Sales & General Manager – Water Industry / Analytical Instrumentation

Working hours: Monday to Thursday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm; Friday, 8:30 am – 2:00 pm
Location: Shefford, Bedfordshire
Job Type: Full Time
Salary: £55,000 basic + commission + benefits package

The Company

Established in 1996, our client is a specialist supplier of analytical instrumentation used for water quality monitoring.

The company supplies and services monitoring and control instrumentation for parameters including ammonia and fluoride, working with major organisations within the water industry and other industrial customers.

The business has built long-standing relationships with a number of major UK water industry organisations, alongside customers across other industrial sectors.

The company has an established customer base and generates a significant proportion of its income through service and spares, including annual service contracts, alongside the sale of specialist instrumentation.

The business is now looking for an experienced Sales & General Manager to take responsibility for the existing customer base while actively developing new commercial opportunities and supporting the future growth of the business.

The Role

This is a hands-on position combining sales, business development and general management responsibilities.

The successful candidate will initially spend time at the Shefford office learning the company's products, customers, service operation and wider business. This initial period will be important in understanding the technical products and existing customer base before taking on greater responsibility.

Once established, the role will involve a mixture of office-based work, customer visits and business development activity, with the expectation of approximately 50% office-based and 50% customer-facing/away from the office, depending on business requirements.

The successful candidate will:

• Take responsibility for maintaining and developing the existing customer base.
• Build and maintain relationships with key water industry customers.
• Identify and secure new sales opportunities within the water industry.
• Develop opportunities for the company's analytical instrumentation, particularly ammonia and fluoride monitoring equipment.
• Identify opportunities to expand the company's service contract and spares business.
• Proactively develop new customer relationships rather than relying solely on the existing customer base.
• Visit existing and prospective customers as required.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, develop new business and strengthen customer relationships.
• Support the transition of responsibilities currently managed by the existing management team.
• Work closely with the Office Manager and service team to ensure customer requirements are met.
• Over time, take increasing responsibility for the wider operation of the business, including oversight of the service function and service engineering team.
• Work with the existing management team on future commercial and business strategy.

About You

This role requires proven knowledge of the water industry, together with experience selling analytical instrumentation, water quality monitoring equipment or closely related products.

You will have:

• Proven experience working within the water industry.
• Experience selling analytical instrumentation, water quality monitoring equipment or closely related technical products.
• An understanding of the requirements and commercial environment of water companies and their customers.
• A proven track record in technical sales and business development.
• Experience managing and developing an established customer base.
• Strong commercial awareness and a genuine drive to grow sales.
• The ability to identify new opportunities and proactively develop them.
• Experience working with service contracts for technical products would be advantageous.
• Experience of managing or taking responsibility for a small business or business function would be advantageous.
• The ability to work independently and take ownership of the role.
• A proactive and commercially driven approach to developing the business.
• A full UK driving licence.
• The ability to be based within approximately 20 miles of Shefford, Bedfordshire.

This is not a generic sales or general management position. Candidates must have relevant water industry knowledge and experience selling analytical instrumentation or closely related technical products.

What's on Offer

• £55,000 basic salary
• Commission linked to sales performance, with the potential for total earnings of approximately £70,000–£75,000+ depending on sales
• Company car
• Company pension
• Profit sharing
• Potential for an equity share in the business following two successful years
• Some UK and overseas travel
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• The opportunity to take increasing responsibility for the running and future development of an established specialist business
• Support from the existing management team during the transition

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity for an experienced water industry sales professional to take on a broader commercial and management position within an established specialist business.

The immediate priority is to protect and develop the existing customer base while actively increasing sales of the company's analytical instrumentation and service offering.

The successful candidate will be expected to actively identify and pursue new opportunities across the UK water industry, expanding the company's reach beyond its existing customer base.

The business has an established customer base, including relationships with major UK water industry organisations, and a proven service and spares operation. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to build on this existing foundation and play a key role in the future development of the business.

For the right person, the role can develop into a significant position within the business, with the potential for increased responsibility, profit participation and ultimately equity.