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- Tasks: Drive growth by building relationships with architects and designers in London's commercial market.
- Company: Join Karndean, a vibrant community passionate about innovative flooring solutions.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, employee discounts, health plans, and generous holiday leave.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on exciting projects while promoting sustainable design.
- Qualifications: Experience in specification-driven sales and strong relationship management skills required.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values creativity and innovation.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
As a Strategic Specification Manager, you will play a key role in driving Karndean's growth within the Central London Architect & Design and project specification community - a fast-paced, design-led and commercially influential market. You will be responsible for developing and strengthening strategic relationships with architects, interior designers, fit-out specialists, developers and contractors, positioning Karndean as the flooring partner of choice for high-profile commercial projects.
Working across long-cycle specifications, you will navigate complex stakeholder networks and support projects from early RIBA stages through to final installation. With a strong focus on sectors including workspace, multi-residential, hospitality, retail and education, this role is critical to delivering sustainable, design-led growth in one of the UK's most competitive and opportunity-rich regions.
How You Will Contribute
- Build and nurture strong, influential relationships with architects, interior designers, fit-out firms, developers, and main contractors across Central London, ensuring Karndean is their go-to partner at the earliest stages of project specification.
- Take ownership of the full project lifecycle, from RIBA Stage 1 through to delivery, securing and protecting specifications while managing procurement, value engineering, and installation stages.
- Drive specification growth and conversion by linking early design decisions with contractor and sub-contractor engagement, ensuring project vision is successfully translated into site-level execution.
- Proactively map the market and pipeline using Glenigan, CRM, and local intelligence, identifying upcoming opportunities, key stakeholders, and target practices to engage strategically.
- Collaborate effectively with national accounts, customer experience, marketing, and technical teams to ensure a seamless, high-quality experience for clients throughout every stage of a project.
- Champion Karndean's design, sustainability, and wellbeing credentials, articulating how our solutions meet evolving client needs, including acoustic, accessibility, neuro-inclusive, and ESG-conscious considerations.
- Represent Karndean within the London design and construction ecosystem, attending networking events, industry forums, and sector exhibitions to raise visibility and influence.
- Achieve and exceed annual territory sales, specification, and margin targets, contributing directly to Karndean's commercial success and reinforcing our strategic position in one of the UK's most competitive regions.
What Will Make You Successful in This Role
We’re looking for a driven specification expert to grow Karndean's presence across London's design-led commercial market. You’ll work with architects, interior designers, fit-out specialists, developers, and contractors to ensure Karndean is the flooring partner of choice for high-profile projects. You will bring:
- A thorough understanding of London's design-led commercial market, including workspace, hospitality, education, retail, and high-density residential sectors.
- Robust skills in leading specification-driven sales across complex stakeholder networks. Confident in managing relationships across architects, designers, contractors, developers, and project managers - ensuring consistent alignment between design intent, product selection, and project execution.
- Proficiency in CRM systems (Dynamics 365), using them to maintain visibility across a project pipeline.
- Demonstrable understanding of flooring solutions in the context of volume multi-residential construction - including subfloor conditions, performance classifications, installation methods, and acoustic and sustainability requirements.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills, effectively liaising with commercial, operations, and marketing teams to ensure seamless execution of framework agreements.
Join Karndean and make a real impact on London's most exciting commercial projects while driving design-led, sustainable growth.
Our Values
- Deliver the Promise: behaving with integrity, keeping commitments, and being accountable to customers, colleagues, and partners.
- People Matter: valuing individuals, recognising achievement, trusting one another, and making sure employees feel empowered.
- Pioneering Spirit: encouraging boldness, innovation, creative thinking- traits that are part of the company's founding.
- Positive Energy: bringing enthusiasm, dynamism and a 'can-do' attitude to work every day.
Why Join Us
We’re more than just a flooring company; we’re a community of passionate, innovative people who love what we do and have fun doing it. We know that engaged employees create great work, so we make sure our teams are well looked after with a wide range of rewards and benefits, including:
- Flexible and hybrid working
- Employee discounts on our stunning floors
- Health cash plan
- 25 days' holiday including your birthday off - and more days as you grow with us
- Enhanced pension, maternity, paternity, and sick pay
- Learning and development opportunities to support your career journey
- A paid volunteering day to give back to your community
- Competitive bonus and commission schemes
- Regular employee awards with up to £1,000 monetary prizes
- Access to an employee benefits platform packed with national discounts
We’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. As a proud Armed Forces Covenant Silver Employer and Disability Confident Committed organisation, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
Strategic Specification Manager - London employer: Karndean Designflooring
Contact Detail:
Karndean Designflooring Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Strategic Specification Manager - London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Attend industry events, exhibitions, and forums to meet architects, designers, and contractors. Building those relationships can open doors to opportunities that aren’t advertised.
✨Tip Number 2
Be proactive in your approach. Don’t wait for job openings to come to you; reach out to potential employers directly. Show them how you can add value to their projects and why you’re the perfect fit.
✨Tip Number 3
Leverage social media to showcase your expertise. Share insights on design trends, sustainability, and project successes. This not only positions you as a thought leader but also attracts attention from key players in the industry.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our community. Plus, it’s a great way to stay updated on new opportunities tailored to your skills.
We think you need these skills to ace Strategic Specification Manager - London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Strategic Specification Manager role. Highlight your experience in the design-led commercial market and how it aligns with Karndean's values and goals.
Showcase Your Relationships: We want to see how you've built and nurtured relationships with architects, designers, and contractors. Share specific examples that demonstrate your ability to manage complex stakeholder networks effectively.
Demonstrate Your Knowledge: Familiarise yourself with the flooring solutions relevant to the sectors mentioned in the job description. Show us you understand the nuances of the market and can articulate how Karndean meets client needs.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensure you’re considered for this exciting opportunity.
How to prepare for a job interview at Karndean Designflooring
✨Know Your Market
Before the interview, dive deep into London’s design-led commercial market. Familiarise yourself with key players in sectors like workspace, hospitality, and education. This knowledge will help you speak confidently about how your experience aligns with Karndean's goals.
✨Showcase Relationship Building Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully built and nurtured relationships with architects, designers, and contractors. Highlight specific instances where your efforts led to successful project outcomes, demonstrating your ability to manage complex stakeholder networks.
✨Master the Project Lifecycle
Be ready to discuss your understanding of the full project lifecycle from RIBA Stage 1 to delivery. Share insights on how you’ve secured specifications and managed procurement processes in past roles, showcasing your strategic approach to project management.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
Karndean values teamwork, so come prepared to talk about how you've collaborated with various teams, such as marketing and technical departments. Use specific examples to illustrate how your collaborative efforts have enhanced project execution and client satisfaction.
