Senior Sales Manager

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The Senior Sales Manager is an integral and important part of Smiths Detection NWE (North West Europe) carrying the overall sales responsibilities for specific market verticals in specified territories.

This position is an individual contributor role with management of up to three (3) direct reports in support of the role and will assume responsibility for the sales of Smiths Detection's range of security screening systems for specific market verticals.

Additional responsibilities include all aspects of the sales process.

Duties:

Business Development/Sales Management:

• Drive the successful closure of new business opportunities with both new and existing customers across assigned markets.
• Consistently meet or exceed annual sales quotas and performance targets within the assigned territory.
• Lead and manage complex bid opportunities, coordinating cross-functional teams to ensure timely submission, alignment with governance requirements, and stakeholder buy-in across the business.
• Take full ownership of key strategic accounts, ensuring long-term client satisfaction, growth, and retention.
• Build and manage a strong, sustainable sales pipeline aligned with business objectives.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive Sales Plan for the assigned market vertical, including both qualitative and quantitative insights.
• Provide senior leadership with regular updates and recommendations to capture market opportunities.
• Maintain a deep understanding of market dynamics, competitive landscape, and customer drivers to shape strategic sales direction and inform annual budgeting processes.
• Lead and support a team of up to three direct reports, coaching them for high performance, professional growth, and delivery of their individual sales targets.
• Own the accuracy and timeliness of sales reporting for your region, ensuring all data is properly maintained within SAP and aligned with business needs.
• Identify and champion continuous improvement initiatives across the sales function to drive efficiency, effectiveness, and profitability.
• Explore and capitalize on new business opportunities to drive new customer acquisition and revenue growth.
• Foster long-term client relationships and ensure high levels of customer satisfaction across all touchpoints.
• Collaborate proactively with internal departments including Marketing, Programs, Operations, and Finance to ensure a seamless customer journey and successful delivery of commercial goals.
• Oversee and execute all stages of the sales cycle, including:
• Market prospecting and lead qualification
• Development of customer relationships
• Organization and delivery of tailored product demonstrations
• Representation at key industry events, exhibitions, and conferences
• Preparation and negotiation of commercial quotations and proposals
• Take a key role in developing and contributing to major proposal submissions.
• Engage in ongoing professional development, including participation in product and sales training programs.
• Actively contribute to internal sales meetings and strategic planning sessions.
• Ensure full compliance with company policies including health, safety, environmental, business ethics, and all applicable export/import control and security regulations.
• Perform any additional tasks as assigned by the Sales Director in support of business goals.

Qualifications

Technical Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Educational Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree required; a degree in Engineering, Business, or a related technical field is strongly preferred.
• Additional certifications in Sales, Business Development, or Management are advantageous.

Knowledge & Experience:

• Proven track record of success in Sales, Business Development, or Commercial Leadership, ideally involving high-value, capital-intensive technology solutions.
• Experience selling into complex and regulated environments such as Aviation, Ports & Borders, Urban Security, or Defence sectors.
• Demonstrated success operating within a structured, process-driven, and metrics-focused sales organization.
• Strong understanding of solution-based selling methodologies and strategic account development.

Competence and Abilities:

• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Adept at managing multiple priorities and complex sales cycles simultaneously.
• Proactive and self-driven approach to territory management and business development.
• Capable of establishing and maintaining trusted relationships with customers, partners, and key decision-makers.
• Strong leadership capability, with experience in coaching and developing high-performing sales teams (up to three direct reports).
• High level of emotional intelligence and resilience, particularly in high-pressure or time-sensitive situations.
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to make sound, strategic decisions quickly.
• Confident presenter with the ability to deliver compelling presentations to large audiences and executive-level stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills with a high attention to detail.
• Fluent in English (spoken and written); additional languages are a plus.

Other Job Requirements:

• Willingness to travel approximately 50% of the time (domestically and internationally), based on business needs.
• Strong strategic thinking and planning abilities, with a focus on long-term business growth.
• Comfortable working autonomously and taking ownership of goals and deliverables.
• Ability to work effectively across cultures and within a global, matrixed organization.

Work Environment:

• Primary work location may be a company office or home office, with flexibility based on role requirements and travel commitments.

Professional Attributes:

• Persistent and results-oriented, with a strong commitment to delivering business value.
• Skilled at documenting and communicating key actions and decisions from meetings.
• Able to build a wide-reaching internal network and collaborate effectively in a matrix organization.
• Demonstrates sound judgment based on thorough analysis and timely decision-making.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail; capable of working under own initiative.
• Experience contributing to or overseeing resource-loaded project schedules, milestones, and reporting frameworks.
• Able to support senior leadership through the creation of tailored reports and insights when needed.

Planning and Decision Making:

• Support planning, organizing and implementing project controls within a portfolio of projects.
• Responsible for following a standardized project controls approach for the global Smith Detection business.
• Required to perform routine and trivial non-routine administrative duties autonomously.
• Perform non-trivial non-routine administrative duties and control of projects/programmes duties under close supervision.

Key Internal and External Relationships:

• Sales Directors
• Programmes Managers
• Global Programmes Director

We offer…

Join us and we’ll help build your career, with excellent training and opportunities for career growth across the business, both locally and globally. You’ll experience an inclusive environment, with strong leadership and a focus on safety and wellbeing. You’ll also have the flexibility to choose from a wide range of benefits to suit your lifestyle, offering you and your family support from a health and wellbeing, financial and lifestyle perspective.

Join us and work for a world-leader, with the benefits and training to reward your dedication and skills. Be part of a team where we are making the world a safer place.

We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.

At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Group, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing. Avoid fraudulent requests by applying jobs directly through our career’s website (Careers - Smiths Group plc)