Sales Manager

Company Background

Since its conception in 1997, Sportsafe now employs over 65 staff at three locations in Essex (head office), Manchester, and Scotland, operating as part of the Abeo Group.

Sportsafe offers supply, installation, inspection, repair and maintenance of sports, play, gymnastics and fitness equipment to more than 10,000 customers from the Shetland Isles to the South Coast in the UK, and internationally, including primary and secondary schools, private schools, sports centres, care homes and more than 100 county councils and fire, police, and NHS authorities. The company is ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, Safecontractor and CHAS accredited, registered with AFPE and RoSPA, and engineers hold RPII Operational Inspector registration.

Core Values – our culture makes us different from our competitors:

• Trust - in colleagues
• Integrity - with all colleagues & customers
• Respect - for all colleagues & customers
• Operational excellence - attention to detail
• Quality - right first time
• Enjoyment/Passion - a great working environment
• Pride - in what we do and how we do it.

Purpose - Supporting the next generation in sport and fitness.

Provide safe environment for:

1. Children and young adults to engage in play, sports, and fitness.
2. Those working in all emergency services to engage in sports and fitness.
3. Those in prison to engage in sports and fitness activities.
4. Those working in the armed forces to engage in sports and fitness.

Key Focus Areas

• Lead and develop the Inspection & Repair Sales team, including up to 8 Account Managers and Repair Estimator(s), ensuring clear priorities, strong performance management, and consistent delivery against targets.
• Translate the Sales & Marketing Director’s Inspection & Repair sales strategy into disciplined day-to-day execution, taking ownership of sales outcomes, standards, and team accountability within the Inspection & Repair function.
• Improve Inspection & Repair sales performance through better quote conversion, higher average order value, effective cross-selling, and customer retention.
• Own day-to-day use of SugarCRM and associated sales systems for the team, ensuring accurate customer, quote, pipeline and follow-up activity, strong data quality, and consistent processes.
• Maintain high service standards, effective planning, accurate order raising and strong collaboration with Operations and other functions.
• Act as the operational deputy for the Sales & Marketing Director when required, specifically in relation to the Inspection & Repair Sales function.

The Role

The will lead the Inspection & Repair Sales team, including up to 8 Account Managers and Repair Estimator(s), turning strategy into clear daily execution, and ensuring the team consistently delivers sales, margin, service, and customer retention targets.

The role requires a hands-on, commercially focused leader who can coach performance, prioritise activity, strengthen customer relationships, drive disciplined CRM and systems use and hold both themselves and the team accountable for results.

Product sales are a key sales channel for the Inspection & Repair function. The will be responsible for driving product sales through the Inspection & Repair customer base and reactive inbound sales enquiries , ensuring the team converts inspection findings, repair requirements and customer conversations into replacement, upgrade and new equipment opportunities across the wider Sportsafe and Abeo Group range.

The role has full day-to-day management responsibility for the Inspection & Repair Sales team, including people processes, systems discipline and reporting, and will support business continuity by acting as the operational deputy for the Sales & Marketing Director when required.

What Success Looks Like (6–12 Months)

• The Inspection & Repair Sales team is appropriately staffed, well coached and consistently meeting service standards.
• Sales and margin performance are on track, with improved quote conversion and average order value.
• SugarCRM is used consistently and accurately across accounts, quotes, opportunities, and follow-ups.
• The team is actively cross selling the wider Sportsafe and Abeo Group range.
• Customer satisfaction is strong, with issues resolved quickly and professionally.
• The is trusted to act as the operational deputy for the Sales & Marketing Director when required.

Performance will be measured through sales and margin achievement, quote conversion, average order value, CRM and systems accuracy, customer retention, service level performance, cross-selling activity, estimating performance and the development of the Inspection & Repair Sales team.

Responsibilities

The will be accountable for six core areas:

Leadership and Team Management

• Lead, coach, and develop the Account Managers and Repair Estimator(s), setting clear expectations for performance, behaviour, accuracy, and customer service.

• Run regular team routines, including sales huddles, one-to-ones, reviews, and training, to maintain focus, capability, and accountability across the Inspection & Repair Sales team.
• Own day-to-day people management for the team, including recruitment, induction, probation, one-to-ones, training and development, absence/performance management, PIPs, and disciplinary processes in line with company procedures, escalating Director-level decisions where required.

Sales Performance and Commercial Delivery

• Own Inspection & Repair team sales performance and ensure weekly, monthly, and quarterly sales and margin targets are achieved or exceeded.

• Improve quote conversion, average order value, lead generation and customer retention, while ensuring the team identifies appropriate cross-selling opportunities for the wider Sportsafe and Abeo Group range.
• Coach the team to follow up quotes and opportunities effectively, identify face-to-face selling opportunities and cross-sell the wider Sportsafe and Abeo Group range.

Process, CRM and Operational Control

• Own and improve the team’s sales and estimating processes, ensuring procedures are understood, followed, and regularly reviewed.

• Own day-to-day SugarCRM and associated sales-system management for the team, including data quality, dashboards, processes, user compliance and first-line troubleshooting; escalate wider development, integration, or strategic system changes to the Sales & Marketing Director.
• Ensure orders, callouts, repairs, and customer requests are raised accurately and planned sufficiently in advance to support operations.

Customer Management and Service Standards

• Ensure all customers receive a consistently high standard of service.

• Ensure allocated customer portfolios are actively managed by the Account Managers, including queries, bookings, inspection reports, remedial quote conversion, and retention activity.
• Resolve customer and business issues promptly, ensuring escalations are closed and lessons are used to improve service.

Reporting, Improvement and Cross-functional Working

• Produce and report clear Inspection & Repair Sales management information to the Sales & Marketing Director, covering performance, risks, priorities, and improvement actions.

• Use sales and estimating data, CRM insight, and team feedback to identify trends, remove barriers and improve performance.
• Work with Operations, Purchasing, Marketing, Business Development and Logistics to improve planning, service delivery, and commercial outcomes.
• Review Inspection & Repair pricing, quote layouts, incentives, and team processes where changes can improve conversion, margin, or motivation, making recommendations to the Sales & Marketing Director where wider commercial approval is required.

Compliance, Standards and General Responsibilities

• Ensure the team follows company policies, procedures, health and safety requirements and quality standards.

• Maintain accurate records, reporting and sales manual updates.
• Promote a positive, accountable, and motivated team culture.
• Act as the operational deputy for the Sales & Marketing Director for the Inspection & Repair Sales function when required and undertake other reasonable business tasks as required.

Minimum Experience required

• Proven experience leading a sales or account management team in a commercially focused B2B environment.

• Track record of delivering sales, margin, conversion, customer retention, and service targets.
• Experience improving sales processes, quote follow-up, pipeline management, and CRM adoption; SugarCRM experience is advantageous.
• Strong product and solution-selling capability, with the ability to coach others to identify customer needs and convert opportunities.
• Experience using KPIs, sales data and reporting to identify gaps, prioritise actions and hold people accountable.
• Confidence managing key customer relationships, resolving escalations, and working cross-functionally to improve outcomes.

Competencies

• Commercial leadership: Creates focus on revenue, margin, conversion, product sales, and customer retention.
• People leadership: Coaches, motivates and holds the Inspection & Repair Sales team accountable for performance and standards, taking ownership of day-to-day people management and formal processes.
• Operational discipline: Organised, process-driven, and able to maintain control of priorities, estimating workflow, systems, and daily activity.
• Customer focus: Ensures service quality, resolves issues quickly and strengthens customer relationships.
• Data-driven judgement: Uses CRM insight, KPIs and reporting to make evidence-based decisions.
• Ownership and resilience: Takes responsibility, follows through, and works with pace in a target-driven environment.

Qualifications

A degree or equivalent qualification in business, sales, management, or a related discipline would be advantageous; however, equivalent commercial experience and a strong track record in B2B sales leadership will be equally valued.

• Essential: Proven practical experience in sales leadership, account management, CRM/sales-system use, KPI reporting, people management and commercial performance management.
• Desirable: Formal management, coaching, sales, CRM, or leadership training, together with intermediate Microsoft Excel capability and evidence of continuous professional development.
• Preferred background: Experience in B2B, B2E product and service sales, service-led environments, equipment supply, facilities, education, sport, play, leisure, public sector, or similarly competitive markets.

Location

Colchester, Essex

Attraction of the role

This is an opportunity to lead and shape the Inspection & Repair Sales function within an established, purpose-led business supplying, installing, inspecting, and maintaining sports, play, gymnastics, and fitness equipment across the UK and internationally.

The role offers the chance to make a visible commercial impact by improving Inspection & Repair sales performance, quote conversion, estimating effectiveness, CRM and systems discipline, customer service, and team capability, while contributing to a business with a clear social purpose and established customer base.