Alexander & Wilks Internal Account Associate

Job Title:          Alexander & Wilks Internal Sales Associate  

Reports to:        Alexander & Wilks Head of Sales

Location:          Carlisle

About Carlisle Brass

We are one of the UK’s most recognised architectural hardware brands, synonymous with architectural ironmongers, builders’ merchants, and major DIY retailers since 1986.

Located in Cumbria, home of the English Lake District, we operate a next-day service, nationwide and beyond. We are passionate about our products, people, and customers.

Part of the ASSA ABLOY group, the global leader in access solutions.

Purpose of the role

As part of the Alexander & Wilks team, you will be internally based and play a key role in driving sales performance for the brand and Carlisle Brass as a whole, supporting ambitious revenue growth objectives across the UK.

You will be responsible for developing existing customer relationships whilst identifying and converting new business opportunities. Working closely with customers, external sales colleagues and internal stakeholders, you will generate leads, qualify opportunities, provide quotations and support customers through to successful sale.

You will act as a champion for the customer within the business, maintaining a strong focus on sales growth, profitability and exceptional customer service.

Key responsibilities

• Being internally based, you will primarily target trade customers, particularly those local to us, to drive sales performance. You will assist with Alexander & Wilks (AW) customers and queries, targeting new opportunities through both hot and cold leads.

• Supporting our external sales team with quotations, specifications and other appropriate tasks.

• Contributing to the achievement of our business sales goals by delivering exceptional service in everything you do.

• Understanding customer needs and requirements whilst building, maintaining and retaining business relationships.

• Liaising with the sales and supply chain teams when required to ensure that demand patterns are planned for and understood. Furthermore, taking a confident lead in the development of new products and specials alongside the Head of Sales.

• Seeking new business opportunities, driving revenue growth, and providing quotations and enquiry responses promptly.

• Delivering exceptional service and achieving sales during periods of peak and challenging trading. Always working to upsell and identify ways of creating further value for the customer.

• Developing and communicating with customers to generate excitement and commitment, driving sales and the promotion of Alexander & Wilks/Carlisle Brass products.
• Contributing to the development and implementation of sales action plans, ensuring effective remote management of designated territories. Travelling on joint visits to larger accounts to showcase products and speak confidently about what else we could offer.

• Sourcing new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls and emails.

• Achieving profitable business development results by actively seeking new business opportunities. Building a database of potential, targeted customers and developing a plan of action from initial contact through to first meeting and first sale.

• Providing quotations and using strong sales disciplines to close sales and achieve customer revenue growth.

• Maximising communication internally and externally with key stakeholders.

• Researching accounts and expanding the database of prospects.

• Assisting Customer Service, Finance and Operations Excellence with invoice queries to speed up resolution times.
  
  

Skills, competencies, qualifications and personal experience

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and relationship-building skills.
• Proven experience working in a sales, business development, account management or customer-focused environment.
• Strong commercial awareness with a focus on achieving sales and margin growth.
• Experience of developing customer relationships and identifying new business opportunities.
• Ability to work proactively, take initiative and effectively manage competing priorities.
• Strong organisational skills with a systematic, accurate and detail-oriented approach.
• Experience using CRM systems and Microsoft Office applications.
• Enthusiastic, self-motivated and comfortable working as part of a team, including remote colleagues.

Desirable

• Experience within architectural ironmongery, hardware, construction products or merchant sectors.
• Knowledge of specification sales or project-based opportunities.
• Knowledge of Alexander & Wilks, Carlisle Brass or related product categories.

Please note that all job descriptions are for guidance only and can change as and when the needs of the business dictate.

We are the ASSA ABLOY Group
Our people have made us the global leader in access solutions. In return, we open doors for them wherever they go. With nearly 63,000 colleagues in more than 70 different countries, we help billions of people experience a more open world. Our innovations make all sorts of spaces – physical and virtual – safer, more secure, and easier to access. 

As an employer, we value results – not titles, or backgrounds. We empower our people to build their career around their aspirations and our ambitions – supporting them with regular feedback, training, and development opportunities. Our colleagues think broadly about where they can make the most impact, and we encourage them to grow their role locally, regionally, or even internationally.

As we welcome new people on board, it’s important to us to have diverse, inclusive teams, and we value different perspectives and experiences.