Sales Director

Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire
Permanent Futures Limited

Futures is working with a well-known manufacturing business within the electrical power sector to recruit an experienced Sales Director to lead and develop its sales function.

This is a senior leadership opportunity within an established manufacturer supplying transformer solutions across the UK and international markets. The Sales Director will take responsibility for delivering the sales strategy, driving revenue and order intake, developing the sales team and building long-term relationships with key customers.

The successful candidate will be an experienced technical sales leader with a strong commercial track record, capable of operating strategically while remaining close to customers, opportunities and the performance of the sales team.

The Role

• Develop and implement the sales strategy across the company’s distribution and small-to-medium power transformer portfolio.
• Take ownership of sales targets, order intake, pipeline development, forecasting and key commercial KPIs.
• Lead, manage, mentor and develop the sales team, creating a high-performance and accountable sales culture.
• Support Regional and National Sales Managers with lead generation, opportunity development and securing new orders.
• Develop senior-level relationships with key customers and strategic accounts, identifying opportunities to increase market share and secure long-term partnerships.
• Lead and support negotiations on significant commercial agreements and major contracts.
• Monitor existing, lapsed and non-buying accounts to identify opportunities for growth and penetration into new markets.
• Drive effective use of CRM, ensuring opportunities, customer activity and forecasts are accurately maintained.
• Review strategic account plans, customer visit programmes and sales activity to ensure resources remain focused on the right opportunities.
• Develop new sales initiatives, strategies and routes to market in response to changing customer and market requirements.
• Work closely with Engineering, Marketing, Commercial and Operations to remove barriers to winning new business and improve the overall customer proposition.
• Monitor competitor activity, market trends and customer investment programmes to identify emerging opportunities.
• Provide accurate monthly sales reporting and forecasting to the senior leadership team.
• Chair regular sales meetings and calls, providing clear direction, challenge and support.
• Represent the business at customer meetings, exhibitions, industry events and CPDs across the UK and occasionally internationally.

Leadership & People Management

You will provide direct leadership to the sales team, setting clear objectives and ensuring individuals understand their responsibilities and contribution to the wider commercial strategy. You will conduct regular 1:1s and performance reviews, coach and develop team members and ensure appropriate sales processes and commercial disciplines are consistently followed.

What We’re Looking For

• 10+ years’ technical sales experience, ideally within electrical power, electrical equipment, engineering or technical manufacturing.
• Experience operating at Sales Director, Head of Sales or a comparable senior sales leadership level.
• A demonstrable track record of achieving and exceeding sales and order intake targets.
• Experience selling technically complex, engineered or capital equipment.
• Knowledge of transformers would be advantageous, although candidates from LV/HV switchgear, substations, power distribution equipment or related electrical infrastructure markets are strongly encouraged.