At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic sales team and drive commercial growth in a modern B2B environment.
- Company: Join Mercia, a leading provider in the accountancy profession, part of Wilmington plc.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, hybrid working, generous leave, and wellness perks.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of inclusivity and innovation with excellent career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of sales strategy and make a real impact in a thriving company.
- Qualifications: Proven B2B sales leadership experience in finance or professional services.
The predicted salary is between 105000 - 110000 £ per year.
Location: Hybrid – Office based in Leicester, LE19 1SU
Salary: Package of £105,000 - £110,000 inc. of car allowance + Up to £30,000 Commission
Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent
What We Can Offer You:
- 25 Days Annual Leave
- Additional Holiday Purchase
- Hybrid Working
- Life Assurance
- Vitality Private Healthcare
- Subsidised Gym Memberships
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Discount Vouchers
- Access to Wellbeing Resources
Why Do We Want You?
Mercia, part of Wilmington Plc, is seeking a highly professional and strategically minded Sales Director to lead commercial growth across our expanding portfolio. We are looking for someone who comes from a professional, regulated financial environment ideally accounting, audit, tax, or banking with a proven ability to win, grow and develop new business within a modern B2B sales operation. You will oversee a team of 15, form a key part of the Senior Leadership Team, and play a central role in driving sustainable growth. We are looking for a calm, considerate and rational leader who brings credibility, strong commercial judgement, and a sophisticated approach to relationship‑led sales. This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned commercial leader or a Commercial Director ready to step up into a broader strategic role. You must also bring an awareness of AI advancements and a willingness to adopt new technologies to enhance sales capability and client engagement.
Job purpose, tasks and responsibilities:
The role will develop, lead and progress commercial opportunities to accelerate Mercia’s growth and performance. You will shape and execute a focused growth strategy while evolving our commercial approach across strategy, leadership, sales performance and client development.
You Will Be Responsible For:
- Developing, implementing and managing the sales strategy and ensuring a consistent corporate image across all channels
- Leading, motivating and developing a sales team of 15, ensuring high performance, collaboration and accountability
- Defining and driving a modern, ethical and consultative sales culture aligned with professional services markets
- Identifying client needs and co‑creating tailored commercial solutions across Mercia’s Promote, Support and Train offerings
- Driving new business acquisition, securing major wins and expanding strategic accounts
- Leading forecasting, pipeline management, sector targeting and performance goal‑setting to grow market share
- Planning and optimising sales lead‑generation campaigns and measuring performance
- Preparing and presenting commercial reports, including sales results and growth opportunities
- Analysing sales performance against targets to determine effectiveness and adjusting strategies accordingly while maintaining strong senior‑level relationships with key accounts
- Acting as an escalation point for major client discussions, ensuring exceptional standards of service
- Providing client insights to product teams to support continuous product and service improvements
- Championing the use of Salesforce to enhance targeting, pipeline management and sales execution
- Managing the sales and marketing cost budgets responsibly
- Representing Mercia professionally at senior client meetings and industry events
- Driving modernisation within the sales function, including adoption of AI‑enabled tools and emerging technologies
What’s the Best Thing About This Role?
This role gives you direct influence over Mercia’s commercial strategy and growth trajectory. You’ll guide a talented sales team, shape our approach to client engagement, and play a key part in driving the success of a market‑leading professional services brand. It’s a role with significant autonomy, visibility and real impact.
What’s the Most Challenging Thing About This Role?
You will be expected to deliver strong results quickly while simultaneously embedding a more modern, data‑led and client‑centric sales approach. Balancing strategic leadership, team development, new business acquisition and stakeholder management requires a calm, structured and commercially astute leader.
To be successful in this role, you must have:
- Strong B2B sales leadership experience within accounting, tax, audit, or banking/finance
- Demonstrable success in winning, growing, and developing new business
- Experience leading high‑performing teams and influencing at SLT level
- Ability to operate strategically while driving day‑to‑day performance
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to build strong relationships across internal and external stakeholders
- A modern, analytical and client‑centric approach to sales, with strong numeracy and resilience
- A leadership style that is professional, calm, considerate and rational
- Awareness of AI developments and openness to using technology to enhance performance
It would be great if you have:
- Experience selling into professional services, ideally the accountancy marketplace
- Understanding of regulatory environments affecting finance, audit and tax teams
- Ability to use data and analytics to shape sales decisions
- Confidence representing the business at senior meetings and industry events
- A collaborative, cross‑functional mindset
We know it’s not a skill, but the successful candidate must have permission to work in the role’s location by the start of their employment.
About Us
Mercia, part of Wilmington plc, is a leading provider of training, compliance and support services to the UK accountancy profession. Our focus is on helping accountants stay ahead of regulatory change and technical updates while supporting their development through practical learning resources. Join us and do Work That Means Something.
At Wilmington plc, we help global customers to do the right business in the right way – providing trusted data, insights, and education to navigate the Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) landscape. When you join us, you’ll not only make a real difference for our customers, you’ll also enjoy flexibility through hybrid working and benefit from a wide range of learning, career, and development opportunities. Whether you’re just starting out, returning to work after a break, or looking to take your next step, you’ll be doing work with meaning. Join us and make a real difference.
Click on “APPLY” today!
Sales Director in Leicester employer: Mercia
At Mercia, part of Wilmington Plc, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that values individuality and inclusivity. Our hybrid working model, comprehensive benefits package including private healthcare and wellbeing resources, and commitment to employee growth through continuous learning opportunities make us a standout choice for professionals seeking meaningful careers. Join our dynamic team in Leicester and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our commercial strategy while enjoying a supportive and collaborative work culture.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Sales Director in Leicester
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and don’t be shy about letting people know you’re on the hunt for a Sales Director role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on an opportunity!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their products and services, especially how they relate to the financial sector. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you’re genuinely interested in joining their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to articulate your leadership style and how you’ve driven sales growth in previous roles. Use specific examples that highlight your strategic thinking and ability to lead a high-performing team.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in keeping you top of mind. It shows your enthusiasm for the role and gives you another chance to reiterate why you’re the perfect fit for their Sales Director position.
We think you need these skills to ace Sales Director in Leicester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Sales Director role. Highlight your achievements in B2B sales, team leadership, and any relevant experience in the financial sector.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Mention your strategic mindset and how you can drive growth at Mercia, while also showcasing your understanding of AI advancements.
Showcase Your Leadership Style:In your application, emphasise your calm and rational leadership style. Share examples of how you've motivated teams and fostered collaboration, as these qualities are key for the Sales Director position.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to apply through Wilmington plc’s career site! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Mercia
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Sales Director, you'll need to demonstrate your understanding of sales metrics and performance indicators. Brush up on your past achievements, like revenue growth percentages and client acquisition rates, so you can confidently discuss how you've driven results in previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare to talk about your approach to leading teams. Think of specific examples where you've motivated your team or resolved conflicts. Highlight your calm and rational leadership style, as this aligns with what the company is looking for in a candidate.
✨Embrace Technology
With the emphasis on AI advancements and modern sales tools, be ready to discuss how you've integrated technology into your sales strategies. Share examples of how you've used tools like Salesforce to enhance performance and client engagement.
✨Understand Their Market
Research Mercia and its position within the accountancy profession. Familiarise yourself with their services and recent developments in the industry. This will not only show your interest but also allow you to tailor your responses to demonstrate how you can contribute to their growth strategy.