Sales Coordinator
Location: Reading, Berkshire
Basic salary up to £30,000 (dependent on experience) plus Bonus/additional OTE, hybrid working option & flexible benefits package including up to 27 days holiday (Plus additional annual leave purchasing scheme)
Sector: Packaging distribution
Protecting what matters, together
We’re dedicated to protecting what matters most - our people, our customers, our communities, and the environment. At Macfarlane Packaging, our commitment to customer satisfaction, sustainability and continual improvement creates a highly collaborative, supportive, and friendly workplace where you can unpack a career that grows.
With history stretching back over 75 years, we offer stability whilst always striving for continual growth. Our fast-paced, results-driven approach will challenge and often stretch you, but it will also give you opportunities for personal and professional development. Every colleague has the chance to directly influence our success, leading to real job satisfaction and achievement, at all stages of your career.
We provide competitive pay and personalised incentives, alongside adaptable benefits to make your rewards package go further. And additionally, the way we work prioritises work-life balance and flexibility, empowering our colleagues to manage what is most important to them. Our business values commitment, diligence, teamwork, adaptability, and a thirst for learning… so if this sounds like you, come and join us to help drive change that enables businesses to plan for a better future.
The Sales Coordinator Role
As a Sales Coordinator, you'll play a key role supporting the external sales team and optimising territory sales. Acting as the main point of contact for customer accounts, you'll oversee order progression and maintain high sales administration standards. You will work closely with the purchasing team to ensure timely order fulfilment. Proactively developing customer accounts, you'll revive lapsed ones and identify opportunities through strategic up-selling and cross-selling. This includes making outbound calls to nurture relationships, explore new opportunities, and drive. We can currently provide hybrid option to work one day a week from home for this role.
Sales Coordinator Key Duties
* Conduct sales activity, proactively developing existing accounts by identifying and seizing opportunities for up-selling and cross-selling across the product portfolio.
* Utilise CRM system (MS Dynamics) to diligently follow up on all new and existing sales leads, enquiries, and quotations.
* Take initiative to contact lapsed and underutilised accounts to promote the breadth of Macfarlane’s product and service offerings.
* Conduct proactive sales calls to explore opportunities for new business, generating valuable sales leads.
* Handle customer queries and orders whilst always maintaining exceptional levels of customer service.
* Collaborate closely with Sales Executives, providing them with necessary support and assistance.
* Collaborate with credit control to promptly resolve queries, engaging with customers when necessary.
* Process all sales administration and customer orders accurately, efficiently, and in a timely manner, utilising the relevant systems
* Foster and maintain a comprehensive knowledge of all packaging solutions, actively sharing insights and expertise with colleagues.
* Liaise closely with the site purchasing team to ensure accurate product ordering at optimal prices.
* Coordinate with Logistics/Warehouse to uphold a 24/48-hour delivery schedule as expected by customers.
What you will bring
The successful applicant will bring the following qualities and experience…
* Minimum of 12 months' experience in a comparable sales coordination or support role, demonstrating proficiency in customer engagement and sales administration.
* Proven track record of actively engaging customers in phone-based roles for at least 12 months, showcasing strong communication skills and rapport-building abilities.
* Demonstrated ability to manage sales administration tasks and process sales orders efficiently within a busy environment.
* Strong and effective telephone manner, with a documented history of establishing rapport with customers to facilitate successful sales interactions.
* History of successfully working within a dynamic role, adept at multitasking and prioritising tasks to meet deadlines effectively.
* Previous experience in proactively engaging in outbound calling to existing customers for up-selling and cross-selling purposes.
* Proficient IT skills, including intermediate-level proficiency in Excel and prior experience with CRM systems for data management and analysis.
* Solid numerical skills with keen attention to detail and the ability to interpret and analyse data accurately.
* Ability to handle sensitive matters with diplomacy, integrity, and professionalism in interactions with customers and colleagues.
(Also, desirable):
* Proven record of outbound prospecting and cold calling to generate new business sales opportunities.
* Previous experience providing sales support to external field-based colleagues, demonstrating collaborative teamwork and support.
* Prior use of Microsoft Dynamics CRM or similar CRM systems
* Experience working in a distribution-based environment, understanding the unique challenges and dynamics of this sector.
* Any knowledge of packaging-related products, or prior familiarity with our products.
We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds irrespective of your age, gender, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, or sexual orientation. Should you require any specific support or adjustments during the recruitment process, please email our recruitment team directly.
What you will get
We provide a competitive basic starting salary and operate a range of rewarding bonus/incentive schemes. Our flexible employee benefits package can include: -
25 days annual leave (rising to 27 days with service) plus all public/bank holidays
Additional Holiday purchasing scheme (run annually)
Contributory pension scheme
Free parking at most of our site locations
Annual (company paid) volunteering day
Range of company cars or cash allowance (including hybrid/electric) for qualifying job roles
Employee assistance program to support & advise with well-being & any issues
Extensive range of training/development & potential progression opportunities
Employee discount scheme (discounts on several major retail/leisure brands)
Simply Health/Dental Cover option or BUPA cover for qualifying roles
Enhanced HR policies relating to various employee rights & entitlements
Long service awards (5-40 years)
Charitable giving options
Financial support with eye-tests/purchasing glasses (DSE users only)
O2 Mobile discount scheme (up to 25% off)
Candidate referral scheme (awards £750 for referring successful applicants to Macfarlane job vacancies)
Your future with us
Here at Macfarlane Packaging, you truly have the potential to shape your own future and set your own ambitions. We are a large group company where internal promotion and mobility is a key feature of our success. Through tailored career plans, we provide a wide range of structure training & development pathways, utilising both inhouse expertise to share knowledge and the best-in-class external training partners. There is potential access to management & leadership development, and we work closely with recognised, accredited bodies including the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) & the Institute of Sales Professionals ISP). So there really are no limits to where your journey within Macfarlane Packaging may take you.
How to Apply
We are working swiftly to find the best applicants and hope to hold interviews ASAP. Please click ‘apply’ to submit your up-to-date CV. All applications will be acknowledged. If you haven’t heard from us within 2-3 weeks, please assume your application was unsuccessful.
NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES PLEASE