About Us
Across the FT Group, our people are united by a mission to deliver world-class information, news and services to our global audiences. We're a digital-first organisation made up of journalists, technologists, product managers, event planners, strategists, commercial and finance experts, marketing and communications specialists - and much more. Our strength is in our employees.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace
At the FT, we aim for employees across all regions to have a voice so that diverse perspectives are heard and valued. We believe that a supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves at work and have the flexibility they need to meet their personal needs. We'll continue to remove barriers for all, and in particular barriers facing employees from underrepresented groups.
The Role / Position Overview
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The B2B division of the Financial Times licences FT content to organisations around the world, with clients across corporate, finance, government, professional services, education and media sectors.
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As the Head of New Business, you will be an individual contributor with your own sales target and a team target. You will have responsibility for leading a New Business (NB) and Sales Development Representative (SDR) team to ensure Asia Pacific new business sales targets are met and you will oversee the team to secure new business from prospective clients in the region.
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You will also be responsible for ensuring that the Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) are following all lead qualification processes correctly as well as helping them develop professionally.
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Your role will also include the development of the annual sales plan, identifying the prospect accounts to target, and working closely with the Marketing and Pre-Sales team to create and implement plans to drive sales. In addition, there is close collaboration with the Head of the Client Relationship team and the Regional Sales Director to ensure we have a customer centric approach.
Key Responsibilities
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To have input into the selection of which prospect accounts this team will have responsibility for targeting to achieve revenue goals.
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To be responsible for the recruitment, training and ongoing development of the business development team including appraisals and regular reviews.
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To work closely with the marketing team to help prioritise and drive activities that will support achievement of revenue goals.
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To work closely with the pre sales team to plan and prioritise activity to support the goal of achieving targets.
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To ensure the team fully utilises the variety of sales tools available e.g. FT.com stories, Data analytics system, copyright, channel partner sales contacts, case studies that prove value, etc and learning is shared across the team.
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To be knowledgeable of the value proposition for each sector, keep up to date with market & competitor developments and ensure there is clarity and confidence amongst the team including discussions around how our API can be integrated into various workflows to provide business solutions.
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To produce regular reports for the Business Development team together with forecasts and budgets as required.
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To lead by example by personally achieving targets and meeting prospects as much as possible and to build strong relationships at a senior level.
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To contribute to strategic discussions regarding product, pricing and process developments as a consequence of customer feedback.
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To ensure the team documents all sales activity in Salesforce, follow up all leads in a timely manner and keep opportunities updated with regards to likely close dates and ensure our qualification process is adhered to.
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To ensure best practice is adopted across the team, professional presentations utilising the corporate marketing team, best use of trials and surveys, understanding when api might be a requirement etc.
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Ensure an effective and positive team atmosphere through excellent management and regular communication.
Required Skills / Experience
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Proven track record in motivating and leading a Business Development team to achieve target
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Experience in team management including recruitment, on boarding, performance management, career development
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Consistent management style across the team
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Ability to mediate and reach agreement when the team(s) have conflicting views
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Experience in working collaboratively with supporting teams and having a customer centric approach.
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Track record in personally securing new business across different sectors and different territories and meeting or exceeding revenue targets.
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Expertise in managing the complete sales cycle from prospecting to implementation and an appreciation of ensuring the team follows a sound qualification process in building their pipelines.
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Track record of managing, mentoring and coaching a sales team that have met sales targets from accounts spanning different sectors and different territories.
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Experience with face to face meetings, negotiation and selling to and building relationships with senior management.
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Excellent presentation and communication skills
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High level of initiative and self-motivation to exceed expectations.
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Ability to represent the regional business development team in global discussions and cross team initiatives
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Ability to think strategically and creatively to come up with new ideas that support business growth
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Proficient in salesforce
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Experience with pipeline management, lead management and opportunity management.
What’s in it for you? Our Benefits
Our benefits vary depending on location, but we are committed to providing best in class perks across all our offices as well as an inclusive environment to develop your career. Examples of our benefits include; generous annual leave allowances, flexible working (including working from home), medical cover, enhanced maternity & paternity packages and Giving Back opportunities. Full details of our benefits can be found here.
Further Information
The FT is committed to providing an inclusive working environment for all. We are an equal opportunities employer who seeks to recruit and appoint the best talent regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We also promote flexible working and will consider specific requests around flexibility for all roles where it can be accommodated. Please let us know if you require any adjustments as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements, or have any questions, please contact a member of our HR team who will be happy to help.
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