Position: Managing Director (Commercial Focus) Location: South Yorkshire, UK Salary: £100,000 – £120,000 per annum plus 50% bonus 100% bonus on exit Overview JW Markets is working with a private equity-backed company based in South Yorkshire that specialises in end-to-end design and prototyping services.
The company has a planned exit strategy to a trade buyer or secondary private equity buy-out within the next three years.
Since receiving investment in 2021, the business has doubled its sales, achieving approximately 20% growth per year.
No additional investment is required.
Significant experience selling into engineering / design teams via Engineering Directors (or similar) would allow you to create significant value here.
Operations The company provides comprehensive design and prototyping services, including solutions for trade shows, demonstrations, and the production of low-volume, high-value components.
Their clients are typically manufacturers in sectors such as Marine, Medical, Automotive, Media and Entertainment, and Oil & Gas.
The business operations are structured around three core pillars: Design Additive or Rapid Prototyping Low-Volume Production With a well-invested delivery capability and significant volume capacity—particularly in additive manufacturing—the company is positioned to triple its volumes without the need for additional investment.
Operational processes are efficiently managed by an experienced Operations Manager.
Role Description We are seeking a Managing Director with a strong commercial background to lead the company in leveraging its platform for sales growth.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to progress to a CEO role with additional benefits as experience grows.
Commercial directors stepping up into a their first MD role are encouraged to apply.
This role will suit somebody who is either an experienced operator motivated by a 3 year project to grow sales ahead of exit, or a step-up candidate who is keen to leverage a solid platform to accelerate their career.
There are 20 employees in the business and no complex transformation or capex is required, so it will suit somebody hoping to grow alongside the business.
Key Responsibilities: Develop and implement strategic sales plans to achieve growth targets.
Leverage existing operational capabilities to expand into new markets.
Lead and develop the sales team to enhance performance.
Collaborate with the board and non-executive directors to align company strategy.
Explore additional manufacturing use cases for the companys end-to-end capabilities beyond current verticals.
Candidate Profile Significant experience in a commercial leadership role, such as Commercial Director or similar where you have been responsible for selling pre-production services or capex into Engineering Directors and their teams pre-production Proven track record of selling services to manufacturers of varying sizes.
Strategic thinker with the ability to identify and exploit new market opportunities.
Strong leadership qualities, including team development and performance enhancement.
Based in or around South Yorkshire; candidates not within a commutable distance or requiring relocation will not be considered.
Step-up candidates are encouraged to apply Compensation Base Salary: £100,000 – £120,000 per annum, commensurate with experience.
Performance Bonus: 50% of base salary.
One-Off Bonus: Equivalent to 100% of base salary upon private equity exit (expected within 1–3 years).
Application Process The current Managing Director will be concluding their tenure around April 2025, having used the role to springboard their own career.
The incoming MD should be available to assume responsibilities shortly before this date to ensure a smooth transition.
Interested candidates are invited to apply via LinkedIn.
Following confirmation of mutual interest, we will schedule an initial call to discuss the opportunity in more detail.
Discussions with the board are expected to take place within two weeks, prior to 16 December, but timing is flexible to accommodate schedules during the holiday season.