My privately owned client was formed forty plus years ago and provide high quality cleaning, window cleaning and ground maintenance services throughout the southern half of the country including sites in Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, London, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Dorset. Their client base includes Housing Associations, property and FM companies, offices, residential care homes, business parks, industrial estates, private estates, local authorities, surgeries & Health Centres, universities and schools. Their current turnover is in excess of £20m.

I am currently working in partnership with them to find an experienced sales professional to join them as Head of Business Development. This is a new role for the business. Historically the Managing Director has undertaken the sales function, but as the company continues to grow, he does not have the time to devote to this important task anymore. Therefore, we are looking for a candidate who has enough sales experience in this sector to hit the ground running (and who ideally has contacts in the housing association business sector or at least has an excellent knowledge of the tender processes required for public sector bids) who has the ability to get on and set up and manage a dedicated sales department.  Obviously there will be for initial training/imparting knowledge/support etc from the MD, but the emphasis really is on someone who as vast sales experience and knowledge, so will need minimal hand-holding.

Currently the sales function comprises of a consultant Bid writer, a Site Estimator and a Business Development Manager who targets smaller clients and property management companies.  They also have a number of Customer Relationship Managers who will be canvassing existing clients. They are happy to explore telesales if the incumbent Head of Business Development feels this is useful and will oversee the recruitment/training/management. The role will also be responsible for seeking out areas for expansion and development this could be a new product/service or geographical area or diversification for example they would be happy to consider expansion towards the West Midlands area. There will be a target of £1m per annum of new business plus retention. The basic tasks of the role will be to;

• Oversee the business development function
• Manage the existing team (ensure that everyone is utilised, even during quiet periods); grow the team as required
• Create/Maintain/Pre qualify top 3 to 500 list of targets
• Oversee the whole commission structure for the business e.g. Motivate the CMs/CRMs to upsell
• Be responsible for social media and website marketing
• Head the bid team/process to ensure early responses
• Keep an eye on existing customers/look for opportunities

For this role candidates must have extensive sales experience in the commercial cleaning sector (ideally with experience of the housing association sector or the tender process for public sector bids), be motivated and possess the ability to set up and manage a sales department. The role holder will be working regularly from the company’s head office (especially in the first six months), so candidates must reside within a distance that a commute there three days a week is tenable.

Salary starting at a £60k-£70k base (possibly higher for the right candidate) plus commission with the usual car/phone/laptop provision.

We do try to reply to each application personally, however as you can appreciate, we receive a high number of applications for each role we handle and it is not always possible to do this. Therefore, if we do not contact you within seven days your application for this particular role has not been successful. However, we have retained your CV and we will advise you of future roles that may be of interest. Fairford Associates operates as an Employment Agency introducing work-seekers to client employers for direct employment by those employers.