Head of Dach

About the Role

Lotus is entering an exciting new chapter in Europe. As we continue to strengthen our presence across Germany, Austria and Switzerland and prepare for the launch of the Eletre X, we are looking for an ambitious, commercially driven leader to take ownership of our DACH operations.

As one of Lotus' largest and most strategically important European markets, the DACH region represents a significant opportunity for growth. This is a senior leadership position with full P&L accountability, responsibility for commercial performance, dealer network development and building a high-performing regional organisation.

We're looking for someone who thrives in a dynamic environment, brings an entrepreneurial mindset and has the commercial expertise to turn opportunities into measurable results.

As a challenger brand in the premium automotive market, Lotus offers the opportunity to make a genuine impact, shape regional strategy and play a key role in our continued transformation.

Please note: This role is based in Munich, and successful candidates must reside in Germany for the duration of their employment. Candidates currently based outside Germany must be willing and able to relocate to Germany before commencing the role.

What You'll Be Doing

Commercial Strategy & Performance

• Take full ownership of commercial performance, wholesale and retail volume targets, and P&L delivery.

• Develop and implement strategies to increase market share, revenue and profitability within the premium performance and electric vehicle segments.

• Lead the successful regional launch of the Eletre X and future product introductions.

• Oversee inventory management, stock turn and dealer order intake to support sustainable growth.

• Identify market opportunities, commercial risks and improvement initiatives to maximise performance.

Dealer Network Development

• Lead the development and performance of the DACH dealer network, ensuring strong commercial partnerships and sustainable profitability.

• Build trusted relationships with dealer principals and key retail partners.

• Strengthen dealer engagement, investment and commitment to the Lotus brand.

• Establish clear performance expectations, KPIs and regular dealer business reviews.

• Identify opportunities to expand and optimise the retail network across the region.

• Drive excellence in customer experience, retail standards and brand representation.

Marketing & Customer Acquisition

• Develop targeted, commercially focused marketing strategies that deliver measurable returns.

• Strengthen customer engagement by leveraging Lotus' performance heritage, brand identity and enthusiast community.

• Oversee the customer journey from initial enquiry and test drive through to conversion and vehicle delivery.

• Work closely with Marketing and retail partners to improve lead generation, conversion rates and customer acquisition.

• Ensure marketing investment supports clear commercial objectives and return on investment.

Operational Excellence

• Establish a data-driven approach to managing sales performance, dealer KPIs, inventory and marketing effectiveness.

• Drive continuous improvement across sales operations, order-to-delivery processes and customer experience.

• Use market intelligence, customer insights and commercial data to inform strategic decisions.

• Ensure operational processes are efficient, scalable and aligned with wider European business objectives.

• Collaborate with European and global stakeholders to deliver consistent performance and operational standards.

Leadership & Organisational Development

• Lead, inspire and develop the DACH commercial organisation across Sales, Marketing and Operations.

• Build a high-performance culture centred on accountability, collaboration and results.

• Attract, develop and retain talent to support the region's long-term success.

• Establish clear objectives, performance measures and development priorities.

• Represent the DACH region within the wider European leadership structure, ensuring effective communication and alignment.

What We're Looking For

Essential Skills & Experience

• Significant commercial leadership experience within the automotive industry, ideally in a Country Manager, Regional Director, Head of Market or equivalent senior leadership position.

• Proven experience managing commercial performance, budgets and P&L accountability.

• Demonstrable success in developing or growing automotive markets, particularly within challenger brands or resource-conscious environments.

• Extensive experience managing dealer networks and developing strong B2B commercial relationships within Germany.

• Strong understanding of customer acquisition, lead generation, conversion optimisation and performance marketing.

• Excellent commercial judgement, analytical capability and confidence using KPIs and data to drive business decisions.

• Strong leadership skills, with experience building and developing high-performing teams.

• Fluent German and business-fluent English.

• Must reside in Germany throughout employment, or be willing and able to relocate to Germany before the start date.

• Ability to work from our Munich location.

• Flexibility to travel regularly.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Experience working with emerging EV brands or Chinese automotive manufacturers.

• Background within premium, performance or luxury automotive brands.

• Experience in market entry, business transformation or brand turnaround.

• Knowledge of automotive finance, leasing, residual values and associated funding solutions.

• An established network of automotive dealer contacts across the DACH region.

What Will Make You Successful

You'll be a commercially astute, confident and hands-on leader who combines strategic thinking with a strong focus on execution.

You'll understand what it takes to grow a brand in a competitive market, build dealer confidence and deliver results while managing resources effectively.

Most importantly, you'll bring the drive, resilience and entrepreneurial mindset to shape the future of Lotus across the DACH region.

Benefits

At Lotus, we recognise the importance of attracting and retaining talented leaders. We offer a competitive reward package designed to support your professional and personal wellbeing.

Our package for this opportunity includes:

• Competitive Annual Salary: Paid in EUR gross per annum, commensurate with experience and the responsibilities of the role.

• Mobility Allowance: €1,200 gross per month (€14,400 gross annually), paid through payroll and subject to applicable taxes and statutory deductions. This is provided in place of a company car.

• Annual Leave: Paid annual leave in accordance with your employment contract and applicable German requirements.

• Bonus scheme - non contractual.

• Professional Development: Opportunities to develop your career within an international automotive organisation.

• Exclusive Employee discount, wellbeing and recognition platform #ForUSLOT.

Please note: This position does not include a company car. The €1,200 gross monthly mobility allowance is provided instead.

About Lotus

Lotus is a globally recognised British performance automotive brand, built on a rich heritage of engineering excellence, innovation and driving excitement.

As we continue our transformation and expand our product portfolio, we're creating a new generation of performance vehicles while remaining true to the values that have defined Lotus for decades.

Joining Lotus means becoming part of an ambitious, international organisation where you'll have the opportunity to influence commercial strategy, develop our presence across key markets and make a lasting impact on our future success.