Sales Director
Hays- Advisory & workforce transformation
London
Our sales strategy is built around identifying clients’ most critical workforce challenges and converting these insights into scalable, high‑value solutions that deliver sustained business impact.
We partner with organisations facing their most complex people and workforce challenges, workforce planning, talent insight, attraction, creation and assessment, future‑skills demand, workforce productivity, team effectiveness, and the impact of AI on jobs and capability.
Our next phase of growth requires a sales Director who can operate at the intersection of consulting, commercial leadership and future‑of‑work advisory. You will work directly with senior leaders to uncover root causes, shape strategic workforce agendas, and build outcome‑led solutions that address challenges recruitment alone cannot solve.
This is a senior role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, enjoys high‑impact client conversations, and wants to build long‑term, strategic partnerships rather than sell predefined products.
What you’ll lead
Senior client discovery & strategic framing
* Operate in a consultative sales environment, spending significant time with senior leaders across C‑suite, HR, talent, OD and business leadership functions.
Lead discovery with:
* C‑suite sponsors (people, transformation, operations, strategy) shaping organisational strategy
* HRDs, OD & talent leaders translating strategy into execution
* Senior functional heads navigating skills, workforce or productivity challenges
* Translate broad, complex concerns into clear workforce problems such as:
* Future workforce structure
* Impact of AI and automation
* Skills forecasting and emerging careers
* Talent pipelines and succession health
* Productivity barriers and leadership constraints
* Shape insight‑led problem statements and hypotheses that frame the engagement.
Solution architecture & advisory leadership
Design, position and sell strategic solutions spanning:
* Workforce planning and organisational design
* Market analytics and data‑driven insight
* Skills forecasting and the future world of work
* AI‑enabled productivity and workforce redesign
* e.g., our AI apprenticeship and advisory on AI‑supported productivity
* Emerging career pathways and apprenticeship strategy
* Upskilling and reskilling pathways
* Talent attraction, creation, assessment and engagement
* Leadership & executive assessment for development
* Succession planning, critical role identification & talent reviews
* Top‑team and leadership effectiveness
* Career transition and redeployment strategies
You’ll take engagements from one‑off projects to multi‑year transformation partnerships.
Commercial leadership & growth
* Own your pipeline, market activity and deal progression.
* Shape high‑value proposals directly linked to business outcomes.
* Grow accounts by identifying broader workforce needs across people, skills, productivity, culture, leadership and team performance.
* Build deep, strategic, outcome‑focused relationships, acting as a partner, not a vendor.
Thought Leadership & Future workforce advisory
Advise organisations on their 3–5 year workforce reality, including:
* AI adoption
* Skills gaps
* Strategic workforce design
* Early career talent creation
* Leadership requirements for future transformation
* Contribute to new market propositions and future‑of‑work offerings.
* Play a senior role shaping our advisory agenda with new ideas, frameworks and insights.
Internal partnership & delivery excellence
* Work closely with assessment specialists, psychologists, development consultants and solution designers.
* Ensure engagements are delivered seamlessly and expanded organically.
* Mentor junior consultants and contribute to building the wider team’s capability.
What we’re looking for
Essential
* Senior‑level experience in people, leadership, OD, talent or workforce consulting
* Proven ability to win, shape or lead consulting engagements
* Strong commercial intuition with the ability to link people interventions to organisational outcomes
* Exceptional problem framing and storytelling capability
* Confidence engaging senior leaders and C‑suite stakeholders
* Comfort operating in ambiguity and turning insight into direction
Valuable (Not Essential)
* Experience in assessment‑for‑development, psychometrics or leadership diagnostics
* Background in boutique consultancies, leadership advisory or mid‑tier People practices
* Exposure to strategic workforce planning, skills forecasting or AI‑enabled workforce transformation
Why this role is different
* You won’t just sell what exists, you’ll shape what we become.
* You’ll be central to the future‑of‑work agenda across people, AI, skills and workforce transformation.
* You’ll influence deal size, proposition development, strategic direction and long‑term partnerships.
* You’ll join a team with start up energy backed by the scale and credibility of a global organisation.
***What you’ll get in return:***
* Culture built on rewarding success and the opportunity to influence your earning potential.
* Best technology in the industry and a renowned training programme to support success and drive rapid career progression.
* Flexible hybrid working patterns.
* Opportunity to take your career globally.
* Incentives and rewards to recognise performance locally, regionally, and nationally.
* Broad range of employee wellbeing initiatives and benefits.
* Referral bonus scheme.
* Community of support networks from Hays Pride to Parents@Hays.
* Paid charity day for all employees #HaysHelps and working closely with charity partners.
At Hays, we know that diverse teams deliver better results, and that inclusion fuels our innovation. We’re committed to building a culture where different perspectives are embraced and where all of our people can flourish.
As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we see Diversity, Equity & Inclusion not just as the right thing to do but also as a business advantage. We welcome applicants from talented people of all backgrounds who want to grow with us & contribute to our shared success.