Company Development Manager

Company Development Manager

The Role

Thornhill Galleries is looking for an experienced, commercially minded Company Development Manager to join our team.

This is a varied, hands-on role covering business development, sales, marketing, digital development and commercial operations. The successful candidate will work closely with the two company directors and the wider team at our New Malden premises, where our offices, showroom and workshops are all under one roof.

We are looking for someone who can both manage the day-to-day requirements of the role and proactively identify new ways to develop the companies, strengthen our client relationships and generate new business. As a small, established business, the role will naturally evolve and requires someone who is comfortable moving between different projects and responsibilities.

Business Development & Sales

Proactively identify and develop new business opportunities.

Research and approach prospective clients, including interior designers, architects, developers, contractors and other relevant trade professionals.

Introduce Thornhill Galleries to new trade contacts by telephone, email and other appropriate channels.

Develop relationships with new and existing interior designers, architects and other industry professionals.

Maintain regular contact with key trade clients and ensure Thornhill Galleries remains front of mind for relevant projects.

Re-engage with previous clients and dormant contacts where appropriate.

Build and maintain a structured pipeline of prospective clients and opportunities.

Ensure enquiries and new business opportunities are followed up in a timely and professional manner.

Act as the first point of contact for walk-in clients visiting the showroom, welcoming them, understanding their requirements and providing a professional introduction to Thornhill Galleries.

Assist walk-in clients with product selection, availability and initial pricing, referring more complex technical or bespoke enquiries to the Directors or relevant team member where appropriate.

Initially manage straightforward sales enquiries and orders from first contact through quotation, follow-up and sale, with a view to taking on more complex sales as product knowledge, experience and confidence develop.

Research potential new markets, clients, suppliers and commercial opportunities.

Identify new sales channels, partnerships and ways in which the company can expand its reach.

Carry out competitor and market research to identify relevant trends and opportunities.

Assist the Directors with specific business development projects as required.

CRM & Client Database

Take ownership of the company CRM and client database.

Ensure client and prospect information is accurate, current and properly categorised.

Continue to build the database of interior designers, architects, developers and other relevant trade contacts.

Segment client data appropriately for targeted marketing and communication.

Maintain a structured system for recording conversations, enquiries and future follow-up.

Produce and manage mailing lists for newsletters, brochures and other campaigns.

Help ensure that valuable historic client information is being actively used rather than simply retained.

Marketing & Brand Development

Assist with the ongoing development and implementation of the company’s marketing strategy.

Develop and maintain a consistent marketing calendar.

Manage and develop the company’s social media channels.

Generate ideas for interesting, relevant and engaging social media and website content.

Design, prepare and distribute regular email newsletters to the client database.

Develop new company brochures and other printed and digital marketing materials.

Organise targeted distribution of brochures to interior designers, architects and other trade professionals in the UK and internationally.

Ensure branding, imagery and company messaging remain consistent across all platforms.

Develop case studies and project features showcasing completed installations.

Identify opportunities for editorial coverage and company exposure.

Liaise with journalists, bloggers, online publications and other relevant media contacts to generate fresh content and publicity.

Liaise with print and online publications regarding advertising opportunities and negotiate appropriate advertising rates.

Research suitable industry events, collaborations, exhibitions and promotional opportunities where relevant.

Photography & Content

Coordinate photography of completed Thornhill Galleries projects and installations for marketing purposes.

Contact previous clients to arrange access for professional photography where appropriate.

Assist with photographing stock and new products.

Organise raw photography and liaise with external photographers, editors or retouchers where required.

Maintain an organised library of product, project and lifestyle photography.

Identify completed projects that would make particularly strong case studies, website features or social media content.

Website & Digital Development

Assist with the continued development of the Thornhill Galleries website and the website of the associated company.

Manage and update website products, descriptions, imagery and other content where required.

Regularly review the websites from a customer’s perspective and suggest improvements to usability, presentation and functionality.

Originate and implement ideas to keep the website current, informative and visually engaging.

Work with external website developers on improvements and new functionality.

Liaise with the company’s SEO specialists to improve organic search performance.

Manage and develop Google PPC campaigns alongside external specialists where appropriate.

Monitor website traffic, enquiries and campaign performance.

Review relevant analytics and identify opportunities to improve marketing effectiveness and enquiry conversion.

Third-Party Sales & Marketing Platforms

Manage Thornhill Galleries’ presence on third-party platforms including 1stDibs.

Ensure stock listings, descriptions, images and pricing are accurate and up to date.

Manage enquiries received through these platforms.

Prepare shipping estimates and quotations where required.

Follow up enquiries with the aim of converting them into sales.

Monitor the performance and commercial value of each platform.

Identify and evaluate other suitable third-party platforms or marketplaces.

Commercial & Operational Support

As part of a small business, there will also be a requirement to assist with wider company operations where necessary.

Assisting the Directors with individual projects and commercial initiatives.

Helping to coordinate information between clients, suppliers and other members of the team.

Following up suppliers where information, quotations or deliveries are outstanding.

Assisting with occasional client account or overdue invoice follow-up.

Supporting improvements to internal processes and systems.

Helping ensure enquiries and projects do not lose momentum between different stages of the business.

Undertaking occasional minor PA or administrative work for the Directors.

Providing additional support to colleagues during particularly busy periods.

The intention is not for administration to become the primary focus of the position, but the successful candidate should be willing to assist where required.

The Candidate

We are looking for someone who is proactive, commercially aware and extremely well organised.

The successful candidate should ideally have a minimum of five years’ relevant experience across areas such as business development, sales, marketing, account management or project management.

Experience within interiors, architecture, design, luxury products, property or another high-end client-facing industry would be particularly useful, although it is not essential.

Essential Skills & Attributes

• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Be confident communicating with clients and suppliers by telephone, email and face to face.
• Have strong commercial instincts and an interest in developing new business.
• Be proactive rather than waiting to be given individual tasks.
• Have excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• Be able to manage an evolving workload and establish priorities independently.
• Be comfortable multitasking and switching between different areas of the business.
• Have very strong attention to detail, particularly when preparing written communications.
• Be able to remain calm under pressure and work to deadlines.
• Be confident and appropriately assertive when dealing with suppliers, clients and other third parties.
• Have excellent online research skills.
• Have a professional and discreet approach.
• Have a positive attitude and a flexible approach to work.
• Be comfortable working within a small company where everyone is expected to help where necessary.
• Be interested in building a long-term career with the company.
• Be willing to adapt as the position develops.

Digital & Software Skills

A good working knowledge of the following is required:

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Outlook

WhatsApp

Zoom

Microsoft Teams

General website and online research tools

Experience with the following would be advantageous:

CRM systems

Email marketing platforms

Social media management

Website CMS platforms

Google Analytics

Google Ads/PPC

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Creative Suite

AutoCAD

Other design or image-editing software

Photoshop experience is desirable rather than essential. A candidate without previous Photoshop experience should be willing and able to learn the basic skills required for the role.

Location

The position is office based and candidates should ideally live within a sensible commuting distance of the office.

Package

• Salary: £45,000 per annum.
• Full-time position.
• 28 days’ annual leave including bank holidays.
• Company pension scheme.
• Free on-site parking.
• The opportunity to join a long-established family business with an excellent reputation.
• A varied position with considerable scope to influence how the company develops.
• The opportunity for the role and level of responsibility to grow over time.
• Friendly and supportive working environment.