Sales Operations Manager

Hethel Innovation; Norwich; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading innovation support organization is seeking a Sales Operations Manager to oversee the sales team and ensure effective management of operations across multiple sites. The successful candidate will drive sales performance, manage relationships with tenants, and contribute to the continuous improvement of services. This full-time role offers a competitive salary and opportunities for professional development within a dynamic team environment.

Benefits

26 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays)

Company pension scheme

Career progression and personal development opportunities

Dynamic and exciting team with exceptional culture

Qualifications

• Sales training is desirable.
• Experience managing challenging conversations is essential.
• Experience in commercial property lettings is essential.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day to day operational management of the sales team.
• Enable the team to deliver their KPIs and manage high level enquiries.
• Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.

Skills

Excellent Communicator

Leadership

Negotiation Skills

Collaborative

Ability to prioritize

Education

ILM or equivalent

Job description

Contract Type - Full Time, Permanent, 37.5 hours a week

Salary - £40,000 – £45,000 depending on experience

Site/Location - Scottow Enterprise Park and Hethel Engineering Centre/Various, across HIL owned and operated sites

Responsible to Head of Sales Responsible for Sales team

Job Purpose

The Sales Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing day to day operational management of the sales team across current and future sites by assisting the team in implementing our sales process, managing enquiries, and closing deals. They will be responsible for enabling the team to deliver their KPIs. They will line manage the Sales Team, supporting the team in their roles and enabling their professional development

They will work with the team to ensure that day to day sales operations including lettings, rent negotiations and lead generation activities are handled professionally. They will encourage a culture of continuous improvement within the team.

By managing the Sales Team Coordinators, Sales Consultant and Administrator, they are responsible for ensuring that the business achieves its Sales KPIs whilst providing tenants a seamless combined experience.

This role is also responsible for managing high level enquiries and relationship management of tenants. Driving productivity and delivering an outstanding customer journey, critical to our purpose of creating sites of Innovation Excellence.

The role acts as an enabler, taking the operational management of the sales team’s day to day activities as well as providing support to the team by handling customer feedback

In return for your commitment, and drive, you will receive the following: -

• Competitive salary.
• 26 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays).
• Company pension scheme – in line with auto enrolment.
• Career progression and personal development opportunities.
• Become valued part of a dynamic and exciting team with a truly exceptional culture.

Context

Hethel Innovation Ltd celebrates its 15th anniversary in February 2026. Leading up to this milestone, we will have leveraged our knowledge and experience to shape our business as both mature and strategically structured. As we continue our growth journey, very aware that the past funding programs and support are not reflected in the future, we must seek new, additional revenues whilst staying true to our core mission and remaining steadfast in our commitment of supporting organisations driven to innovate, scale and deliver economic growth.

Our primary purpose is to support any business that is innovating.

·We are the true Champions for the Game Changers. Those innovating business and their people who seek to do what others feel cannot be reached or achieved.

·We are Customer Centric to our core, exclusively business led. Our success is measured only by the impact on those we seek to support.

·We create a working Solution-Based Culture, enabling innovation knowledge to be exchanged and challenged. We know what essential Game Changing insight is coming, and we know what’s with us now.

·We scope, create, build, and operate Sites of Innovation Excellence. Specific to sector, location, and needs. Key centres of inspiration and excellence.

·We work exclusively with trusted business partners and networks, we support with the ‘day to day’ and the ‘day tomorrow’ by curating knowledge and building clusters, communities, and local supply chains.

Hethel Innovation is a business support organisation. This support is offered in three ways: space to grow, business insight and connected communities. Space to grow comes from the two sites that Hethel currently runs: Hethel Engineering Centre and Scottow Enterprise Park. A fourth site, The Skills and Innovation Centre will be opening in 2026 alongside other sites in development These spaces provide business space including workshops, offices, hot desks and more, with a dedicated site team on site and available full time. Business Insight comes from the support services offered by the Innovation Team, delivered by our dedicated team of Innovation Consultants. Connected communities are the combination of these previous two factors, using both physical space and support services as well as our wider network of contacts and stakeholders to bring the business community closer together.

The Sales team are primarily responsible for delivering the frontline sales function across the business, this currently includes commercial property lettings and innovation consultancy sales. As Hethel Innovation evolves and delivers its 5-year strategy, we aim to deliver a wider range of new services and products. We expect the role to provide members with a seamless lettings experience and liaise with the Innovation consultants to help deliver a bespoke mixture of space, support, and business services. They also work on behalf of the Site teams to vet and provide a steady stream of engaged, growth minded and innovative businesses to join our community. Combining commercial property expertise with sales and customer service skills and an understanding of the challenges faced by growing businesses to offer the very best experience.

Hethel Innovation is owned wholly by Norfolk County Council and its board consists of both council members and industry experts. Hethel Innovation’s role, as instructed by the council, is to provide economic development in the region.

Other Job Information (e.g. any special factors or constraints)

You will be expected to travel to meetings, viewings and events as required. Some flexibility on hours will be required due to training and activities that need to take place outside of usual operating hours. We operate a flexible working policy which can be discussed in relation to your role and contracted hours. The role holder will be expected to on occasion support the sites with operational duties.

Principal Duties

Responsible for:

·Supporting the Head of Sales in delivering the key tenancy KPIs for their Site (Occupancy %, £/SQFT Etc)

·Removing day to day barriers for the sales team in delivering their KPIs

·Monitoring performance and looking for opportunities to improve delivery.

·Ensuring the implementation of the Sales process to ensure that customers receive the best customer experience.

·Contributing to and working with the wider operational management team and Attending Operations Group meetings.

·High Priority Enquiry Management and Lead optimisation.

·Supporting Rent Negotiations.

·Day to Day management of the Sales Team

·Identifying key opportunities to represent Hethel Innovation and attract new business.

·Being a key point of contact for existing tenants.

·Carrying out end of contract conversations including lease forfeitures.

·Attending Events.

·Prioritising Sales Performance

·Working with the Sales Coordinators to ensure that vacant spaces are filled as quickly and profitably as possible.

·Ensuring a smooth handover to delivery teams and partners.

·Ensuring consistent and effective use of CRM systems

·Working with Site teams to keep on top of upcoming availability to minimise losses through empty spaces.

·Working across teams to understand the whole Hethel Innovation Offer and keep up to date with an evolving offer.

·Assist Marketing by providing insight and information about availability and demand.

·Work with the Head of Sales to provide insights on internal processes to enable their improvement.

·Committing to a development plan to enhance their own skills as appropriate.

Person specification

Qualifications - Desirable

• Sales training
• Call handling
• ILM or equivalent Person specification

Experience

Essential

• Sales Experience
• Complaints Handling
• Experience managing challenging conversations.
• Team Management
• Change Management
• Commercial property Lettings

Desirable

• Marketing Experience
• Experience in Property
• Experience with commercial leases
• Experience using CRM systems

Skills/Knowledge

Essential

• Excellent Communicator
• Resilience
• Leadership
• Collaborative
• Negotiation Skills
• Ability to prioritise.
• Ability to work as a team.
• Able to think quickly under pressure
• Initiative

Desirable

• Business knowledge (particularly start-up and SME)
• Interest in commercial property
• Interest in entrepreneurship
• Knowledge of Sales Process/ Sales Funnel

General Information

• The job description details the main outcomes of the job and will be updated if these outcomes change.
• All work performed/duties undertaken must be carried out in accordance with relevant HIL policies and procedures, within legislation, and with regard to the needs of our customers and the diverse community we serve.
• Job holders will be expected to understand what is meant by safeguarding vulnerable groups (children, young people, and adults) and how to raise concerns.
• Job holders will be expected to be flexible in their duties and carry out any other duties commensurate with the grade and falling within the general scope of the job, as requested by management.

Person specification Person specification