International Business Developer Ellio

About Ellio

Ellio is a Belgian manufacturer of speed pedelecs (45 km/h electric bicycles), built around a unique and intuitive riding experience. The company develops its own proprietary IntuEdrive drivetrain, enabling a distinctive ride feel that sets Ellio apart from products relying on standard industry ecosystems (Bosch, Shimano, FIT, Bafang). Two years after its inception in 2018, Ellio started production of its first speed pedelec, based on the first generation drivetrain. In 2023, a second model was added. Ellio is currently the 3rd ranked brand on the Belgian SP market with a market share of 12% - and growing! Customers value Ellio’s customer service and close customer relationship, made possible by the company’s hybrid sales strategy that combines direct sales and service with a network of independent dealerships.

About the challenge: Internationalise Ellio

To bring Ellio’s riding experience to a wider audience across international markets — the company is looking for a business developer to export its unique sales & service concept to the Netherlands and later also to Switserland, Germany and Denmark. Ellio relies on its brand stores to serve a dual purpose. They serve as a hub for direct interaction between Ellio and the customers, both online and physical. Customers can come to the store to test, buy and have their bike serviced. This direct sales & service is complemented with an independent dealer network that enjoys the local support of specialised technicians and sales personnel that operate out of the Ellio brand stores. The challenge is to create a profitable local presence that remains loyal to Ellio’s brand values: Rider First attitude and One Stop Shop service. Concretely, the goal is to sell 150 Ellio bikes in the Netherlands in 2027 and to establish a robust local organisation that can be gradually handed over to the operational team in H2 2027.

Function and tasks

Your responsibility will be to build up a customer base in the Netherlands and later in countries like Switzerland, Germany and Denmark. You will do this by personally setting up a local brand store, hiring a local team (2-3 people) to assist you and by engaging with customers directly through both online and offline channels. You will split your time evenly between (1) Ellio HQ in Leuven - to immerse yourself fully into Ellio’s brand DNA and team - and (2) the Netherlands - to meet with customers, dealers and local partners. Your work starts with the rider: your job is to find where they are, get them to try an Ellio bike and give them the confidence to become a pioneer for our brand in the Netherlands. You can build on Ellio’s organisation in Flanders to support you in this endeavour with process blueprints, software, technical procedures etc and you will have significant freedom in finding the location, real estate, people and local partners you need to build up Ellio’s local presence. A working budget will be allocated and regularly reviewed. You will report on progress directly to the CEO.

Once sales in the Netherlands pick up, you hand over operational processes gradually to the COO and Sales & Service Manager so that you can shift your attention gradually to other markets.

Task examples

• Find and contact local stakeholders to learn about the local market dynamics
• Set-up and track local marketing campaigns in collaboration with the go to market manager
• Engage with customers directly at test events, dealerships, online,...
• Keep track of customer interactions and deal progress in the CRM system (Pipedrive) and close the first direct sales deals
• Visit dealerships to explain Ellio’s products and sales & service model
• Hire local sales and service personnel
• Find and rent real estate and coordinate the set-up of a local Ellio brand store (supported by Ellio’s team in Belgium)

Competencies and Profile

We are looking for a hands-on commercial generalist with a passion for going from 0 to 1. You start from scratch as the chief everything officer of your local Ellio branch in the Netherlands or elsewhere and you let go once the train has left the station, leaving the wheel in the hands of your hand-picked local team. Direct contact with customers excites you and you love the challenge of convincing people to go out of their comfort zone and try something new. You learn as you go and you can adapt quickly to new learnings and market situations. You love immersing yourself in other cultures and habits and are quick to build connections with local stakeholders. Customer centricity is very important and will be one of the main judgement criteria.

Experience and education expectations

• No specific degree or experience required, although relevant experience definitely is a plus
• Experience with hands-on business development (small team or company) is a plus
• Strong communication, presentation, and reporting skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication in Dutch and English. Other languages are a plus (German, French mainly)
• Good knowledge of CRM systems and cloud based office applications (Pipedrive, Google Workspace)
• Drivers licence B

Remuneration

• Competitive base salary + result based incentives
• Extralegal package with meal vouchers, hospitalisation insurance,...
• Dedicated company vehicle (compact transit van - Ford Transit Custom or similar)