London, UK
Senior sales and new business manager
at Pinch
PINCH is seeking a senior sales and new business manager to join its team in London.
Pinch is a British furniture design brand, created by Russell Pinch and Oona Bannon. For 14 years we have been designing award winning, genre defining, contemporary furniture and lighting, and are now offering an extremely responsible, yet exciting job in one of the UK’s most prestigious, creative and successful furniture brands.
Our customer base spans public, interior design, and contract clients, as well as a select number of leading international design stores, who represent us globally. We sell from an extensive held stock collection, with a large proportion of made to order pieces, including many customised designs and projects, passing though our studio. Everyone in our business is required to be a dynamic thinker, motivated by a desire to do things well, and a drive to work together whilst enjoying the process.
Our successful candidate will have a minimum of three years senior sales experience within furniture or an equivalent industry, and an understanding of the A&D markets. They will have a strong commercial focus with an ability to build business to targets, balanced with proven people skills and a passion for contemporary design, particularly at the luxury end.
Pinch is a company with an uncompromising idea of what makes a perfect piece of furniture. We are looking for a positive, energetic and experienced individual who is looking for an opportunity to thrive in representing our business, and be instrumental in helping us ensure we continue to grow whilst being recognised for delivering a product and representing a brand that is world class.
This motivated and smart thinking individual will work closely with the company directors, leveraging existing client relationships, and identifying and developing new opportunities, whilst leading our talented sales team, offering them guidance, and direction.
It is our ambition to continue to grow a business that is as beautiful as the furniture we design and manufacture.
Our successful candidate will be based at our shop alongside the sales team, and on occasion may be required to work from the studio, work streams depending.
Sales team management:
- help define and build our client servicing culture, balancing hunger for sales with an appropriate PINCH servicing style
- team leader, ensuring sales team are mentored, supported and the workload is fairly split
- project manage larger sales opportunities and projects, working closely with Russell Pinch to best inspire client needs and internal design team communications
- design and build estimates, invoices and drive new business opportunities
- monitor correct team pricing and profit calculations across made to order and bespoke commissions
- ensure all sales are accurately reported internally and meet Pinch profitability aims
- conduct regular core sales team reviews on profitability, fulfillment and conversion
- implement a dynamic follow up practice and sponsor through outreach opportunities
- manage Saturday staff rotation and workload shift when staff are on holidays
- troubleshoot any client issues to ensure all our customers feel positively serviced by PINCH, even where projects are demanding
- sponsor team-wide pride in shop presentation/merchandising
- define the shop culture for visiting clients and team based at shop office
- have an overview of sales system monitoring accuracy around data and reporting, ensuring output is fit for purpose, and designing the development of any enhanced functionalities required
- ensure all sales materials are up to date and reflective of our design and content standards
Profitability and accountability:
- attend monthly management finance meetings, reviewing margins, discounts and channel reports prepared by consultant financial director to inform sales approach
- issue weekly sales tally to directors, with analysis on quotes and conversion expectations to meet forecast turnover and sales targets
- prepare reports to directors on performers and sales patterns as required
- oversee best management of ongoing customer documentation (ie T&C’s)
- authorise any credits and returns (cash or inventory)
- manage publication of price lists and negotiate discretionary discount structures
- report back to procurement on any product issues experienced for resolution
Client servicing and fulfillment:
- responsible for customer satisfaction, managing any client issue escalations
- observe and improve our practices, how can we deliver smarter and better
- manage any new client pricing structure negotiation (wholesale and contract)
New opportunities:
- drive a rolling outreach program of Pinch show and tells to trade and contract clients (hosted at shop, or practice visits)
- keep looking to see where we can grow sales and re connect with existing clients
- research new bis opportunities across all our channels and plan with directors how to approach
Marketing:
- contribute to growth plan per client channel, and input into how marketing feeds this
- represent PINCH at design shows and exhibitions
- collaborate with existing team on marketing output including newsletters, press releases, web news and social media
Key areas of activity:
- drive customer satisfaction
- develop existing client relationships
- identify and engage with new clients, in and out of shop
- lead sales team
- monitor profitability and discount structures
- manage large sales opportunities, alongside sales team fulfillment
- responsible for shop presentation and team operations
- represent Pinch at trade shows and events in the UK and abroad
- collaborate in approaching new business opportunities
Key skills:
- experienced, mentoring manager
- detail orientated
- highly motivated/tenacious and enthusiastic
- financially fluent
- strong understanding of product fabrication
- Apple Mac and Microsoft office proficient
- experienced with Inventory and retail management systems
- excellent verbal and written communication skills
- fluent in English
This is a full-time position based in Pimlico. Work streams may require you to work from our Clapham Design studio on occasion.