Sales Director

About the Company:

• The company are a market leading organisation within the floorcoverings / building products sector, that are looking to strengthen their senior management team with the key recruitment of a Sales Director.
• The organisation has been expanding and are constantly looking for new business opportunities.
• It is an exciting time to join and develop your career within this leading company who want their employees to grow and develop along with the company.

About the Role:

• The successful candidate will be responsible for winning new accounts and growing strategic partnerships with large national retailers within the merchants, high street retailers and online/e-commerce, leveraging the company’s extensive product portfolio and value proposition.
• This role is critical to the sustainable growth and ultimate success of the business within the next decade.

Main Duties and Tasks:

• Market research and intelligence: analyse market trends, competitor activity, and customer feedback to inform sales strategies and ensure the company stays competitive and relevant.
• Conduct regular store visits to better understand retailer / competitor initiatives within the market (product / price / promos / POS / location / etc).
• New business development: identify and pursue new business opportunities with major national retail chains and trade merchants.
• Work with Key Accounts Category Manager to develop the proposition fit to win individual customer accounts.
• Creation and delivery of compelling customer propositions and/or tender documents focused on helping the customer to grow their business through our offer.
• Work with buying to develop and introduce NPD to accounts.
• Align stakeholders across the business to ensure that quality, ESG and policy requirements can be met to win tenders.
• Management of existing sales and margin mix within new accounts, taking into account margin mix across all key accounts, with a focus on business growth.
• Negotiation and closing: lead negotiations with key accounts, including pricing, terms, and service levels, to secure profitable new contracts.
• Cross-functional collaboration: work closely with internal teams (buying, marketing, logistics) to ensure that customer requirements are met.
• Performance monitoring and reporting: track key account performance, sales forecasts, and KPIs, providing regular reports to senior management on progress against targets and market developments.
• Creating robust and accurate forecasting plans.
• Monitoring incoming orders and ensuring these are fulfilled effectively through excellent communication with the supply chain, operations and the sales office.
• Monitoring incoming orders and ensuring these are fulfilled effectively through excellent communication with the supply chain, operations and the sales office.
• Investigating and resolving account queries and issues raised on new national accounts.
• Liaise internally to optimise quality of service, business growth and customer requirements/satisfaction.
• Management and implementation of cost price increase strategies / initiatives as appropriate.
• Coordinate and implement marketing and promotional initiatives.
• Perform administrative duties related to national account support.
• Perform other duties as assigned (e.g. trade shows, merchandising, etc).
• Record, analyse, report and administer according to systems and requirements.
• Manage the merchandising needs for accounts via 3rd party merchandisers when appropriate.
• Transfer new accounts to Key Account Managers once the new customer is fully established.
• Investigating and resolving account queries and issues raised on new national accounts.

About the Individual: The ideal candidate will have the following experience:

• Strong national business development experience.
• Full understanding of P&L and track record of using variety of commercial levers to generate profitable business.
• Experience of formulating strategic account plans.
• Proven track record of identifying, seeking and winning new business.
• Experience of joint business planning.
• Be familiar with the principles of category management.
• You will ideally be currently working within the floorcoverings sector or a related market - ceramic tiles, building products or DIY.

Remuneration:

• Basic dependant on experience, bonus, great benefits and car.

Contact: Russell Cripps Reference: RC/5558 Candidate Care: By responding to this advert, you consent to Cavendish Maine processing the personal data included within this application. If your application is successful, we will contact you to discuss the opportunity in more detail, within 48 hours of receiving your application. Should you not hear from us within 3 working days please assume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Please be advised that if unsuccessful for this role we may keep your details in our hold file, during which time you may be contacted for other suitable vacancies. If you do not want us to do this please call us to advise. In the meantime, we would like to thank you for your interest in Cavendish Maine.