Sales Manager

SOPHIE WHITELAW LTD; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Product allowance

Staff discount

25 days holiday

Auto-enrolment pension

Job summary

Sophie Whitelaw Ltd., a founder-led fine jewellery house in Central London, is hiring its first dedicated sales leader. You will own private client sales end to end, build and lead a team as the business grows, and drive high-value sales with discretion.

Expect private studio appointments, trunk shows and international travel. Salary £55k–£70k depending on experience, with individual commission and company performance-based bonuses.

Qualifications

• At least five years selling fine jewellery or luxury at high-value transactions.
• Deep knowledge of diamonds, gemstones, precious metals and how fine jewellery is made.
• Consultative seller with ability to build trust for emotional purchases.
• Proven success acquiring new clients, not only servicing an inherited book.
• Highly organized with meticulous attention to detail.
• Based in London or able to relocate with UK work rights.
• Experience mentoring salespeople or leading a small team.
• Experience with high-profile or press-sensitive clients.
• Gemology qualification (GIA, Gem-A) desirable but not essential.
• Established connections with introducers, stylists, family offices or private client advisers.

Responsibilities

• Lead private client appointments in the studio, guiding clients through our collections and bespoke commissioning process.
• Own a personal sales target and the studio's overall target, reporting progress to the founder weekly.
• Negotiate and close high-value sales with confidence, without ever making a client feel sold to.
• Build a pipeline of new private clients through referrals, partnerships, introducers and networking.
• Develop long-term relationships with high-net-worth and high-profile clients, with absolute discretion.
• Work with the Brand Manager to plan and deliver trunk shows, private client events and brand activations in the UK and overseas.
• Design the sales process, targets and reporting we'll scale on. CRM discipline, follow-up cadence, client segmentation, aftercare.
• Recruit, train and lead the sales team as the business grows.
• Feed client insight back into product, pricing and marketing decisions.
• Ensure the studio and every client touchpoint is immaculate, from first enquiry through to aftercare.
• Maintain accurate CRM records and timely follow-up.

Skills

Leadership

Luxury sales

Client relationships

CRM discipline

Target achievement

Staff training

Relationship building

Negotiation

Tools

CRM software

Job description

Sophie Whitelaw is a founder-led fine jewellery house based in Central London. Our clients come to us for pieces they will keep for a lifetime - bespoke commissions, collection pieces and one-off stones - through private studio appointments, client events and international trunk shows.

We are hiring our first dedicated sales leader. This is a build role: you will own private client sales end to end, and as the business grows you will recruit and lead the team beneath you. We anticipate adding a Sales Assistant in the next 6 months. You will report directly to Sophie Whitelaw, the founder, and work alongside our Brand Manager, Operations Manager and Head of Production. Salary: £55k-£70k experience dependent Bonus: Individual commission and company performance based bonus structure in place Holiday: 25 days plus bank holidays Pension: Auto-enrolment Other benefits: Product allowance and staff discount Contract: Full time, permanent Location: Sophie Whitelaw Studio, Central London - on site, this is a client-facing role Reports to: Sophie Whitelaw, Founder Hours and travel: Saturdays are one of our busiest trading days, so the working week is Tuesday to Saturday. Beyond that, expect roughly two evening appointments a month and four to six trips a year for trunk shows and client events, typically 2–4 days each, half of which are international. We give as much notice as we can and time off in lieu.

What you'll do:

Lead private client appointments in the studio, guiding clients through our collections and bespoke commissioning process.

Own a personal sales target and the studio's overall target, reporting progress to the founder weekly.

Negotiate and close high-value sales with confidence, without ever making a client feel sold to.

Build a pipeline of new private clients through referrals, partnerships, introducers and networking.

Develop long-term relationships with high-net-worth and high-profile clients, with absolute discretion.

Work with the Brand Manager to plan and deliver trunk shows, private client events and brand activations in the UK and overseas.

Design the sales process, targets and reporting we'll scale on. CRM discipline, follow-up cadence, client segmentation, aftercare.

Recruit, train and lead the sales team as the business grows.

Feed client insight back into product, pricing and marketing decisions.

Ensure the studio and every client touchpoint is immaculate, from first enquiry through to aftercare.

Maintain accurate CRM records and timely follow-up.

What we're looking for Essential:

At least five years selling fine jewellery, fine watches or comparable luxury at a £3000 average transaction value, with evidence of hitting or beating target.

Genuine working knowledge of diamonds, coloured gemstones, precious metals and how fine jewellery is made.

A consultative seller - able to build trust quickly and guide someone through a considered, emotional, high-value purchase.

Proven success winning new clients, not only servicing an inherited book.

Highly organised, with the attention to detail this product demands.

Comfortable operating with autonomy in a small team, and happy to be hands-on while the business scales.

Based in London or willing to relocate, with a valid passport and the right to work in the UK.

Experience managing or mentoring salespeople, or a clear appetite to start.

Experience with high-profile or press-sensitive clients.

Formal gemmology qualification (GIA, Gem-A) is desirable but not essential.

Established relationships with introducers, stylists, family offices or private client advisers.

We're interested in what you've achieved, not where you've worked. If you don't tick every box but think you can do this job, apply anyway and tell us why.