Sales Director – leading HVAC product & systems manufacturer

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Sales Director – leading HVAC product & systems manufacturer, part of an international group

Succession plan to MD

National role, with 2dpw in North West HQ, hybrid working

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established business and a well-regarded brand within the HVAC industry. They have a proud history and an impressive track record of success. They have a strong product range, are financially secure and well placed for further growth through innovation and NPD.  They have established relationships with consultants, contractors and the major wholesalers. They are also part of a larger international group where there is collaboration, cross-selling and further career development opportunities. 

Despite their success, they are not resting on their laurels. They see plenty of opportunities for growth and improvement, especially within specification.  They are already well established here, but there are considerable opportunities, particularly where they can leverage their full product portfolio. There are also opportunities for growth within data centres and residential.

Hence, they are looking to recruit an experienced and successful Sales Director, reporting to the MD to develop and deliver the sales, marketing and commercial strategy. With continued investment in people and products, they have the foundations in place, along with a supportive senior team, of which this role will be a key part and a potential successor for the top job in due course. Alternatively, the group could offer further career development opportunities. 

Suitable candidates should have a successful track record in a similar Sales Director/Sales & Marketing/Commercial Director type role across specification channels with an HVAC or technical building products manufacturer. Specific product or category knowledge is beneficial but not essential. We’re looking for individuals who understand these routes to market and the changes that are taking place. It almost goes without saying that you’ll also need excellent leadership skills and ideally be technically competent and well qualified.

You should ideally be within reasonable commuting distance of the North West or at least be prepared to spend 2dpw/1npw there. 

To apply send your CV to  jonny@wilsonbrook.com  

Managing Director – specialist hire business

Nationwide company, candidates preferably based in the South or Midlands

Competitive salary + bonus + benefits

This is an excellent opportunity to join a relatively small but expanding specialist hire business. There is good growth potential across the markets they serve. They are happy to invest in a number of areas:

• New locations throughout the UK
• Expanding the fleet (which is already modern and high quality!)
• Improved sales & marketing strategy
• Strengthening the team

Trading from several sites in good locations across the UK they have a great reputation for customer service, an impressive fleet of equipment, and a committed and experienced team.

With the right leader this business could expand considerably. There will be freedom to trade in an autonomous environment with no bureaucracy and the support of an experienced senior leadership team within the parent company.

Potential candidates should have:

• A successful track record of profitably running and growing some kind of asset rental/hire business, as Managing Director or another senior leadership role, ideally with a commercial bias. Specific product experience is not required
• Successful track record of identifying locations and opening new depots in such a business
• A proactive, inquisitive, common-sense approach
• Strong, positive communication skills.
• Willingness to roll sleeves up and always looking for opportunities to improve the business
• A self-starter and can operate at pace, making decisions in a confident manner – no procrastination here please!
• Energetic and creative, resilient and tenacious. Willing to embrace the challenge
• Leadership of the highest calibre: inspire, lead, motivate, engage with people throughout the business
• Commercially and financially aware
• You will own the P&L and be responsible for creating and delivering the strategy to achieve this.
• As mentioned we are flexible with location. There will be regular travel regionally within the role.

Objectives:

• Increase turnover in a profitable manner
• Identify, secure and set up new locations
• Improve engagement throughout the team and create a positive, winning culture
• Identify opportunities for investment
• Identify opportunities for growth in associated product/service areas – how can the business add value in a competitive sector
• Fully utilise the facilities/capabilities of the business
• Naturally ensure the business is trading legally with health and safety paramount at all times

The future is bright for this business. Come and be a part of it.

To apply send your CV to matt@wilsonbrook.com

Logistics Director: B2B Distribution, Overseeing Warehousing & Transport

Based Midlands

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established and highly regarded B2B distribution business. The company has grown successfully and aims to double in size again in the next five years.

They have a fantastic culture and values, which guide everything they do across suppliers, customers and employees.

As a result of their growth and plans for the future, they need to strengthen their senior team with this appointment to help further develop and deliver a successful operational strategy and continuous improvements across warehousing, transport and distribution.

Potential candidates should have experience in a similar role in some kind of high-volume distribution environment and be used to having responsibility for and improving productivity and efficiency across both warehousing and transport departments.

Given the nature of this role, this is not a hybrid or work-from-home position. Candidates will need to live within a commutable distance or be able to relocate within a reasonable time frame. Candidates will also need to spend time across the day and night shifts to fully understand the business and the potential for improvement, however, it will not require regular nights.

Potential candidates should also:

• Fit in with and positively develop the culture within the organisation, ensuring respect for all within the business
• A self-starter who can operate at pace, making decisions in a confident manner
• Energetic and creative, being proactive and innovative to deliver a world-class operation
• Leadership of the highest calibre: inspire, lead, motivate, engage with people throughout the business
• Specific product and industry knowledge is not required, but if your experience includes big and valuable products that would be an advantage. However, at the end of the day, it’s just lots of boxes!

The future is very bright for this business. Come and play a key part in it.

To apply send your CV to matt@wilsonbrook.com

Production Manager: specialist wooden packaging manufacturer, logistics solutions provider

• Improve productivity and volumes as the business grows
• Proactive & creative approach required 

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established and well-regarded business – part of a privately owned group. 

They are investing for growth and diversification. As part of their future plans, this appointment within the wood case-making part of their business will strengthen their operational capability. Now is a great time to join, effectively at the beginning of a new phase of growth with an MD who is keen to create a strong team spirit. They want people to contribute to the development of the strategy and, of course, its successful delivery!

Hence, they are looking to recruit an experienced and successful Production Manager to replace someone who will soon retire. With continued investment in people, technology, and products, they have the foundations in place, along with a supportive senior team and a positive family-feel culture.

Suitable candidates should have a successful track record in a similar new Production Management role, ideally in a low volume, bespoke manufacturing environment with a combination of manual and automated processes. This is about providing a tailored solution for customers with high-value products as opposed to just a cheap pallet!

We require someone capable of management of the highest calibre combined with emotional intelligence and the ability to challenge the status quo and ultimately deliver an operational strategy that supports the growth of the business. As an SME you’ll also need to get hands-on at times – this is not about managing things from an office!

We’re looking for individuals with a proactive and professional approach.  You’ll also need plenty of energy, drive and dynamism. 

Responsibilities

• Take charge of the manufacturing of crate and pallets operations and manage it (circa 10 people)
• Studying / Engineering (product development and quotation)
• Production plan organisation and management
• Production process optimisation
• Customer transportation/deliveries management (in-house driver)
• Material purchasing and management
• Facility and machinery Maintenance management
• Health & Safety
• Team training
• Uphold and support quality, environment and health & safety policies
• Participate in new process development
• Overseeing new processes/procedures to optimise production capacity
• Manage data collection for the updating of metrics to achieve productivity targets, reduce cost per unit, eliminate errors, and deliver excellent customer service.

Candidates should live within at most an hour of their facility, which is based just outside of Rugby

To apply send your CV to jonny@wilsonbrook.com   

Head of Sales: Leisure

• Leading supplier of innovative, design-led products
• Significant growth opportunities in this market, building upon their success in other channels
• Head Office based in the North, candidates should ideally live within a reasonable commuting distance, but the role will involve regular travel to key accounts
• Successful, growing UK privately-owned business 

Do you have experience selling design-led products into the Leisure industry? Marine (boats, yachts, cruise liners), Caravans, Static Homes, Motor Homes, Modular Homes and Offsite, Holiday parks/holiday homes/forest lodges/holiday lodges? Then we want to speak with you!
 

Our client is a fast-growing supplier of innovative, technology-leading design-led products into multiple sectors. They see an obvious growth opportunity in the leisure industry and are already in advanced discussions with several major players. They plan to use this as a springboard for further growth.
 

They just need an experienced Head of Sales to lead this channel, develop and deliver a successful strategy to win business, manage the accounts and recruit and lead a team! It's a great opportunity!
 

We're open on specific product experience, it could be bathrooms, kitchens, fitted furniture, lighting, flooring, surfaces. Must be design-led, aesthetically pleasing.
 

Candidates should ideally be based in the North or Midlands for ease of access to the company's head office and major customers.

Suitable candidates should have a successful track record in a similar national sales or senior business development and key account management role in a similar environment, hence a good understanding of and experience with the target customers and relationships with the key contacts within those companies. 

Key Skills and Attributes

• Strong sales & business development & account management experience
• Proactive, tenacious and willingness to roll up sleeves to get the job done!
• Analytical and strategic thinking
• Ability to analyse the market to identify trends and customers’ behaviour.
• Excellent communication skills with an engaging style
• Organisational skills and reliability

To apply send your CV to jonny@wilsonbrook.com 

Managing Director – Navigator MSL, the leading supplier to plumbing merchants across the UK!

• Significant growth opportunities!
• Well-established, financially secure, privately owned business
• Strong foundations, excellent operational facilities with space and investment available for further growth!

Navigator MSL was first formed in 1936 under the name Metal Supplies Ltd. There has been high-quality distribution from the current premises for more than 40 years.

The company is a wholly independent business, which focuses on providing an unmatched supply service to the plumbing merchant and distribution industry. Operational activities are centred around Sharnbrook near Bedford.

Technical expertise is key to their success and has steadily been built up over a long period of time, with many members of staff having more than 10 years of experience and several senior personnel having more than 25 years.

This experience coupled with the ambition and dynamism provided by all their people has seen the business grow to become the premier independent plumbing supplier in the UK. The product range now boasts more than 4,500 lines and the supply chain expertise which has been developed within the plumbing metals sector has been successfully applied to ranges such as copper & brass fittings and valves, plastic pipe systems, magnetic filters, hand tools and plumbing consumables.

Navigator is leading the way in plumbing parts distribution through its network of almost 2,500 customers in the UK.

Current MD Andrew Smith is planning for retirement in 2026, so won’t disappear immediately! There’ll be a smooth transition, and he’ll stay with the group part-time to support projects and offer advice when required.

Suitable candidates should have a successful track record in a similar MD or Sales Director role for a medium-sized £30m+ distribution business: high SKU, multiple categories and have delivered a successful growth strategy. Whilst building or plumbing products industry experience is beneficial it is not essential. Experience in a multi-channel environment is also required with automation and digitalisation. It goes without saying that you’ll also need excellent leadership, people management and financial skills.

The role will involve regular travel to key customers and possibly to join the purchasing team in the Far East for sourcing. Candidates should live within reasonable commuting distance of the Sharnbrook office, as they will need to be visible there.

There is an excellent growth opportunity here, with an entrepreneurial culture and quick decision-making – there’s no corporate bureaucracy or burning platforms here!

To apply send your CV to matt@wilsonbrook.com at our retained consultants Wilson Brook: www.wilsonbrook.com

Any direct applications will be sent to Wilson Brook