Sales Manager in London

THE SPONSOR: Bloom Equity Partners is leveraging decades of investing and operating experience to rapidly unlock transformational growth and deliver superior returns to our investment partners and management teams. Investing exclusively in lower-middle market technology, software and tech-enabled business service companies, Bloom drives enduring market value by partnering closely with founders and management teams, injecting capital to unlock growth and providing operational resources and expertise to enable meaningful step-change to the business.

THE COMPANY: This company is a renowned cyber security and privacy consultancy committed to delivering exceptional governance risk and compliance solutions to our customers. Our mission is to help safeguard digital environments and ensure data privacy compliance through comprehensive and innovative solutions.

ABOUT THE ROLE: The perfect candidate is a people‐first leader who drives revenue growth through the development, coaching, and empowerment of high‐performing sales teams. This role combines deep sector expertise in cybersecurity and data privacy compliance with exceptional people‐management skills to build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and consultative selling excellence. As Sales Manager, you will be responsible for leading a team of Sales Executives, developing their capabilities, and ensuring they achieve both individual and team targets while maintaining the highest standards of customer engagement and GRC brand representation.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Team Leadership & Development: Recruit, onboard, and develop a high‐performing team of Sales Executives across direct and/or channel sales motions. Create and maintain a coaching culture focused on skill development, sales methodology excellence, and continuous improvement. Conduct regular 1‐on‐1 coaching sessions with each team member, focusing on deal strategy, objection handling, and skill gaps. Design and deliver ongoing sales training programs covering GRC products, competitive positioning, and consultative selling techniques. Build individual development plans for each team member with clear performance milestones and growth pathways. Foster a collaborative, high‐energy team environment that balances healthy competition with mutual support. Lead by example, demonstrating the sales behaviors and customer engagement approaches you expect from your team.
• Performance Management & Accountability: Set clear performance expectations, quotas, and KPIs for each team member aligned with overall revenue goals. Monitor individual and team performance against targets, providing real‐time feedback and course correction. Conduct quarterly performance reviews and annual evaluations with focus on development and growth. Implement performance improvement plans when needed, with clear expectations and supportive coaching. Recognize and reward top performers through formal and informal recognition programs. Make difficult personnel decisions when necessary, including performance management and terminations. Track and analyze key metrics including pipeline coverage, win rates, sales cycle length, and forecast accuracy.
• Pipeline & Forecast Management: Own team revenue forecasting with accuracy and accountability, providing regular updates to senior leadership. Review and validate team pipeline weekly, ensuring proper qualification, progression, and data hygiene in CRM. Conduct rigorous deal reviews, coaching team members on strategy, competitive positioning, and closing tactics. Identify pipeline gaps early and implement proactive strategies to address coverage concerns. Ensure consistent application of sales methodology and opportunity qualification frameworks (e.g., MEDDIC, BANT). Manage escalations and provide senior‐level support on strategic or complex opportunities. Maintain complete, accurate pipeline visibility using GRC's CRM system (Salesforce).
• Strategic Sales Planning: Develop and execute territory plans, account segmentation strategies, and coverage models. Collaborate with marketing on lead generation strategies, campaign effectiveness, and sales enablement needs. Work with Product and Services teams to ensure Sales Executives are equipped with current product knowledge and positioning. Identify market trends, competitive threats, and opportunities within the GRC sector. Contribute to annual revenue planning, quota setting, and territory design. Optimize sales processes, removing friction points and improving sales efficiency. Define and refine ideal customer profiles and buyer personas based on team learning.
• Cross‐Functional Collaboration: Partner with Pre‐Sales/Solution Consultants to ensure effective technical discovery and scoping. Coordinate with Professional Services on resource planning and delivery expectations. Align with Customer Success on handoff processes and account management strategy. Provide customer and market intelligence to Product teams to inform roadmap decisions. Collaborate with Finance on deal structuring, pricing approvals, and contract terms. Work with Operations on tools, systems, and process improvements.
• Sector Expertise & Market Intelligence: Maintain deep understanding of the cybersecurity and data privacy compliance markets. Stay current on regulatory changes (GDPR, SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIST, etc.) that drive customer demand. Understand competitive landscape and coach team on effective competitive differentiation. Attend industry events, webinars, and conferences to build market knowledge and network. Share market insights and customer feedback with leadership to inform strategic decisions.
• Emotional Intelligence & People Skills: Demonstrate high EQ in all team interactions, adapting leadership style to individual needs. Create psychological safety where team members feel comfortable taking risks and learning from failures. Navigate difficult conversations with empathy, clarity, and respect. Recognize and manage team dynamics, addressing conflicts constructively. Celebrate wins publicly and handle performance issues privately. Model work‐life balance and support team members' wellbeing. Build trust through consistency, transparency, and authentic communication.

QUALIFICATIONS:

What You Must Have:

• Minimum 5+ years sales experience with at least 2+ years in a sales management or team lead capacity.
• Proven track record of building, coaching, and developing successful sales teams.
• Experience managing quota‐carrying sales professionals in a B2B technology or SaaS environment.
• Strong coaching mindset with demonstrated ability to develop individual contributors into high performers.
• High emotional intelligence with excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Data‐driven decision maker with strong analytical and forecasting capabilities.
• Deep knowledge of the cybersecurity, GRC, or data privacy compliance markets.
• Experience with complex, consultative B2B sales cycles involving multiple stakeholders.
• Proficiency with CRM systems (Salesforce strongly preferred) and sales analytics.
• Demonstrated ability to hold team members accountable while maintaining positive relationships.
• Experience with sales methodologies (MEDDIC, Challenger, SPIN, or similar).
• Comfortable having difficult conversations and making tough personnel decisions.
• Strong business acumen including understanding of SaaS metrics, ARR, and sales efficiency ratios.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands‐on execution.

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• Experience managing both direct and channel sales teams.
• Background selling GRC, compliance, or security software solutions.
• Familiarity with partner ecosystem management.
• Experience in a PE‐backed or high‐growth technology company.
• Relevant certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISM, CRISC, or sales leadership training).
• MBA or advanced degree.
• Experience with sales compensation plan design.
• Knowledge of demand generation and marketing automation platforms.

Personal Competencies:

• Coaching & Development: Natural teacher and mentor who derives satisfaction from others' success.
• Emotional Intelligence: Self‐aware, empathetic, and skilled at reading people and situations.
• Accountability: Holds self and others to high standards while maintaining supportive environment.
• Resilience: Maintains composure and positive outlook during setbacks and high‐pressure situations.
• Communication: Exceptional listener; clear, concise communicator across all levels.
• Adaptability: Flexible in approach while maintaining consistency in standards and expectations.
• Strategic Thinking: Sees the big picture while managing day‐to‐day execution.
• Decisiveness: Makes timely decisions with incomplete information when necessary.
• Authenticity: Leads with genuineness and builds trust through consistent actions.
• Growth Mindset: Continuously learning and encouraging learning in others.
• Collaboration: Works effectively across organizational boundaries to achieve shared goals.
• Results Orientation: Driven to achieve targets while developing people and maintaining culture.
• Problem Solving: Creative and analytical approach to removing obstacles for the team.
• Integrity: Demonstrates highest ethical standards and expects same from team.

Disclaimer: This Job Description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent(s). It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent(s) may be asked to perform other duties in addition to those described above.