Sales Account Manager

Full time, office based position

Department: The IT Bay

Company: Ikonic Technology Ltd

Salary/Grade: Competitive basic + commission structure linked to sales profits

Date required: Immediately

Location: Office based: Heywood, Lancashire (occasional travel to pitch for new business)

Purpose of role

The IT Bay is a rapidly growing web-based retailer selling IT and electronics equipment, predominantly throughout the UK. We supply both business customers and consumers via our website directly and via our offline sales team. Our website has been key to our success to date and is a pivotal tool for our ongoing sales and marketing activities. We aim to marry a strong online proposition with strategic online marketing and proven offline techniques. We are looking for a driven account manager to join our team to help us attract and convert new leads as well as develop relationships with existing customers to help grow our business.

Duties & responsibilities

• To lead and oversee the development and growth of profitable new business and develop and maintain effective key customer relationships.
• The successful person will be a consummate and credible sales professional selling a range of sophisticated IT products and services to IT Directors, Purchasing Managers and Managing Directors.
• The role is heavily focussed on new business and is suited to people who are ‘sales hungry’ and who can exploit their exceptional sales skills with effective results.
• The role revolves around excellent communication and the main duties are likely to include:

• Identifying, following up & closing new business opportunities, presenting the company to potential clients through direct communication in telephone calls, emails and meetings as appropriate.
• Responsible for own lead generation and appointment setting.
• Actively and successfully managing the sales process: lead generation; credentials pitch; asking questions; solution pitch; negotiation; close.
• Planning and preparing sales literature & presentations (when appropriate).
• Communicating new product developments to prospective & existing clients.
• Providing management with feedback.
• Developing a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the company’s key products and services.

The successful candidate will have individual responsibility for new business and is expected to self-manage. However, support is available from the wider team for complex large pitches and strategies. As mentioned above, the company is ecommerce focussed and you will be expected to work closely with the ecommerce team. Specifically, the following additional responsibilities have been identified:

• Working with the ecommerce team to devise and implement promotions, marketing initiatives and driving new content for the company’s blog and sales literature.
• Collaborating with other departments including customer services, accounts and logistics to ensure we deliver an excellent level of customer services at all times.

Essential skills and experience

Personal qualities like good business sense, great communication and sales skills count for more than formal qualifications in this role. This is no job for shy, retiring types. The ideal candidate will be bursting with self-confidence, love networking and enjoy speaking to people for large parts of the day. They will have a proven track record of new business development and account management in a business environment, preferably within an IT vertical. Candidates who hold or have held such positions for a UK IT reseller could be an excellent fit.

• Proven sales ability and demonstrable full knowledge of the sales process.
• Confident negotiator and persuader with the ability to ‘close the deal’.
• Strong client management skills and ability to keep promises.
• Capable of hands on problem-solving, with ability to generate ideas and solutions.
• A positive and determined approach to researching and analysing new business opportunities.
• Ability to use own initiative and pay close attention to detail.
• Ability to cope with competing demands and to prioritise tasks.
• Strong communication skills in all forms including written, oral, email, telephone, and presentation.
• Strong analytical & numeracy skills.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• A positive attitude to dealing with people.
• Capable of working independently, and having responsibility as an individual.
• UK driving license (own car is preferable).
• IT literacy – good grasp of Microsoft Office suite of programs.

Desirable skills and experience

The following skills and experience would be advantageous but are not prerequisites for the role:

• Corporate marketing and/or branding experience.
• Web sales and/or marketing experience.
• Copywriting skills and/or blogging experience.
• People management skills and/or experience.
• Presentation skills.

Qualifications required

Education to at least GCSE level including English and Mathematics at grade C or higher. A higher qualification in sales or business management would be advantageous but is not essential. Personal qualities, particularly the ability to communicate, plus sales experience and market knowledge, are more important than formal qualifications.

Key results/deliverables/budget responsibilities

Specific targets, KPIs and budgets will be drafted and agreed as part of the Business Development Plan that the Sales Director will be responsible for producing.

Reporting Lines

The Sales Account Manager will report to the Sales Director.

Person Specification

• Customer focused in all actions.
• Self-motivated and goal driven.
• Can be totally relied upon to deliver agreed actions within tight deadlines.
• Prepared to challenge the status quo with well-reasoned alternatives.
• Behaves in a way totally consistent with the values of the team and the Company.
• Supportive of others when needed.
• Plays a full and active role in the team.
• Stamina: Able to function under pressure / long hours.
• Presentable: Projects a good image of the company with a high standard of appearance.
• Open-minded: Prepared to listen and consider the views of others.
• Problem Solver: Able to deliver workable solutions.
• Sound Judgement: Makes good decisions based on relevant information.
• Planner: Able to plan and organise to achieve objectives within deadlines.
• Flexible: Able to adapt to changing situations.
• Perceptive: Good people skills.
• Moral Courage: Stands by beliefs and company values.
• Creative: Innovates out of unworkable situations.
• Open: Willing to express feelings appropriately.
• Sense of Humour: A well balanced sense of fun.
• Trustworthy and discrete when handling confidential information.

The Legal Bits:

We are committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment. All job applicants will receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

By submitting your CV, you give Ikonic permission to share your CV and information with any relevant employee in our internal hiring process. Your CV and any notes made will be confidentially disposed of once a hiring decision has been made.

All applicants selected for this position will need to pass reference and security checks to qualify for employment with Ikonic.

Job Applications

The role applications will be closed at the latest 30th June, with interviews conducted on the following week if not before.

STRICTLY NO AGENCIES PLEASE. We work with a carefully selected set of recruitment agencies and we’re not looking to add to our PSL.