including the migration to electric vehicles
• Involvement in the development policies, procedures and standards of the department and the business over a medium horizon, typically 1 - 3 yrs. Able to develop own functional plans
• Proven experience of leading a team responsible for a multi-million pound budget
• Ability to make balanced risk based decisions within own and departmental delegated authority
• Represents department and may deputise in Executive level meetings.  Ability to communicate effectively at all levels
• The ability to interact with and influence industry bodies and regulators at the highest level
• Significant experience dealing with Management Information, is able to read, interpret and understand complex data in order to make authoritative decisions
• Proven experience of successfully establishing new activities and implementing change
• Proven experience of interacting with Executive Directors and Board Members on equal terms
• Proven experience of leading large multi-functional Sales teams and being able to achieve results through people
• Credible, effective and enthusiastic leader who gains commitment from others and demonstrates the ability driver others to success
• Ability to think conceptually, creatively and without precedents in order to continually develop functional areas
• Excellent negotiation, influencing and interpersonal skills
• Ability to translate complicated ideas in a clear and simple proposition in order to gain sign off for tactical decisions
• Ability to manipulate data and draw key insights from the marketplace for senior leadership teams

We have a range of benefits available which include:

• Competitive salary of £100 – 110,000 dependant on experience
• 30 days holiday per annum, plus bank holidays
• Annual bonus based on personal and company performance
• Company car & fuel card
• Private medical cover
• Generous pension contributions
• Employee assistance programme
• Sharesave scheme
• Gym passes at a reduced rate for 3,000 gyms, leisure centres etc

Inclusion

At Santander we’re creating a thriving workplace where all colleagues feel they belong and are supported to succeed.  We all help to make Santander a workplace that celebrates diversity and attracts, retains and develops the most talented and committed people through living our values of Simple, Personal, and Fair.

At Santander Consumer Finance we have a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, bullying, harassment (including sexual) or victimisation of any kind.

What are the next steps:

If you are interested in this role and believe you have the skills, experience, and knowledge then we’d love to hear from you. Please go ahead and click apply which will take you through some questions and allow you to submit your CV and covering letter.