Location: Market Deeping, UK (commutable to head office, hybrid working with regular travel to customers and exhibitions)
Reports to: MD
Salary: Competitive + commission + benefits
Purpose of the role
The sales development manager will be responsible for driving growth by identifying new business opportunities, strengthening existing client relationships, and developing a healthy pipeline of prospects. The role combines strategic planning with hands-on selling, ensuring Kyoto continues to grow its presence across the UK furniture market.
Key responsibilities
Business development
- Identify and secure new business opportunities across retail and commercial businesses
- Build a strong pipeline of prospects, with clear conversion timelines and reporting
- Research and map potential customer segments, ensuring a targeted approach to growth
Client relationships
- Develop and maintain long-term partnerships with existing customers, maximising sales opportunities
- Conduct regular customer visits, ensuring Kyoto is represented professionally and consistently
- Pitch new products, collections, and tailored proposals to meet customer needs
Sales strategy and reporting
- Contribute to sales forecasts, budgets and growth targets
- Provide monthly reporting on: sales vs forecast, pipeline status, conversion rates and customer activity
- Work with the commercial team to analyse competitor activity and market positioning
Marketing and exhibitions
- Represent Kyoto at trade shows and exhibitions, networking with potential partners and generating leads
- Work alongside marketing to support campaigns that drive customer engagement and lead generation
Internal collaboration
- Act as the voice of the customer, feeding insights into product development and merchandising
- Work closely with the commercial and buying teams to align on product range, pricing and promotional activity
- Ensure customer experience is consistent with Kyoto’s values and service standards
Skills and experience
Essential:
- Proven track record in sales/business development, ideally B2B
- Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to influence at all levels
- Excellent presentation and communication skills
- Strong commercial awareness and strategic thinking
- Self-motivated, resilient, and able to manage multiple priorities
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and CRM systems
Desirable:
- Experience within the furniture, interiors or homeware sectors
- Understanding of UK retail and ecommerce channels
- Ability to analyse sales data and translate into actionable insights
Personal attributes
- Entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for growth
- Customer-centric approach and high standard of professionalism
- Strategic yet hands-on, with the ability to spot opportunities and close deals
- Collaborative team player, while also comfortable working independently
- Creative and adaptable in approach
Contact/Application Details
How to apply
Please email your CV and a short cover note to [email protected], with the job role in the subject line. We’re reviewing applications on a rolling basis.
Helpful information:
• Accessibility: If you need adjustments during the recruitment process, let us know when you apply
• Right to work: You must have the right to work in the UK
• Data privacy: We’ll use your application data only for recruitment purposes and will delete it within six months
