Job Description
About the company:
Chelsom is a dynamic and market leading designer, manufacturer, and supplier of decorative lighting to the global marine, hospitality and residential interiors sectors. Based in the North of England since 1947, Chelsom’s reputation stands firm as one of the longest standing and well-established vendors in this specialist field. By having proven relationships for many years with major hotel groups, cruise ship operators, interior designers, architects, shipyards, contractors, and procurement groups, Chelsom has secured large scale projects with the biggest names in the industry from all around the world. Amongst their clients are Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Disney Cruise Lines, Hilton, Marriott, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Mandarin Oriental, Center Parcs and Virgin Voyages.
Chelsom are enormously proud to have won two Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in the International Trade category in both 2017 and 2020. As the UK’s highest official awards for British businesses, they come in recognition of Chelsom’s ever-increasing overseas sales presence and are largely due to the vast growth experienced in the global marine sector over the last decade. Chelsom has sales teams in Europe, USA, Asia, and The Middle East who service interior designers, hotel groups, cruise operators, shipyards, and other organisations around the world. Their global portfolio spans a multitude of countries with completed projects in Sydney, Hong Kong, Paris and New York to name a few.
About the role:
- A brand-new role has been created to join an exciting, fast-paced team to look after a fast-growing market at Chelsom.
- The Marine market continues to be a substantial growth area for Chelsom, and more resource is needed to bolster the sales activities within this specialist field.
- The department is led by a Marine Director who has grown this side of the business considerably. Given the number of accounts and the depth of the sales pipeline, this sector can no longer be covered by the current team.
- Chelsom are currently involved in cruise projects at all levels, working with operators, shipyards, contractors, outfitters, interior designers, naval architects and lighting designers. All of these key stakeholders require close customer care and constant communication and visits.
- In recent years, Chelsom has worked on projects where they have supplied well over €1m worth of decorative lighting to individual ships. This might include anything from large scale one-off public area light fittings to vast production runs where 6000+ table lamps are manufactured for cabin interior schemes. Each of these projects requires substantial project management and more horsepower is needed in the team to help oversee this.
- 2023 saw Chelsom’s record turnover year in the marine market and the 2024 pipeline looks as strong as ever so this new role is being created to help sustain this exciting growth trajectory.
Duties and Tasks - Primary Responsibilities
- The ongoing management of a set of key customer accounts within the marine sector. This will include interior designers, outfitters, cruise operators and shipyards.
- Work to Business Development targets with a remit to generate new leads and opportunities across the marine sector.
- Manage an ongoing pipeline of projects from start to finish.
- Follow up all possible leads, quotations, tenders and opportunities on both a proactive and reactive basis.
- Assist the Marine Director in all aspects of sales and business development within the marine sector.
- Work to an ongoing sales strategy as laid out by the Marine Director.
- Work with all existing major marine customers to ensure client relations are prioritised and that all clients are regularly updated with all of Chelsom’s product and service offerings.
- Explore and research new business opportunities with new routes to market and clients within the global Cruise sector.
- Looking beyond Cruise, research and develop relationships with key stakeholders within other areas of the marine sector such as ferries and the luxury yacht sectors.
- Work with the wider teams at Chelsom to manage individual projects. Tight deadlines and complex product requirements will require constant interaction between this candidate and the full project team at Chelsom.
- Carry out a full schedule of trips and client visits to offer presentations, lunch and learns and project meetings with clients across the market.
- Plan and execute all travel plans.
- Regular reports of activity and opportunities back to the Marine Director.
- Constant management of the company CRM system.
- Attendance of quarterly internal sales meetings.
- Regular communication with both the market and all internal stakeholders.
- Regular networking with the wider industry to help achieve a proactive sales & business development approach.
Expected qualifications and experience:
- Must have experience in sales and business development.
- Ideally have had exposure to the decorative interior’s specification market.
- Ideally to have had experience working within the Global Marine market, specifically within the Cruise sector. Experience selling into the hospitality interiors sector is also welcome.
- The candidate must be well organised and proactive with the ability to prioritise workload.
- Must have strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Ideally will have CRM experience.
- Project management experience is preferred with the ability to manage an opportunity from initial enquiry through to tender stage, delivery and completion.
- Excellent attention to detail and customer care is essential.
- A strong working knowledge of all major Microsoft software (EG Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook)
- The ability to work as part of a wider team but with the capacity to plan and operate as an individual.
- Education: A-Level or equivalent (preferred).
- Full driving license.
- Ability to travel overseas.
How to Apply:
To apply, please send your CV and references to ruth_shepherd@chelsom.co.uk