Sales Director at Universal Business Team, Reading

Sales Director

Location: Reading, Berkshire
Salary: £120,000 - £150,000 per annum (negotiable dependant on experience)
Package: + Profit Share + Company Car/Allowance

Our client is a highly respected bespoke joinery specialist with more than 30 years of experience delivering premium interior solutions across the commercial and residential sectors.

Operating throughout London, the Southeast and the Midlands, the business has built an outstanding reputation for delivering high-quality bespoke joinery packages from concept and technical design through to manufacture and installation.

The Opportunity

They are looking for an experienced, commercially minded Sales Director to lead their Sales, Business Development and Estimating functions and play a pivotal role in the next stage of growth.

Reporting to the Managing Director, you'll take ownership of our commercial pipeline from the first conversation through to signed contract, ensuring they secure the right projects, at the right margins, and at the right time.

This is a hands-on leadership role within an ambitious SME. They now need a leader who can turn that strategy into consistent results through clear priorities, disciplined execution and strong commercial leadership.

You'll be equally comfortable developing senior client relationships, negotiating with main contractors, challenging tender assumptions and leading a weekly pipeline review.

Your mission is simple: win profitable work, build a reliable forward orderbook and give the business the confidence to plan ahead.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial growth and winning work

• Own and grow the orderbook, delivering secured order value in line with the business plan.
• Build sustainable forward order cover and secure projects early enough to support a continuous delivery programme.
• Improve conversion rates from enquiry to tender and tender to contract award.
• Develop and execute winning strategies for key target accounts and strategic clients.
• Protect commercial margins and have the confidence to decline opportunities that do not meet the commercial requirements.

Sales, business development and estimating

• Lead Sales, Business Development and Estimating as one coordinated commercial function.
• Ensure tenders are accurate, competitive, complete and submitted on time.
• Maintain up-to-date manufacturing and installation partner rates, ensuring estimates reflect real costs and appropriate allowances for design, procurement, installation and risk.
• Establish robust tender review processes and work closely with Operations and Finance on significant commercial opportunities.
• Review wins, losses and completed projects to improve future pricing accuracy and commercial performance.

Pipeline management and forecasting

• Maintain a clear, accurate and realistic sales pipeline, supported by disciplined CRM management.
• Own the weighted sales forecast, expected award dates and anticipated project start dates.
• Provide regular reporting on order intake, pipeline movements, conversion rates and commercial performance.
• Give the Managing Director and wider leadership team an honest, evidence-based view of future work.
• Ensure the business has the information it needs to plan delivery capacity, resources and cash flow.

Leadership and strategic execution

• Lead, coach and develop the Sales, Business Development and Estimating teams.
• Set clear individual targets, establish accountability and address underperformance constructively.
• Introduce a consistent commercial operating rhythm through regular team meetings, one-to-ones and tracked actions.
• Turn strategic priorities into practical plans with clear ownership, deadlines and measurable outcomes.
• Develop repeatable business development processes and strengthen our position in target markets.
• Work with the Managing Director to diversify sectors, develop new opportunities and reduce client concentration risk.

Requirements

You're a proven sales and business development leader who understands that sustainable growth is about more than winning individual projects. You know how to build an orderbook, protect margin, develop people and create the commercial discipline needed to support a growing project-based business.

You combine strategic thinking with practical execution. You are comfortable working at board level but equally willing to get into the detail of a tender, challenge a forecast or help your team close an opportunity.

Essential experience and skills

• A successful track record leading sales and business development in joinery, fit-out, construction products or a comparable project-based B2B environment.
• Experience selling to main contractors, developers, fit-out specialists or similar commercial clients.
• Evidence of building and sustaining an orderbook, rather than simply winning individual contracts.
• Strong commercial acumen, including pricing, gross margin, contract risk and payment terms.
• Experience leading or closely overseeing estimating and tendering, with the ability to challenge costs and understand the detail behind a price.
• A disciplined approach to forecasting, CRM, pipeline management and performance reporting.
• Proven leadership skills, with the ability to set expectations, develop talent and hold teams accountable.
• Confidence in managing senior client relationships and influencing stakeholders across a business.
• A delivery-focused mindset, with a track record of turning plans into measurable results.

Benefits

• Salary- £120,000- £150,000 (Negotiable depending on experience)
• Profit related bonus
• Company car or Car allowance

IND25