Business Development Director (f/m/d), Automotive Europe
JOB DESCRIPTION
To support the continued growth of Hesai's automotive business in Europe, we are looking for an experienced and commercially driven Business Development Director (f/m/d), Automotive Europe.The primary objective of this role is to create and win new automotive business across Europe, with a strong focus on major German OEMs. The successful candidate will identify opportunities before formal sourcing processes begin, build trusted relationships with senior technical and commercial decision-makers, position Hesai early in future vehicle programs, and drive opportunities from initial engagement through RFQ, nomination, and commercial closure.We are looking for a true business builder and hunter (f/m/d) with a strong understanding of the European automotive ecosystem and an established senior-level network within major OEMs. A background in ADAS, autonomous driving, vehicle architecture, sensors, or other advanced automotive technologies would be particularly valuable.This is a highly customer-facing and hands-on role requiring strong commercial ownership, sufficient technical depth to engage sophisticated automotive customers, and the ability to operate effectively across an international and cross-functional organization.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead automotive business development activities across Europe, with primary focus on major German OEMs.
- Proactively identify, create, and develop new business opportunities rather than relying primarily on incoming RFQs.
- Leverage an established senior-level OEM network to open doors, develop new relationships, and position Hesai early in future vehicle and technology programs.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers across ADAS and autonomous driving; engineering and R&D; vehicle architecture and platform development; purchasing and sourcing; program management; and executive management.
- Understand customer technology roadmaps, sourcing strategies, organizational dynamics, and future vehicle platforms to identify opportunities before formal sourcing processes begin.
- Drive opportunities end-to-end, from early customer engagement and technical evaluation through RFQ, commercial negotiation, nomination, and deal closure.
- Deliver measurable new design wins, nominations, and a long-term revenue pipeline.
- Expand Hesai's footprint within existing OEM accounts by identifying new vehicle programs, platforms, applications, and decision-makers.
- Develop and execute business development and account strategies for priority European OEMs.
- Lead commercial discussions covering pricing, NRE, development agreements, volume expectations, contracts, and other key commercial terms.
- Build and maintain a strong multi-year opportunity pipeline with clear assumptions around probability, timing, volume, revenue, competitive position, and key decision milestones.
- Develop competitive strategies for major opportunities and maintain strong awareness of competing technologies, suppliers, and market trends.
- Coordinate closely with product, engineering, application engineering, program management, and headquarters teams to support customer evaluations and secure design wins.
- Represent customer and market requirements internally and provide commercial input into product positioning, product strategy, and roadmap discussions.
- Lead or coordinate a small European commercial team as required, setting clear priorities and ensuring strong execution and accountability.
- Represent Hesai in strategic customer meetings, technical workshops, industry events, and other relevant automotive forums.
REQUIREMENTS
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field.
- 12+ years of relevant automotive business development, sales, or commercial experience preferred. Candidates with 10+ years and an exceptional track record of winning complex OEM business will also be considered.
- Established senior-level network within major German and European automotive OEMs.
- Strong existing relationships within ADAS, autonomous driving, vehicle architecture, engineering, purchasing, or other relevant advanced automotive organizations are strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated track record of personally creating and winning new automotive business with European OEMs.
- Proven experience developing opportunities from initial engagement through technical evaluation, RFQ, nomination, and production.
- Strong commercial and negotiation capabilities, including experience with pricing, NRE, contracts, RFQs, and complex customer negotiations.
- Strong understanding of European OEM decision-making structures, sourcing processes, vehicle development cycles, and organizational dynamics.
- Experience in ADAS, autonomous driving, lidar, radar, cameras, sensors, semiconductors, automotive electronics, or other advanced automotive technologies is strongly preferred.
- Experience commercializing complex hardware or integrated hardware/software technology products within the automotive industry preferred.
- Ability to engage credibly and effectively with both senior executives and highly technical customer teams.
- Highly proactive, hands-on, and results-driven, with strong ownership and follow-through.
- Comfortable working in a fast-moving, international, and highly cross-functional environment.
- Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
- Fluent English required, and German strongly preferred.
Ideal Profile
We are looking for a business builder and hunter(f/m/d), not only a traditional key account manager (f/m/d).The ideal candidate already understands the European automotive ecosystem, has trusted relationships with senior OEM decision-makers, and knows how to turn those relationships into tangible new business opportunities.This person should be comfortable engaging customers well before an RFQ exists, identifying where future programs and technology decisions are developing, positioning Hesai early in the decision-making process, and personally driving opportunities through technical evaluation, sourcing, nomination, and commercial closure. A strong background and network within ADAS, autonomous driving, or advanced automotive technology would be particularly valuable.Success in this role will be measured primarily by the ability to create new opportunities, secure design wins and nominations, grow the long-term automotive pipeline, and expand Hesai's strategic position with major European OEMs.
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field.
- 12+ years of relevant automotive business development, sales, or commercial experience preferred. Candidates with 10+ years and an exceptional track record of winning complex OEM business will also be considered.
- Established senior-level network within major German and European automotive OEMs.
- Strong existing relationships within ADAS, autonomous driving, vehicle architecture, engineering, purchasing, or other relevant advanced automotive organizations are strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated track record of personally creating and winning new automotive business with European OEMs.
- Proven experience developing opportunities from initial engagement through technical evaluation, RFQ, nomination, and production.
- Strong commercial and negotiation capabilities, including experience with pricing, NRE, contracts, RFQs, and complex customer negotiations.
- Strong understanding of European OEM decision-making structures, sourcing processes, vehicle development cycles, and organizational dynamics.
- Experience in ADAS, autonomous driving, lidar, radar, cameras, sensors, semiconductors, automotive electronics, or other advanced automotive technologies is strongly preferred.
- Experience commercializing complex hardware or integrated hardware/software technology products within the automotive industry preferred.
- Ability to engage credibly and effectively with both senior executives and highly technical customer teams.
- Highly proactive, hands-on, and results-driven, with strong ownership and follow-through.
- Comfortable working in a fast-moving, international, and highly cross-functional environment.
- Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
- Fluent English required, and German strongly preferred.
Ideal Profile
We are looking for a business builder and hunter(f/m/d), not only a traditional key account manager (f/m/d).The ideal candidate already understands the European automotive ecosystem, has trusted relationships with senior OEM decision-makers, and knows how to turn those relationships into tangible new business opportunities.This person should be comfortable engaging customers well before an RFQ exists, identifying where future programs and technology decisions are developing, positioning Hesai early in the decision-making process, and personally driving opportunities through technical evaluation, sourcing, nomination, and commercial closure. A strong background and network within ADAS, autonomous driving, or advanced automotive technology would be particularly valuable.Success in this role will be measured primarily by the ability to create new opportunities, secure design wins and nominations, grow the long-term automotive pipeline, and expand Hesai's strategic position with major European OEMs.
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