Commercial Sales Manager – Design Led Furniture – UK & Ireland (5564) in London

This is a London based showroom and field sales position, requiring regular engagement with the Architecture and Design community, corporate end users and wider commercial project stakeholders across London, the UK and Ireland. The successful individual will operate from an excellent Central London showroom while spending significant time developing relationships and commercial opportunities across the market. Travel across the UK and Ireland will be required, together with occasional international travel to the company’s European headquarters, manufacturing facilities and relevant industry events.

Are you an established specification led commercial sales professional with strong relationships across London’s workplace Architecture and Design community and corporate end users? Do you have experience representing premium, design led commercial interior products, with the commercial judgement to identify projects, influence specification and convert opportunities through complex project cycles? We are working exclusively with a respected international manufacturer of premium, design led furniture and commercial interior solutions, recognised for combining design, innovation and quality across high profile contract environments.

This is an opportunity to join the UK Contract team and develop commercial specification opportunities across London, the UK and Ireland. The role will focus primarily on workplace projects, supported by opportunities across hospitality, marine, education and other premium commercial interiors sectors. Architects, interior designers, workplace consultants and corporate end users will form the primary route to market. Design and Build firms and fit out businesses will provide important secondary project influence, with dealers, resellers and other commercial stakeholders supporting the wider procurement process.

This is not a passive account management position. It is a proactive specification sales role centred on market visibility, relationship development, project identification, specification influence and long-term commercial growth.

The Commercial Sales Manager will be responsible for increasing the company’s presence and commercial performance across the UK and Ireland Contract market. You will develop existing relationships and assigned accounts while proactively identifying new projects, strategic accounts and commercial opportunities, with a particular focus on London’s workplace Architecture and Design community and corporate end users. Working closely with Architecture and Design practices, workplace consultants, corporate occupiers and project decision makers, you will understand project requirements, advise on appropriate solutions and position the business at the relevant stage of the specification and procurement cycle.

You will be expected to create meaningful market activity through studio visits, showroom presentations, design consultations, product training, project meetings, industry networking and targeted business development. You will manage your own commercial activity, assigned accounts, project pipeline and market development strategy, supported by established UK and international teams across sales support, technical design, operations, logistics, marketing, finance and aftersales.

SECTOR FOCUS

Workplace will represent the clear priority sector, followed by hospitality and marine. Relevant education, leisure and wider premium commercial interior projects may also form part of the opportunity where commercially appropriate.

ROUTES TO MARKET

• Architects
• Interior designers
• Workplace consultants
• Corporate end users and occupiers

Secondary project influence and engagement will include:

• Design and Build firms
• Fit out contractors
• Project managers and consultants
• Other relevant commercial project stakeholders

Dealers and resellers may also form part of the wider project route, although they will not represent the primary focus of the position.

Responsibilities

• Raise and strengthen the company’s profile across London’s workplace Architecture and Design, corporate end user and wider commercial interiors community, developing existing relationships while identifying new strategic accounts and opportunities.
• Build long term relationships with architects, interior designers, workplace consultants, corporate occupiers, Design and Build firms, fit out businesses and other relevant project decision makers.
• Identify and qualify furniture, furnishing and modular interior projects at the earliest possible stage, maintaining commercial ownership from initial engagement through specification, quotation, order and delivery.
• Understand client requirements and provide informed product, design and technical guidance, positioning the business as a trusted premium design partner.
• Manage client meetings, showroom presentations, product training and design consultations, together with related product information, sample, quotation and technical requests.
• Develop and maintain a healthy project pipeline, using CRM data, account insight, forecasting and market intelligence to shape business development activity and commercial strategy.
• Protect and support specifications as projects progress through Design and Build, fit out, contractor, dealer and wider procurement routes.
• Represent the business at relevant UK and international events, support client visits to company facilities and collaborate closely with UK and international teams to ensure effective project delivery and customer service.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required

Candidates should be based within a reasonable commute of Central London and comfortable operating in a field-based role, supported by access to an excellent showroom environment for meetings, presentations and client engagement. The successful individual will already have meaningful specification led commercial sales experience and the credibility to engage with established architects, interior designers, workplace consultants, corporate end users and senior project stakeholders.

Essential experience and attributes include:

• A strong track record in proactive specification led business development within premium, design led commercial interiors.
• Experience selling furniture or an aligned commercial interior product through Architecture and Design, end user and project led routes to market.
• Relevant backgrounds may include premium or workplace furniture as the preferred route, together with acoustic products, lighting, flooring or other closely workplace aligned design led products.
• Established relationships across London’s workplace Architecture and Design and corporate end user community.
• Demonstrable experience identifying projects, creating pipeline, managing existing accounts and converting new commercial opportunities.
• A strong understanding of the specification, design, procurement and project delivery cycle, with the ability to manage opportunities from concept through to order and delivery.
• Strong commercial awareness, including an understanding of project value, margin, turnover and account potential.
• Excellent communication, presentation and relationship building skills, with the confidence to present premium products and solutions to senior design and client stakeholders.
• Strong organisation, disciplined CRM management and the ability to work autonomously while contributing positively to an international team.
• A professional, credible and solutions focused approach, together with a genuine interest in furniture, architecture, product design and commercial interiors.
• Flexibility to travel across the UK, Ireland and internationally where required.

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT

The successful individual will report to a senior international sales leader and join a collaborative UK and Ireland Contract team, with responsibility for defined Architecture and Design accounts and project opportunities. The role is supported by established international teams across sales coordination, marketing, technical design, project support, logistics, delivery, finance and aftersales, together with comprehensive product and commercial training in the UK and Europe.

The Person

This is not an entry level or purely developmental opportunity. The successful individual will already have a meaningful track record of generating and developing project led business within London’s workplace or wider premium commercial interiors market. Direct furniture experience would be valuable but is not essential. Greater importance will be placed on the quality of the individual’s Architecture and Design and end user relationships, their understanding of specification led commercial sales, and their ability to represent a premium international design business credibly.

You will be a visible and active presence in the market, comfortable engaging across design studios, corporate workplaces, showroom events, client presentations and project meetings. You will combine design appreciation with commercial drive, understanding that strong relationships and specification activity must ultimately translate into measurable project and revenue performance. You will be proactive, organised and accountable, with the judgement to prioritise opportunities effectively. Positive, collaborative and solutions focused, you will also bring the emotional intelligence and cultural awareness required to operate successfully within a close knit and internationally connected team.

What's in it for you?

• Strong basic salary, with indicative total annual earnings of approximately £70,000 to £90,000, comprising quarterly commission and an annual team bonus, depending on experience, market relevance, client network, commercial performance and overall profile.
• Zone 1 and 2 travel allowance.
• 5% employer pension contribution, with a 3% employee contribution.
• 25 days’ holiday.
• Company mobile phone and laptop.
• Comprehensive training, international exposure and genuine long-term career development.