Head of Rental - Secondment

At Zenith, we're the UK's leading independent leasing, fleet management and vehicle outsourcing business. Managing almost 170,000 vehicles and partnering with some of the UK's most recognisable brands, we help organisations keep their people moving through smarter, more sustainable mobility solutions.

We're now looking for a commercially minded Head of Rental to lead our Rental business during a 9-month maternity cover period.

This is a rare opportunity to take ownership of a substantial standalone business within Zenith, with full responsibility for commercial performance, customer growth, supplier strategy and operational delivery. You'll inherit a high-performing team and play a key role in shaping the next stage of the Rental business whilst delivering immediate impact.

Our Rental business plays a critical role in supporting customers with flexible mobility solutions, from company car waiting periods and replacement vehicles through to short and long-term fleet requirements.

Working with a nationwide network of supplier partners, we provide access to more than 300,000 vehicles across the UK and manage circa 70,000 rental bookings annually, delivering market-leading service to some of the country's largest corporate fleets.

As Head of Rental, you'll lead a £10m+ EBITDAR business, a team of 27 colleagues, and a customer portfolio that spans many of Zenith's largest and most strategically important accounts.

This role is about far more than operational management. We're looking for someone who can drive growth, strengthen customer relationships, develop our proposition and lead the business commercially.

• Owning and delivering the Rental business strategy, with accountability for EBITDA, revenue, rental day and margin performance.
• Driving profitable growth through customer retention, account development, cross-sell opportunities and new business conversion.
• Leading, developing and inspiring a team of 27 colleagues through 9 direct reports across Customer Relationship Management, Major Accounts, Customer Service, Reservations, MI and Operations.
• Acting as executive sponsor for Zenith's largest rental customers, building senior stakeholder relationships and supporting long-term retention and growth.
• Developing customer relationship strategies across a portfolio of more than 300 active accounts.
• Supporting the conversion of rental opportunities generated through Zenith's wider corporate sales channels.
• Developing and enhancing the Rental proposition, identifying opportunities for new products, services and growth initiatives.
• Managing relationships with key rental suppliers, ensuring competitive pricing, service excellence and consistent vehicle availability.
• Leading supplier negotiations, allocation strategies and commercial partnerships to optimise customer outcomes and profitability.
• Owning tender responses, contract negotiations, customer implementations and commercial reviews.
• Ensuring alignment between sales, account management, operations and customer experience teams.
• Driving continuous improvement through technology, automation, AI and process optimisation initiatives.

• Experience leading a business unit, function or department with responsibility for both commercial and operational performance.
• A strong understanding of the rental, leasing, fleet management or wider mobility sector.
• Experience leading sales, customer relationship management or account management teams.
• Demonstrable P&L, revenue, EBITDA or budget accountability.
• A track record of delivering growth through customer retention, business development and strategic account management.
• Experience developing and implementing commercial and growth strategies.
• Strong customer relationship management skills, including engagement with senior decision-makers and executive stakeholders.
• Experience managing tender processes, contract negotiations and customer implementations.
• The ability to balance customer needs, supplier relationships and commercial performance.
• Proven people leadership experience with a track record of building high-performing, engaged teams.
• Excellent communication, influencing and…