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Head of Sales Support
Leeds / Hybrid - United Kingdom Role Purpose
The Sales Support Manager provides overall leadership and strategic direction to the Sales Support function, ensuring the consistent delivery of a high-quality, efficient, compliant, and customer-focused service.
The role plays a critical part in enabling sales growth by ensuring robust pre- and post-sales processes, systems, and policies are in place across all customer segments. The post holder is accountable for operational performance, continuous improvement, and the ongoing development of a high-performing and engaged Sales Support team.
Key Accountabilities
Leadership & Strategy
Provide strategic leadership across Sales Support for dual fuel and all customer segments, balancing customer needs, commercial outcomes, efficiency, and cost-to-serve.
Create, own, and deliver the Sales Support strategy and continuous improvement roadmap across all market segments.
Contribute to wider B2B Sales Strategy, ensuring customer onboarding and contract take-on are managed in line with agreed processes.
Represent Sales Support in cross-functional project groups and own actions required to deliver agreed outcomes.
Benchmark and embed industry best practice across sales setup and support activities.
People Management & Culture
Lead, develop, and motivate a team of circa 30 Sales Support colleagues through three direct-report Team Leaders.
Build a high-performance culture with strong engagement, accountability, and continuous development.
Ensure effective workforce planning to meet changing sales demand, optimising resource allocation across peaks and troughs.
Ensure company people management processes are applied consistently, including performance management, development planning, and training programmes.
Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement
Ensure all Sales Support processes, policies, and procedures are fully documented, reviewed, and fit for purpose.
Define, set, and manage quality standards to meet internal and external customer and partner expectations.
Ensure accurate, complete, and “right-first-time” data input across all systems to minimise rework and downstream issues.
Implement and maintain an optimal operating rhythm to support consistent communication and delivery of objectives.
Develop and manage KPIs and SLAs, ensuring appropriate escalation and control mechanisms are in place.
Systems, Data & Risk Management
Own key Sales Support systems including Junifer, CRM, and CSPs, leading issue resolution, testing, and ongoing development.
Ensure adherence to Sales Limits of Authority, internal risk frameworks (including INCOME), and delegated approval levels.
Identify, manage, and mitigate financial, operational, and regulatory risk within the Sales Support function.
Organise periodic self-audits and support ad-hoc audits as required.
Stakeholder & Customer Management
Manage workflows including tenders and pricing requests, working closely with Marketing, Products, Account Managers, and Sales Leadership.
Maintain strong internal relationships across Retail, Finance, Legal, Operations, Marketing, and Product teams.
Manage and resolve senior-level customer and partner escalations relating to contracting and sales setup.
Ensure all sites remain covered by appropriate terms of supply, including renewals and termination notices.
Support proposition development and product innovation through Sales Support insight and expertise.
Reporting & Performance Management
Deliver daily, weekly, and monthly performance reporting to Sales and Operational Leadership.
Provide clear performance visibility at team and individual levels.
Use insight and data to identify trends, control risks, and drive performance improvement.
Outcomes & Key Performance Indicators
Tenders and quotes processed in line with agreed SLAs.
Positive contribution to sales performance and growth.
Accurate and timely setup of quotes with minimal errors or rework.
Effective support of Sales Teams to ensure contract documentation is complete and processed on time.
Continuous improvement of Sales Support processes and operating efficiency.
High engagement and performance of Sales Support teams.
Compliance with regulatory requirements and internal governance frameworks.
Reduced cost-to-serve without compromising quality or customer experience.
Positive feedback from internal stakeholders and customers.
Role Dimensions
Leadership responsibility for circa 30 Sales Support colleagues.
Three direct reports (Sales Support Team Leaders).
Operational Manager-level role with ownership of key projects.
Shared responsibility for approximately 40,000 quotes and £100m margin.
Accountability for SLA, KPI, and compliance performance within Sales Support.
Key Relationships
Internal:
Sales Leadership, Account Managers, Finance, Portfolio Management, Marketing, Products, Legal, Operations, Line Manager.
External:
Customers, Third-Party Intermediaries (brokers, consultants), National Grid Gas, OFGEM.
Knowledge, Skills & Capabilities
Strong commercial acumen with a focus on cost-to-serve and value creation.
Proven leadership, people management, and motivational skills.
Strong analytical capability with advanced Microsoft Excel and Office skills.
Expertise in process improvement methodologies.
Excellent communication, influencing, and negotiation skills.
Ability to manage complex issues, assess risk, and make informed decisions.
Strong understanding of Sales Support processes and cross-functional dependencies.
Working knowledge of gas and electricity industry processes and regulatory requirements.
Highly organised with the ability to manage competing priorities to tight deadlines.
Experience & Qualifications
Proven senior management experience within Sales Support or a related commercial function.
Experience managing large teams in a fast-paced, sales-driven environment.
Strong track record of managing senior internal and external stakeholders.
Previous industry experience within energy or a regulated environment preferred.
Degree-level qualification or equivalent relevant experience.
Behavioural Competencies
Customer-focused and results-driven.
Strong sense of ownership and accountability.
Strategic thinker with a continuous improvement mindset.
Collaborative, resilient, and adaptable.
High attention to detail and quality.
Able to motivate and influence others at all levels.
