Sales Representative (London and the South East) (Academic Publishing)

Informa is a leading academic publishing, business intelligence, knowledge, and events business, creating unique content and connectivity for customers all over the world. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100.  

Taylor & Francis is one of the world’s largest publishers of high-quality, peer reviewed scholarly journals, books, e-books and reference works. We empower learners, thinkers and doers with trusted knowledge that advances research and enriches lives. We bring together diverse people, ideas and opinions to validate and publish the experts, theories and truths that matter. And we’ve been doing this in an unbroken arc since 1798.  

Our purpose is to foster human progress through knowledge.  We strongly believe that this requires us to encourage and examine different ideas and voices, so that any work that meets our exacting levels of quality deserves to be included in our publications. This requires open minds, the opportunity for robust debate, and the courage to defend perspectives that stand up to scrutiny, even if they conflict with our personal beliefs or values. Because that’s the only way to find the best obtainable version of the truth and, ultimately, foster human progress. If you agree, then we’d love to hear from you. 

We have an exciting opportunity for a full time Sales Representative to cover a portfolio of Higher Education academic institutions in London and the South East of England. The role is territory/field based, and the successful candidate will need to be based on territory.

This sales role will be a mix of Account Management (maintaining the level of business we have within our existing accounts) and Development/Growth of those accounts ("new business").

Managing your own territory, you will be expected to fulfil your sales targets by developing relationships with lecturers and universities in order to expand our growing take-up of textbooks within the Higher Education marketplace.

The key responsibilities are:

• Relationship management of a portfolio of customers, building a deep understanding of the customer, market and specific needs to provide a tailored sales service to drive the highest levels of customer service and satisfaction.
• Planning, scheduling, and carrying out visits to key individuals within educational/institutional organisations to close textbook business and other sales opportunities within own sales region, using consultative selling techniques and offering bespoke and added value solutions to maximize sales opportunities.
• Monitoring sales of textbooks by the institutions to ensure expected sales are being achieved, highlighting any that are underperforming, and taking relevant action to rectify this.
• Analysing sales figures, running reports, maintaining a database, and communicating with colleagues in the sales, marketing and editorial departments on a daily basis.
• Accurate and timely maintenance of CRM system (Salesforce)
• Building and maintaining effective external and internal relationships, building profile, and promoting an understanding of the Higher Education sales strategy across the wider business and externally where appropriate.
• Developing alternative routes to market, including direct sales for print and digital content as appropriate, ensuring any direct commercial deals are consistent with the overall sales strategy in the market.
• Updating the Higher Education Sales manager via the provision of reports on sales activities, and bring to their attention any problems/challenges, along with recommendations for resolution.
• Preparing for, attending, and contributing to UK and international sales meetings to build product knowledge, strategic awareness and to gather market relevant intelligence.

In order to be successful in this role you will:

• Be a self-motivated and organised individual who is comfortable working within a Territory-based sales environment
• Have strong self-management, time-management and organisation skills
• Have a proven track record in a consultative sales role, ideally within publishing/academia but this is not essential
• Have excellent communication and negotiation skills
• Have a truly commercial outlook with the ability to make recommendations to support sales targets
• Have a genuine and proven focus on customer satisfaction and service
• Have experience of using a CRM tool (ideally Salesforce) to manage your workload and pipeline

Please note: All applicants must have the right to work and live in the United Kingdom and hold a full, clean UK driving licence. 

Location: This role is offered on a balanced working model with the successful candidate using our Blackfriars, London location as their office hub. The expectation is that during term time you will be based on campus/in territory for 3 days a week, the other 2 days working from your home office or from our office hub should you prefer. Outside term time you will work from home or from the office hub. There will also be the requirement for you to visit our Head Office in Oxfordshire very occasionally for in-person sales and team meetings (perhaps twice a year).

Closing Date: Applications will close on 23rd October 2024 but please note that we shortlist on a rolling basis and will be interviewing alongside advertising, and therefore encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity. 

What we offer in return: 

• A base salary of £35,000 to £38,500 pa + a bonus scheme of up to 25% of base salary
• A car allowance of £6,000 pa
• An excellent work/life balance with a fantastic, flexible working culture
• 25 days annual leave per year plus a day off for your birthday 
• 3 additional discretionary days off during the holiday season at the end of the year 
• 4 paid volunteering days each year 
• Company funded single cover private medical insurance  
• Employee assistance programme – offering 24/7 well-being support 
• Share Match Plan that matches every share purchased with two free shares. 
• Pension scheme 
• Life assurance, plus optical and medical care

Being Yourself at Taylor & Francis 

If you’re excited about working with Taylor & Francis to foster human progress through knowledge, we invite you to apply even if your existing skills and experience don’t fit every item listed above. At Taylor & Francis, we are at our best and most successful when colleagues can be themselves and make a contribution regardless of their identity or background. As a colleague, you will have the opportunity to further innovate and develop in areas that you are passionate about. Our goal is to empower you with the resources, incentives, and flexibility you need to enjoy success at work and to live a healthy, balanced life. 

Taylor & Francis is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in and value diversity of people and thought, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where all colleagues can learn and succeed as their true selves. Taylor & Francis recruits, develops, and retains colleagues without regard to any protected personal characteristics or other non-merit based factor. 

We genuinely care about our colleagues, promoting work-life balance, wellbeing, and flexible working. We believe that the skills and experience you bring to Taylor & Francis are invaluable. We want you to have the opportunity to develop your abilities, and to innovate and develop in areas which you are passionate about. To find out more about our business and the great career opportunities please go to our Careers Site: http://www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/careers 

Or better yet check out our LinkedIn ‘Life’ Page, highlighting our accomplishments, employees, and company culture. It’s also a good way of meeting our recruitment team, who will be happy to advise you on your journey here at T&F. 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/taylor-&-francis-group/life/79e0c27c-afdf-4bbb-84e6-5f8ed5e10bb8/ 

Taylor & Francis Group an Informa Business

We know that sometimes the 'perfect candidate' doesn't exist, and that people can be put off applying for a job if they don't fit all the requirements. If you're excited about working for us and have most of the skills or experience we're looking for, please go ahead and apply. You could be just what we need! We believe strongly in the value of diversity and creating supportive, inclusive environments where our colleagues can succeed.  As such, Informa is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, ancestry, national origin, religion, or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, citizenship, or other protected characteristics under local law.    This role may also be available on a flexible working or part time basis – please ask the Talent Acquisition team for more information.