Ford & Stanley Executive Search (Part of the Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group) are a leading Executive search and talent advisory firm specialising in the following sectors:
Rail & Transportation
Civils & Construction
Manufacturing & Supply Chain
Technology & Cyber Security
Logistics & Intermodal Freight
Defence
Our search directors, search consultants and in-house research team specialise in retained opportunities at the highest level of organisational leadership and management.
Our success is based upon a blend of trust-driven relationships, robust market knowledge, and working practices that ensure the best possible alignment of organisational need with experience and personal ambition.
Working with business leaders on bespoke assignments for over a decade, we understand exactly what our customers expect from an executive search and talent advisory service – whether there is a pressing business need for an executive interim or that of a long-term permanent appointment - Ford & Stanley Executive Search provide the solution.
We have been exclusively appointed on a retained search for an Account Manager.
Key deliverables within the first 12 months:
Demonstrate a tangible pipeline worth in excess of £1m annually.
Develop a deep understanding of how the account operates, including stakeholders, procurement cycles, and decision-making structures.
Position the account to grow into a £5–10 million annual account.
Main challenges that will be encountered in the 1st year:
Navigate a highly political internal environment, where ‘tribal’ behaviours and budget ownership strongly influence decision-making in a complex multi-skilled, multi-layered stakeholder landscape.
Recognising that other consultancies already holds many of the key stakeholder relationships, so breaking in requires strategy, patience, and credibility.
Money is strategically released and as such it’s of paramount importance that the incoming Account Manager has a strong understanding of this landscape.
Essential Hard Skills (Skills & Experience)
Ability to operate in politically sensitive environments, managing embedded incumbents, and overcoming internal tribal dynamics.#
Previous experience of going up against major companies that can be bigger than your current organisation (Demonstrate an ability to punch above your weight).
Demonstrate their ability to work closely with national infrastructure and able to influence conversations at the highest level.
Complex account management experience - Ideally with a technical product, platform or service.
Strong pipeline development and management, able to create, qualify and scale a high‑value pipeline in year one across complex enterprise environments.
Keen to be on site and visible, 3 days per week.
Essential Soft Skills (Attributes & Behaviours)
You’ll need to get buy-in from the pre-sales team — Architects & Back-end teams.
It’s a hands-on role, with full support from the marketing team and bid management. Collaboration is essential.
Understanding the companies structure — people are very frank and direct, but always in the best possible way.
Able to demonstrate agile and almost disruptive thinking.
Approachable, emotionally intelligent and accessible.
Good to know & Core Responsibilities:
The individual leading the aviation sector has previously secured a £15 million project, demonstrating the scale of opportunity.
Two major pieces of work have already been secured:
AirHeart — an operations digital tool (a platform, not a product, and therefore scalable).
MSA Services — Statements of Work linked to platform configuration; the MSA extends beyond the platform itself and as such is highly scalable.
Culture is direct, frank, and no-nonsense — efficient communication is the norm.
Expect a fast-paced, high-accountability environment where individuals own outcomes, not just tasks.
Well‑known for large-scale public‑sector programmes and is now pushing further into the private sector.
Employs over 8,(Apply online only) people across 10 countries.
Recently secured a £135 million digital transformation contract in the UK.
There are two main desirable outcomes of this role:
Upsell and extend the sale of the existing platform
Take full advantage of the MSA to encourage further growth
Ford & Stanley Executive Search Interview, Suitability & Matching Process:
1st Stage – Candidate Discovery: An open, conversational and consultative discussion where interested candidates are assessed on their suitability for the role in the context of the above and challenged on how the opportunity lines up with their career aspirations, motivations, financial expectations and personal circumstances.
2nd Stage – The ‘shortlist’: Candidates are asked to reflect on the candidate discovery discussion, take time to reflect on the opportunity and undertake subsequent research on the client business reporting back on their thoughts, questions and providing additional specific information on their suitability (if applicable).
F&S Executive Search – Delivery Team:
Tom Norton – Head of Executive Search (Shortlisting, Offer Negotiations, Client Consulting).
Sean Kerry - Senior Research Associate (Networking, Research, Search, Longlisting, Interviews, Data & Market Intel, Headhunting)
Ralitsa Kuzeva – Executive Assistant (Diary Management, Coordination, Candidate Experience, NDA’s).
About Ford & Stanley Executive Search:
Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group are in the business of people and performance. Our mission is to create one million better workdays through facilitating great recruitment, leadership and occupational mental fitness. We support our clients in their most challenging business areas – recruiting, developing and retaining the best talent from shop floor to boardroom.
Ford & Stanley TalentWise – Business specialising in blue collar trade & technical services – permanent and temporary.
Ford & Stanley Recruitment – Business specialising in white collar spanning all company functions with specialist verticals within Digital, Rail Engineering, Civils & Infrastructure, General Manufacturing, Supply Chain & Logistics both permanent and contract.
Ford & Stanley Executive Search – Business specialising in Executive Search & Executive Interim Solutions in the UK, North America, Middle East and Europe.
Ford & Stanley Genius Performance – Performance is always accelerated when good people are coached, inspired, trained and focused in the right way.
Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer that is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy.
Services advertised by Ford & Stanley are that of an employment consultancy business