Director Business Development

Clarios • Plymouth, MI

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Business Development is responsible for defining and executing global growth strategies for assigned strategic customers and markets. This role drives long‑term revenue growth, technology adoption, and profitability by shaping customer strategies, strengthening executive‑level relationships, and ensuring enterprise‑wide alignment to global commercial and product roadmaps. This leader serves as the primary commercial and strategic interface with key customers, fostering deep partnerships across engineering, purchasing, product planning, quality, and strategy functions. The Director will lead cross‑functional teams to translate customer insights into differentiated solutions, new business wins, and sustainable competitive advantage. Clarios is the force behind the world’s most recognizable car battery brands, powering vehicles from leading automakers like Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. With 18,000 employees worldwide, we develop, manufacture, and distribute energy storage solutions while recovering, recycling, and reusing up to 99% of battery materials—setting the standard for sustainability in our industry. At Clarios, we’re not just making batteries; we’re shaping the future of sustainable transportation. Join our mission to innovate, push boundaries, and make a real impact. Discover your potential at Clarios—where your power meets endless possibilities. Clarios is the creator behind the world’s most recognizable car battery brands. We are the car battery found in most new vehicles including leading brands such as Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. Our 16,000 employees develop, manufacture, and distribute batteries for virtually every type of vehicle. We recover, recycle, and reuse up to 99% of our battery materials, leading sustainability practices in our industry.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required in Business, Engineering, or a related discipline
• Minimum of 10+ years of experience in OEM‑facing commercial, business development, or customer leadership roles, with demonstrated success driving growth and transformation.
• Proven “hunter” mentality combined with a strong strategic mindset and comfort operating in ambiguous, fast‑evolving environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence across functions, geographies, and cultures in a global matrix organization.
• Deep understanding of the automotive market and electrification trends, including powertrain evolution, vehicle architecture, and system‑level integration.
• Strong analytical, critical‑thinking, and problem‑solving skills, with the agility to translate insights into executable business strategies.
• Ability to identify market opportunities and risks, develop compelling business cases, and drive strategic and tactical execution.
• Willingness to travel 5–15% domestically and internationally.
• Ability to translate customer needs and technical requirements into solutions that drive customer success and long‑term enterprise value.

Nice To Haves

• Technical acumen in safety systems and low‑voltage electronics preferred.
• Master’s degree or MBA strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead global customer and market growth strategies, identifying new business opportunities that drive technology adoption, expand share of wallet, and improve long‑term profitability.
• Build and maintain senior‑level customer relationships across all relevant functions, acting as a trusted advisor to customer leadership while enabling collaborative innovation and portfolio expansion.
• Lead cross‑functional commercial execution, serving as the voice of the customer during program development, launches, product ramp‑ups, and innovation initiatives.
• Align customer technical roadmaps with internal product, technology, and market strategies, ensuring mutual value creation and long‑term partnership sustainability.
• Drive global business performance, overseeing key commercial metrics including revenue, growth, share, P&L performance, and profitability for assigned customers or segments.
• Develop and execute multi‑year (3–5 year) strategic customer and market plans, ensuring new business is secured at target margins across regions and functions.
• Lead global commercial negotiations, including pricing strategies, long‑term agreements, and complex sales contracts to optimize value for both the customer and the enterprise.
• Advance corporate growth priorities, strengthening customer and market intelligence, identifying emerging trends, and delivering differentiated, value‑added solutions.
• Champion the voice of the customer internally, providing clear input on customer expectations, satisfaction, and competitive positioning.
• Ensure successful launch and commercialization of new customer products, supporting best‑in‑class customer satisfaction and execution excellence.

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision care coverage and a 401(k) savings plan with company matching – all starting on date of hire
• Tuition reimbursement, perks, and discounts
• Parental and caregiver leave programs
• All the usual benefits such as paid time off, flexible spending, short-and long-term disability, basic life insurance, business travel insurance, and Employee Assistance Program
• Global market strength and worldwide market share leadership
• HQ location earns LEED certification for sustainability plus a full-service cafeteria and workout facility

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees