Sales Operations Manager in Crewe

James Walker is part of the James Walker Group of Companies, a successful global industrial organisation supplying high-performance sealing products and solutions. The James Walker Strategic Business Unit (SBU) specialises in the provision of sealing solutions including elastomers, polymers, composites, engineering plastics, and high nickel alloys.

Your Role: As the Sales and Operations Manager, you will lead, inspire, and engage a Sales Team to deliver industry-leading service to James Walker UK customers. You will ensure all company and performance objectives are achieved and that individuals are developed to continually improve and fulfil their potential. You will build a culture of employee engagement while supporting and delivering sustainable commercial growth in line with the company strategy.

Responsibilities:

• Provide coaching and support across various UK locations where James Walker UK customer accounts are managed, ensuring consistency in approach to customers, quality, processes, and delivery of KPIs and company objectives.
• Instil a customer-focused culture and a right-first-time approach with the team.
• Consider the future and how to support both the customer and the team by translating the wider business strategy and objectives into actionable items.
• Build strong collaborative working relationships with the Externals Sales Team to meet customer needs.
• Ensure customer-related information systems are operated to the required standard to maintain accurate and secure records.
• Execute strategies to improve the team's Net Promoter Score/Customer Satisfaction and employee engagement, working with the Customer Experience Team.
• Utilise customer feedback to develop and recognise individual and team achievements.
• Proactively review operational processes aimed at developing efficiencies that will support business growth in terms of customer loyalty and revenue.
• Develop and implement initiatives to increase productivity, efficiency, and service excellence.
• Monitor overall sales performance and advise on corrective strategic directions to address disparities or shortfalls.
• Motivate and engage the team to deliver against KPIs and business strategy while working towards continuous improvement.
• Monitor daily team performance, providing timely feedback and implementing performance management tools as necessary.
• Collaborate with the Sales Director to cultivate strong relationships for continued and sustainable sales growth.

About you:

Preferred Skill & Experience:

• Track record of winning new business in a technical/engineering-related environment.
• CRM (or equivalent) experience.
• Excellent working knowledge of James Walker, its products, and their applications in various industry sectors.
• Command of lean principles and understanding of Continual Improvement (Six Sigma or Lean manufacturing), especially in KPI management.

Essential Skill & Experience:

• Previous experience in a Customer Service/Sales Managerial role.
• Experience of change relating to the introduction of a new ERP system.
• At least 5 years in leading, coaching, and developing high-performing sales teams.
• Experience in driving continuous customer-focused improvements.
• Sound understanding and use of sales strategies and methodology.
• Experience in targeting and actively selling in multi-product/complex solution environments.
• Experience of addressing technical issues in a sales role/environment.
• Understanding of the budgeting process and capability to compile a local operating budget for a site.
• Contractual exposure within a sales role, with an understanding of terms and conditions.
• Experience in campaign management.
• Strong evidence of network development and management at multiple business levels.
• Sales pipeline management, specifically in new business opportunities.
• Experience of working in an engineering and/or manufacturing environment.
• Experience in driving performance in a sales office.

Qualifications:

Preferred Qualifications:

• Business or engineering-related degree/HND/HNC.
• Maths and English qualification A Level – Grade C or Higher.
• Six Sigma Qualification.

Essential Qualifications:

• ILM qualification or equivalent.
• Minimum Maths and English qualification (e.g. GCSE, Baccalaureate, US High School Diploma with a good pass).