Head of Regional Sales

Department: Sales 

Reporting to: Managing Director   

Location: Home-Based (UK Regional Areas) 

Why Solus Ceramics (“Solus”)?

The vision of Solus is clear: Sourcing the best tiles from the best factories and working with amazing people. 

Solus is dedicated to being the preferred UK partner for commercial ceramic products, balancing innovation, quality, and sustainability to meet the diverse needs of specifiers, users and suppliers.  We commit to delivering high-quality tile solutions and expert advice, making a positive contribution to the life of our community, and embodying corporate responsibility in every endeavour. 

Solus was founded in Birmingham almost 30 years ago and we’re proud to still call Birmingham our home.  We work with specifiers, users and suppliers across the UK and indeed across the world.   

The Solus sales team operates across the UK, anchored by showroom spaces in London and Manchester and backed up by industry leading levels of support. 

Solus is dedicated to sustainability and this dedication is framed by our People, Product and Planet sustainability commitment.   

At Solus, people are our most important asset.  We focus on giving our employees a sustainable employment proposition.  We look to retain the best employees.  We support and promote employees most aligned with our business goals and sustainability strategy.  We also give back to the A&D and contractor community which we are an active part of. 

Overview and Objectives of the Position 

The successful Head of Regional Sales will work closely with our experienced, regional (i.e. outside of London), Area Sales Manager team (the “ASM Team”) to inspire them to increase tile sales revenues generated. The Head of Regional Sales will focus on further developing the skills of the existing ASM Team and identify, recruit and train new ASMs as required. 

In addition to leading the businesses sales efforts outside of London the Head of Regional Sales will work closely with the Operating Board and the Operations Management Team to ensure that the objectives and efforts of the ASM Team are closely aligned with the overall strategic objectives of the business.  On a day-to-day basis, the Head of Regional Sales will work as part of the Solus Management Team to solve problems, implement ideas and generate positive outcomes for the ASM Team and the business as a whole. 

The Head of Regional Sales will communicate our sustainable commitments to their internal ASM Team and external relationships within the A&D community using our People, Product and Planet framework. They will help promote the importance of our sustainability strategy and support our wider community initiatives and events. 

Key Relationships: 

External: Architects, Designers, Main Contractors, and Tiling Contractors  

Internal: ASM Team, Board of Directors, Head of London Sales, Sales Support, Orders, Marketing, Samples, and Senior Management  

Key accountabilities:  

• Leading and supporting the existing ASM Team to maximise their sales potential 
• Inspiring, developing and training new members of the ASM Team 
• Working with the Operating Board to set annual sales budgets for the ASM team and monitoring their performance against these budgets throughout the financial year 
• Providing regular updates and KPIs analysis to the Operating Board to allow the performance of the ASM Team to be monitored 
• Working with the Operating Board and Solus Management Team to identify areas of business improvement that can enhance the sales potential of the ASM Team, this will include the implementation of our strategy of securing ‘mega projects’ across the UK  
• Working with the Creative Director to effectively promote new product ranges with the ASM Team 
• Working with the Creative Director to arrange events and other sales promotion activities and co-ordinate these events with the ASM Team 
• The Head of Regional Sales will be able to maintain some, limited, direct sales relationships, however, any new sales relationships once secured will be handed across to the relevant member of the ASM Team to further develop 
• The Head of Regional Sales will work with the ASM Team to assist them to resolve any individual product or project issues as they arise. The Head of Regional Sales, working alongside the Commercial Director, will have the delegated authority and responsibility to resolve customer disputes that arise from time to time 
• Demonstrating a clear and consistent approach when communicating to the ASM Team, this will include regular 1:1’s and Team meetings with all members of the ASM Team 
• Conducting all personal development reviews with the ASM Team, this will include setting objectives and targets, which will stretch and develop a group of high performing individuals. This role will also ensure performance issues are identified and dealt with in an effective and timely manner and that high performance is recognised and rewarded  

The key attributes of the Head of Regional Sales will include: 

• An ambition to work with the existing ASM Team to fully develop the Solus sales opportunity 
• An ability to recruit, train and retain new ASM Team members to further develop the regional sales opportunity 
• A strong knowledge of the UK architect and designer lead specification market 
• A knowledge of the ceramic and porcelain products offered by Solus 
• An ability to identify individual and ASM Team wide areas for improvement and to recommend and implement plans to allow these improvements to be achieved 
• An ability to work with the Operating Board and Solus Management Team to ensure that the overall strategic aims of the business are reflected in the goals of the ASM Team 
• Where the ASM Team has identified areas of improvement to be implemented across the wider business the Head of Regional Sales will work with the Operating Board and Solus Management Team to ensure that these improvements are achieved 

Qualifications, Experience and Personal Qualities:  

• Over five years’ experience in specification sales with the ability to lead and motivate a successful high performing sales team 
• Previous experience of performance management and coaching a high performing team is a clear differentiator 
• A track record of setting and achieving sales growth targets, reporting on progress to the Board of Directors and communicating the businesses strategic objectives consistently to a sales team. 
• A working knowledge of the sustainability issues facing the UK construction sector and a desire to help provide solutions to these important issues 
• A highly motivated individual with a strong work ethic, excellent communication and people skills 
• Strong IT skills essential and knowledge of SAP Business One is desirable  
• Educated to secondary education standard C Grade or above 

Language Skills  

• Excellent verbal and written English 

Application Process  

CV with covering letter addressing the criteria sent to Holly Oag, Head of People at hollyoag@solusceramics.com 

Solus Ceramics Ltd is an Equal Opportunities Employer. The company is committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of age, sexual orientation, gender, pregnancy, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, medical history, skin colour, marital status, genetic information or parental status. We base all our employment decisions on merit, job requirements and business needs