Sales Manager

Our client is a leading manufacturer of bakery equipment, well established and recognised they have identified the need for an experienced individual to join their senior management team as part of their on-going progression programme.

JOB DESCRIPTION: TECHNICAL SALES MANAGER
CONTEXT AND SCOPE
Our client needs an assertive, inventive Technical Sales Manager to pull together the product and customer base of the company, design and lead a fresh marketing approach, secure sales orders to meet budget for the current and next few years and, working with technical and production colleagues, establish the product range, customers and markets to enable growth.

The Sales Manager will need to set up systems and processes for sales management of products, spares, service and build a new image and relationships with customers.

Their market and customer base needs extending both in the UK and with new markets overseas.

The position will report to the Managing Director who will provide strategic leadership, back up, support and coaching.

PURPOSE OF JOB
Historically, the company was founded and run for many years by an inventive engineer and entrepreneur who personally handled most of the product design, marketing, selling and customer relationships.

The need now is to record, review and systemise the product menu and sales approach, to build on the existing sales platform and customer relationships and establish marketing strategies and plans which will ensure growth and future business.

The overall purpose of the job is to secure then grow the sales of the company products and services with existing and new customers.

RESPONSIBILITIES
1.To lead a complete review and analysis for the company products, services and customer base.

Develop detailed product knowledge of the company products and services and be able to highlight the benefits of them.

To work with the Managing Director, Design Manager and the Management Team to develop new products, services and customers.

2. Market, competitors, customers.
Develop a good knowledge of competitor offerings and their corresponding strengths and weaknesses.

Identify key customer contacts and maintain excellent relationships Develop new customers and geographical markets
To act as the company ambassador with major accounts.

3. Marketing and sales processes
To set up the processes and systems needed for high quality sales operations. Ensure a good customer data base is set up and maintained.
Work with the Managing Director to ensure the company has the tools, processes, systems to enable effective selling including appropriate IT and business systems.

4. Selling
Obtain enquiries and then generate professional quotations to meet with customer requirements and win orders.

Negotiate commercial terms, scope of supply and guarantees.

Be the key point of contact for customer communication pre-order. Assist where appropriate in customer communication post order.
Ensure that the customer’s technical, lead time and commercial conditions are acceptable and accepted by the company and that customer specifications are clearly communicated internally.

Establish and manage links with agents, partners and relevant commercial bodies

5. Marketing
Design and establish a marketing strategy and plan.

Undertake or coordinate marketing activities in order to ensure that the company has a high profile in its market place. This may include writing press releases, organising presence at trade shows, use of social media & attending conferences.

Oversee content and updating of the web site.

6. Marketing and sales performance
Work with the Managing Director to set and agree to the sales budget and targets in the business plan, then work to meet the plan.

Ensure marketing and selling operations are high quality and employ appropriate state of the art methods and systems.

Establish controls and kpi’s to ensure high performance.

7. Relationship management
Ensure good working relationships are established and maintained with all other departments.

Assertively and co-operatively resolve any issues with other departments.
Job Objectives (Examples)
Sales and Marketing plan approved by MD quarter one.
Two orders placed with new customers quarter two.
Company products and services clarified and recorded and in use by quarter two.
Set up customer data base and sales systems ready for use by October 2015.

Training Objectives (Examples)
– 1st 3 months – get to know all of the company operations, people and products.Write a report for presentation to the Chairman and Managing Director pointing out the strengths, weaknesses, changes you recommend.
– 1st 6 months – tba

Competency and experience specification
Person spec includes –
Experience of selling in a technical / engineering company.
Adept at using sales processes and systems.
Good selling skills.
Good with communications and people.
Technical – understands engineering equipment and processes.
Good influencing skills.
Good problem solver.
Good team leader and team player.
Good at communicating across organisation boundaries.
Strong relationship builder with customers, agents, colleagues.
Able to handle conflict.
IT adept, familiar with modern business systems.
Strong technical and commercial admin.
Able to work remotely and whilst travelling – the job is likely to require a significant amount of travel both domestically and internationally in order to meet with customers and develop market opportunities.