Head of Sales

Grafton Recruitment International; Rochdale; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A market-leading passive fire protection firm is seeking a Head of Sales to drive strategy and product penetration across the UK and Ireland. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of experience in technical specification sales within the construction sector and a proven track record with key stakeholders. This role offers the opportunity to lead a high-performing sales function and shape the future of the company. Competitive salary and growth potential are also part of the package.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in technical specification sales within the construction sector.
• Proven success selling to architects, installers, and main contractors.
• Experience delivering CPD presentations.
• Strong technical capability to interpret compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Own the sales strategy across UK and Ireland.
• Lead regional sales teams and ensure consistent performance.
• Drive product penetration with key stakeholders.
• Partner with other departments for aligned commercial experience.
• Deliver CPD seminars and act as brand ambassador.
• Provide market intelligence to influence decision-making.

Skills

Technical specification sales

Selling to architects

Leadership capability

Data-driven mindset

Tools

CRM systems

ERP software

Job description

Head of Sales - Passive Fire Protection

Location: UK wide

Industry: Passive Fire Protection, Firestopping, Construction Products

A market‑leading manufacturer in the passive fire protection sector is entering its next phase of strategic growth. The business has built a strong technical reputation, a high‑performance product range, and a loyal customer base across contractors, installers, architects, and main contractors. The mandate now is simple. Scale. Modernise. Win market share.

We are hiring a Head of Sales to take full commercial ownership of the UK and Ireland, driving specification and product penetration across the construction ecosystem. This is a high‑visibility leadership role with genuine influence over strategy, product positioning, customer experience, and long‑term commercial direction.

This is a role for a sales leader who wants to put their stamp on a business, sharpen the go‑to‑market engine, and elevate a brand that is already outperforming the market. If you want to build a high‑performing sales function, shape a national strategy, and operate in a product category where compliance and quality matter, this is an opportunity to drive real material impact.

What you will lead

You will take end‑to‑end responsibility for the commercial operation, including:

• Owning the sales strategy across the UK and Ireland, setting direction, performance metrics, growth targets, and operational priorities.
• Leading and developing regional sales teams, including specification specialists and customer support, ensuring a consistent commercial rhythm.
• Driving product penetration with architects, dry‑lining contractors, façade installers, main contractors, and specialist subcontractors.
• Building and protecting a robust pipeline from specification through to installation, ensuring pricing discipline and margin protection.
• Partnering with Technical, Marketing, Production, and Customer Services to ensure a tightly aligned commercial experience.
• Delivering CPD seminars, supporting product training, and acting as a senior brand ambassador at key industry events.
• Providing market intelligence on competitor activity, industry trends, regulatory shifts, and new opportunities to influence senior leadership decision‑making.
• Embedding modern CRM, automation, and reporting practices to create a scalable, data‑led sales operation.

What success looks like

This isn't a maintenance role. It's growth focused.

Success will be defined by:

• Clear improvements in market share and product specification numbers.
• Strong visibility of pipeline, accurate forecasting, and operational control.
• A sales team that is aligned, disciplined, and delivering consistent field performance.
• Enhanced brand presence across contractors, architects, and tier‑one industry events.
• Demonstrable revenue uplift supported by structured planning and commercial execution.

What you bring

We are looking for a commercially astute leader with:

• A minimum of 5 years in technical specification sales within the construction sector.
• Proven success selling to architects, installers, main contractors, and the wider construction value chain.
• Background in passive fire protection or high‑compliance construction products such as fire batts, cavity barriers, sealants, fixings, insulation, or facades.
• Experience delivering CPD presentations and influencing decision‑makers at design and pre‑construction stages.
• Strong technical capability with the ability to interpret drawings, specifications, and compliance requirements.
• A data‑first mindset with confidence using CRM, ERP, and sales reporting tools.
• Leadership capability to set direction, raise standards, and build a performance culture.

Why this role matters

The fire protection industry continues to evolve, with increasing regulatory pressures, rising expectations around product compliance, and growing demand for high‑quality, test‑evidenced solutions. This organisation is investing heavily in product development, supply chain capability, and commercial innovation. We are happy to provide application and/or accessibility support, please contact your Marks Sattin or Grafton consultant directly to discuss your needs. We're committed to protecting the privacy of all our candidates and clients, please visit https://www.markssattin.co.uk/privacy and https://uk.grafton-recruitment.com/en/privacy-policy-1 for our privacy policy.