Head of Pre-Sales

The Access Group; Loughborough; Hybrid; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading software provider in Loughborough is seeking an experienced Head of Pre-Sales to lead their pre-sales function in the People Division. This role demands strategic vision to integrate AI technologies, build high-performing teams and ensure superior customer engagement. Candidates must have a strong background in HR technology and proven leadership in pre-sales teams. The position comes with a competitive salary and a range of benefits, including a matched pension scheme and charity day off.

Benefits

25 days holiday

Matched pension scheme

Charity day allocation

Qualifications

• Proven track record in leading pre-sales or solution consulting teams.
• Demonstrated success in driving commercial outcomes.
• Experience with HR technology and processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the pre-sales function with a vision for AI integration.
• Develop high-performing teams and manage consultancy processes.
• Engage C-level stakeholders for strategic positioning.

Skills

Leadership in pre-sales teams

AI technology understanding

Customer engagement strategies

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder management

Tools

AI-powered analytics tools

Pre-sales technology

Job description

We’re looking for people to join the Access family, who share our passion for believing in better, and who will help us continue to grow.Love Work. Love Life. Be You. - is central to our success and how we give our customers the freedom to do more of what's important to them.We offer a blended approach to office working, encouraging you to collaborate and connect in one of our thriving offices. We deliver on what we say, taking the development of our people seriously. We’ll work with you to progress your success plan and provide opportunities to accelerate your career.On top of a competitive salary, our standard 25 days holiday (which goes up the longer you’re with us), and a matched pension scheme, you’ll also be able to choose from a range of benefits to suit you. We’re an organisation that likes to give back, so you’ll also have one charity day allocated to support a cause that matters to you.**About the Role**We're seeking an experienced Head of Pre-Sales to lead our pre-sales function across the People Division. You'll have responsibility for our Value Consultancy, Solution Consultancy, and Bid teams - driving commercial success through exceptional customer engagement and strategic positioning of our Access People solutions.You'll build and lead high-performing teams that translate customer business challenges into compelling AI-enabled solution propositions, support revenue growth, and position Access as the trusted partner of choice in the HRIS technology market. A core part of this role is championing AI innovation both internally - transforming how your teams work - and externally, helping customers understand how AI will reshape their HR operations.**Day-to-Day, You Will:****Lead the Pre-Sales Function** Provide vision and direction for pre-sales, aligning team capabilities with growth objectives and Access's AI-first strategy. Build frameworks that leverage AI and pre-sales technology to ensure consistency, quality, and commercial effectiveness. Champion AI-powered tools that enhance team productivity, proposal quality, and customer insights.**Drive AI Transformation** Lead the integration of AI across the pre-sales function - from generative AI for proposals and bids, to AI-powered analytics for opportunity scoring, and increasing the teams capacity through innovate use of AI tech. Ensure your teams articulate Access's AI capabilities compellingly, demonstrating how Access Evo will transform HR operations. Drive adoption of pre-sales technology including interactive content & videos, and AI-powered content libraries.**Build & Develop Teams** Lead, coach, and develop the Value Consultancy, Solution Consultancy, and Bid teams. Build a culture where AI literacy is core to team capability. Ensure your teams are skilled in both consultative selling and leveraging AI tools to work smarter. Drive recruitment, retention, and succession planning.**Deliver Commercial Results** Take commercial responsibility for pre-sales contribution to revenue targets. Work with sales leadership to drive pipeline progression, improve win rates, and maximize deal value. Oversee business case development and ROI modelling that differentiate Access in competitive situations.**Lead Strategic Engagements** Engage with C-level stakeholders at key accounts, positioning Access as their guide to AI-enabled HR transformation.**Shape Strategy** Stay ahead of market trends in AI and HR technology. Feed insights back to product, marketing, and commercial teams to shape roadmaps and go-to-market strategy. Build strong relationships across sales, product, delivery, and customer success teams.**About You:****Essential Experience*** Proven track record leading pre-sales or solution consulting teams in B2B software, ideally HR technology or enterprise SaaS* Demonstrated success driving commercial outcomes through effective pre-sales leadership* Experience managing Value Consultancy, Solution Consultancy, or Bid teams* Strong understanding of HR & Payroll processes and challenges facing HR leaders* Track record building and developing high-performing teams**AI & Technology Leadership*** Deep curiosity about AI and its applications in pre-sales operations and customer solutions* Experience with pre-sales technology, demo automation, or AI-powered sales tools* Ability to articulate AI concepts in business terms and translate capabilities into customer value* Understanding of how AI will reshape HR, workforce management, and employee experience* Vision for how AI can transform pre-sales effectiveness**Leadership & Commercial Skills*** Strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen* Excellent stakeholder management across sales, product, and executive leadership* Ability to drive change and scale teams in a technology-led environment* Data-driven approach to performance management* Exceptional communication and presentation skills**Additional Requirements*** Understanding of bid and tender processes, particularly public sector* Comfortable with travel to support key engagements* Self-motivated with passion for customer success and innovationThe Access Group is one of the largest UK-headquartered business management software providers. It provides solutions that empower more than 160,000 small and mid-sized organisations in commercial and non-profit sectors across Europe, USA and APAC, giving every employee the freedom to do more of what's important. Its innovative cloud solutions and integrated AI software experience across multiple Access products transform how business technology is used. Access employs approx. 8,500 people, continuously driving product innovation and customer service excellence. At Access, we are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. If you're excited about this role, (even if your previous experience doesn't align perfectly), you might just be the perfect fit for us! We wholeheartedly believe in equality for all and the transformative power of diversity.Love Work. Love Life. Be You.