At Zenith, we've been helping organisations move further, smarter and more sustainably for over 30 years. As the UK's leading independent leasing and fleet management provider, we're proud of our people, our award-winning service and our ambition to be the UK's most customer-focused fleet partner.
We partner with some of the UK's most recognisable brands, delivering bespoke contract hire, salary sacrifice and fleet solutions that create real commercial value. With a portfolio of blue-chip customers and household names already trusting Zenith, we're continuing to invest in our future and accelerate our growth.
Following a recent comprehensive Group refinancing, significant investment across our Corporate business including the appointment of Andy Wolff as our Managing Director – Corporate and a strengthened platform for long-term growth, we're investing in our future, and creating a new opportunity for a Director of Strategic & Customer Relationships to lead our Corporate Customer Relationship function.
This is a high-profile leadership opportunity for an experienced commercial and customer leader who thrives on building long-term partnerships, developing high-performing teams and delivering sustainable business growth. You'll shape the strategy for customer retention, fleet growth and account development across some of Zenith's most strategically important corporate customers.
Reporting to the Corporate Managing Director, you'll lead a team of approximately 15 Customer Relationship professionals, setting the strategic direction for the function and ensuring a consistent, high-quality approach to customer relationship management across the Corporate division.
You'll be accountable for developing and executing a customer strategy that drives retention, revenue growth and customer advocacy, while ensuring our customers continue to view Zenith as a trusted long-term partner.
This is a highly visible leadership role, requiring someone who can successfully balance customer outcomes, commercial performance and colleague development. You'll work closely with Executive Committee members, senior stakeholders and customers at C-suite level to strengthen existing relationships and identify new growth opportunities.
For an ambitious leader, this presents an exciting opportunity to influence the future direction of one of Zenith's most important customer-facing functions and play a key role in delivering our long-term corporate growth ambitions.
Key responsibilities
- Define and deliver the strategy for the Customer Relationship function, supporting retention, fleet growth and commercial performance.
- Lead, coach and develop a team of Customer Relationship Directors and customer professionals, creating a high-performing and inclusive culture.
- Take ownership of customer retention, growth and profitability across the Corporate customer portfolio.
- Build and maintain executive-level relationships with key customers and strategic partners.
- Act as Executive Sponsor for strategically important customer relationships and lead senior stakeholder engagement activity.
- Own and evolve Zenith's Executive Committee Sponsorship Programme and strategic customer defence roadmap.
- Ensure robust contract governance, account planning and customer review processes are in place.
- Represent the voice of the customer within senior leadership forums and influence future business investment decisions.
- Collaborate closely with sales, operations, finance and executive teams to deliver exceptional customer outcomes.
- Lead change initiatives and transformation programmes that improve customer experience and business performance.
- Develop leadership capability, succession plans and future talent pipelines across the function.
- Ensure delivery of budget commitments, profitability targets and strategic objectives.
We're looking for a strategic leader with a proven ability to build strong customer partnerships, inspire teams and deliver commercial results.
Essential experience
- Significant leadership experience within the automotive, leasing, fleet management or mobility sector.
- Experience leading Customer Relationship, Account Management or Customer Service functions.
- Proven success developing and executing customer or functional strategies that support business growth.
- Strong experience leading and developing high-performing teams.
- Experience managing complex internal and external stakeholder relationships, including executive and board-level engagement.
- Strong commercial acumen with experience balancing customer success and business performance.
- Experience leading organisational change and driving engagement through periods of transformation.
Leadership qualities
- A strategic thinker who can anticipate future trends and translate them into actionable plans.
- A collaborative leader who builds trust and credibility at every level.
- A role model for high standards, accountability and customer focus.
- Passionate about developing people and creating an environment where everyone can thrive.
- Curious, solutions-focused and committed to continuous improvement.
- An empathetic and authentic leader who can successfully lead teams through change.
- Competitive base salary - £110k - £125k
- Excellent commission structure
- EV Car or Car Allowance
- Pension - 6.25% employer contribution
- 24 days annual leave & 1 day for your birthday plus bank holidays
- The option to buy or sell holidays (+5 or -3)
- Flexible benefits where employee can opt into additional benefits such as PMI for your family, dental, cycle to work scheme, critical illness cover and more
- Financial Benefits: Tech Scheme, Car Sacrifice Scheme, Cycle to Work Scheme, Season Ticket Loans, AA breakdown cover
- Perks at Work – save money on everyday essentials with access to a shopping discounts site.
- Support for your wellbeing – access to company GP, Employee Assistance Programme, Pensions advice, Funded HRT Treatment, and Mental Health First Aiders
- Our customers trust us - partnering with some of the UK's largest and most recognisable brands.
- Our people stay with us - we've built a collaborative, supportive culture where people are empowered to make an impact.
- We're ambitious - backed by recent recapitalisation, major investment, a clear strategy for long-term growth and a thriving fleet of almost 170,000 vehicles.
- We're award-winning - including Leasing Company of the Year (Fleet News 2026), Large Business of the Year and Diversity & Inclusion Award winners at the Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards, and Wellbeing Award winners at Fleet News 2025.
- We're leading the transition to sustainable mobility - with over 41% of our fleet now Battery Electric Vehicles and a long-standing commitment to sustainability.
- We're invested in your future - offering clear development opportunities, structured career pathways and the chance to build a long-term career with a market leader.
We want to positively encourage differences in Zenith and believe it is critical to our success as a company. Zenith is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace that seeks to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We therefore encourage applications from all genders, races, religions, ages and sexual orientations, as well as parents, veterans, people living with disabilities, and any other groups that could bring diverse perspectives to our business.
