Key Account Sales Lead – Municipal Sector (Northumbrian Water Region)

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My client, a leading water technology company, is recruiting for a Key Account Sales Lead to cover the Municipal sector within the Northumbrian Water Region of the UK. This role focuses on procuring business, frameworks, contracts, projects, and specification sales, while enhancing the company’s profile within Northumbrian Water and its partners.

Responsibilities:

• Develop business within Northumbrian Water Operations (Service Sales) and Capital Contractors & Design Consultants (Product Sales).
• Promote a range of products and services, including Wastewater & Clean Water Products, Service Projects, Installs & Refurbishment Works, Treatment Products & Projects, ICA Telemetry Products & Services, Pure Technologies Asset Conditioning/Leakage Detection Services, Sensus Metering & Software Solutions.
• Identify and exploit new frameworks and opportunities, supporting the company’s recognition within Northumbrian Water and its contractors/consultants.
• Collaborate with the Regional Manager and other field sales engineers to drive sales growth through contractors, engineering design consultants, and municipal contacts.
• Work with the local Service Area Manager & Service Teams to ensure above-market-rate growth within the Northumbrian Water region.

Key Requirements:

• Develop and maintain framework agreement performance and key stakeholder relationships within Northumbrian Water and the infrastructure contractor market.
• Identify and develop new framework agreement opportunities that suit the company’s product/service capabilities.
• Maintain account plans and call plans for municipal contractors and engineering design consultants.
• Proactively manage key contracts within Northumbrian Water, contractors, and wider supply chains, ensuring discounts/rebate schemes are applied appropriately.
• Manage the Northumbrian Water Municipal Product Sales Budget, Service Sales Budget, and Treatment Budget.
• Research and maintain market intelligence, including competitor performance and price levels.
• Monitor competitor performance on frameworks, developing strategic plans for new upcoming frameworks.
• Drive geographical region success, focusing on municipal sales and service results, seeking new opportunities and leads for growth.
• Operate a 60/20/20 weekly working ethos: 60% managing existing customers/accounts, 20% prospecting new customers/opportunities, 20% quote follow-ups, diary management, and admin.
• Maintain the opportunity pipeline in Sales Force.
• Hot-desk within Northumbrian Water’s offices (where COVID restrictions allow) to provide immediate design and contract support.
• Ensure effective customer account management from a finance perspective, working closely with the Accounts department.
• Organize, facilitate, and deliver product/service presentations, customer events, and other customer-facing events.

Key Competencies:

• Continuous Improvement Mindset
• Leading by Example
• Cross-Business Collaboration
• Embracing and Managing Change
• Customer Responsiveness & Intimacy
• Market Knowledge & Intelligence
• Developing Own Capability
• Sales Acumen & Execution
• Ownership & Accountability
• Ability to Forecast Future Order Intake
• Innovative Thinking
• Sales Strategy Planning & Business Development
• Priority Management

Qualifications:

• At least 3 years of experience in the Municipal Pump/Services Sector or adjacent markets.
• Knowledge of Wastewater Pumping Station layout and operation (preferable).
• Engineering or Business qualification.
• Proficient in Windows-based computer programs, particularly Excel.
• Experience using a proprietary CRM system.
• Existing contacts & relationships with relevant water companies, design engineers, and key tier 1/M&E contractors (preferable).
• Membership of relevant industry bodies (preferred).
• Full driving license (preferably clean).