At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive sales growth and lead customer operations in a purpose-driven bakery.
- Company: Join Luminary Bakery, an award-winning social enterprise making a social impact through baking.
- Benefits: Be part of a mission-driven team with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion at Luminary Bakery.
- Why this job: Make a real difference while developing your leadership skills in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: 4+ years in sales or business development, with strong organisational and communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
Why Join Luminary Bakery
Luminary Bakery is an award-winning social enterprise using baking as a vehicle for social change. Every sale directly supports training and employment opportunities for women facing barriers to work. This role offers the opportunity to:
- Play a pivotal role in Luminary’s next phase of growth
- Hold genuine ownership and influence over revenue and operations
- Work in a purpose-driven business where commercial success directly enables social impact
Role Purpose
Luminary Bakery is entering a phase where commercial growth must be delivered alongside operational discipline. The Head of Customer and Commercial Sales is a senior, hands-on role responsible for driving revenue growth while ensuring the customer and fulfilment engine operate smoothly, accurately and with care. This role exists to move Luminary from reactive sales to intentional, structured commercial growth: winning new business, increasing repeat orders and ensuring that every order delivered reinforces trust in the Luminary brand — without senior leadership needing to intervene day-to-day. This is a commercial leadership role with clear KPIs, operational authority and accountability for outcomes.
Core Focus of the Role
- Sales & Revenue Growth
- Customer Operations & Fulfilment Leadership
Key Responsibilities
- Sales & Commercial Growth
- The post holder is personally accountable for driving revenue growth across Luminary’s B2B and direct-to-consumer channels.
- Proactively generate new sales through structured outbound activity, including corporate orders, standing orders, wholesale accounts and repeat B2B customers.
- Own and actively manage a live sales pipeline, tracking leads, follow-ups, conversions, lost opportunities and forecasted revenue.
- Convert inbound enquiries into confirmed, profitable orders through confident quoting, follow-up and closing.
- Reactivate dormant or lapsed clients and increase order frequency and value from existing customers.
- Lead seasonal and campaign-based sales activity (e.g. Christmas, International Women’s Day, Easter), translating business priorities into focused sales actions.
- Work closely with the team to ensure clear handover of high-value, complex or strategic accounts.
- Apply strong commercial judgement, balancing pricing, margins, production capacity and long-term customer value.
- Manage key accounts and supporting monthly & quarterly business reviews (QBRs).
- Prepare and share simple, regular sales reporting covering pipeline health, wins, risks and short-term forecast.
- Customer Operations & Fulfilment Leadership
- The post-holder owns the end-to-end customer order journey, from confirmation through to delivery, across all sales channels.
- Oversee customer operations across e-commerce, corporate, wholesale, weddings and events orders.
- Line-manage the Customer Service team, packers and weekend customer service cover, providing clear direction and accountability - as well as the delivery driver(s).
- Set and uphold standards for customer communication, response times, tone, accuracy and professionalism.
- Ensure orders are accurately processed, invoiced, packed, labelled and dispatched in line with agreed timelines.
- Act as the point of accountability when issues arise, resolving problems quickly, calmly and professionally.
- Coordinate closely with Production, Fulfilment and Delivery partners to manage capacity, cut-offs and operational constraints.
- Ensure CRM, order platforms (e.g. Shopify, Wherefour) and tracking systems are accurate, up to date and consistently used.
- Systems, Process & Continuous Improvement
- Design, implement and improve systems that support scale, efficiency and repeat sales.
- Identify operational bottlenecks that restrict sales growth and take ownership of resolving them.
- Ensure clear, consistent handovers between Sales, Production and Fulfilment teams.
- Build simple, robust processes that enable the Customer Service team to perform confidently and consistently.
- Leadership, Standards & Culture
- Lead with clarity, authority and care, setting expectations and following through.
- Create a calm, organised and accountable working environment within Customer Service and Fulfilment.
- Support and develop direct reports through regular check-ins, clear feedback and practical coaching.
- Act as a role-model for Luminary’s values, professionalism and commitment to social impact.
Skills & Experience Required
Essential
- 4+ years in sales operations, business development, or a similar commercial role.
- Proven experience in B2B sales, ideally within food, hospitality, retail or FMCG.
- Demonstrable ability to generate sales through outbound activity and close deals.
- Experience managing or leading a small team.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
- Commercial awareness, including pricing, margins and capacity considerations.
- Confident communicator, comfortable engaging with customers, suppliers and internal teams.
Desirable
- Experience working in a bakery, food production or e-commerce environment.
- Familiarity with CRM and order management systems (e.g. Shopify, Wherefour, Airtable or equivalents).
- Experience working in a mission-led or values-driven organisation.
Personal Attributes
- Commercially driven and comfortable working to KPIs
- Proactive, resilient and solutions-focused
- Calm under pressure and confident making decisions
- Highly organised, structured and detail-oriented
- Values-led and aligned with Luminary’s social mission
Luminary Bakery is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds.
Head of Sales & Customer Relations in London employer: Luminary Bakery
At Luminary Bakery, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions social change through baking. Our vibrant work culture fosters collaboration and personal growth, offering employees the chance to make a meaningful impact while developing their careers in a supportive environment. With a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, we provide unique opportunities for professional advancement, all while contributing to our mission of empowering women facing barriers to work.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Sales & Customer Relations in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, or even hit up social media groups related to sales and customer relations. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Luminary Bakery and its mission. Understand their values and how they align with your own. This will help you articulate why you're the perfect fit for the Head of Sales & Customer Relations role and show that you genuinely care about their social impact.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to discuss your past experiences and how they relate to driving revenue growth and managing customer operations. Use specific examples to demonstrate your skills and achievements, especially in B2B sales.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A simple thank-you email can go a long way in showing your enthusiasm for the role. Plus, it keeps you fresh in their minds as they make their decision.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Sales & Customer Relations in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When writing your application, let your passion for social impact shine through. We want to see how your values align with Luminary Bakery's mission and how you can contribute to our purpose-driven business.
Be Specific About Your Experience:Highlight your relevant experience in sales operations and customer relations. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to drive revenue growth and manage customer operations effectively, just like we do at StudySmarter.
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to tailor your application to the role of Head of Sales & Customer Relations. Address the key responsibilities and skills mentioned in the job description, showing us how you fit the bill perfectly.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Luminary Bakery
✨Know Your Numbers
Before the interview, brush up on your sales metrics and KPIs. Be ready to discuss how you've driven revenue growth in previous roles, including specific figures and outcomes. This will show that you understand the commercial side of the business and can bring value to Luminary Bakery.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare examples of how you've led teams in the past, especially in high-pressure situations. Discuss your approach to managing customer operations and how you ensure a smooth order journey. This will demonstrate your ability to lead with clarity and care, which is crucial for this role.
✨Align with the Mission
Familiarise yourself with Luminary Bakery's social mission and values. Be ready to articulate why you’re passionate about using business as a force for good. Showing that you resonate with their purpose-driven approach will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Think about potential challenges you might face in this role, such as managing a difficult customer or resolving operational bottlenecks. Prepare structured responses that highlight your problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure. This will showcase your readiness for the hands-on nature of the position.
