_{07th October, 2026}

National Sales Manager - Specification
Hospitality  |  Managed Residential  |  Student Accommodation
UK-wide  -  Field Based  -  Permanent
Reports to
     UK & Ireland Country Manager
    
Location
     UK-wide field role.
    
Package
     Basic salary up to £50,000 + bonus/commission up to £5,000 + car allowance up to £5,000 + 25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
    
Sector focus
     Hotels, restaurants/cafes, BTR/PRS, senior living and PBSA/student accommodation
    

The Opportunity
An opportunity to take ownership of a national, specification-led business development role focused on growing a design-led decorative lighting proposition across hospitality and managed residential markets. The role inherits established specifier relationships, live tenders and project opportunities, while offering significant scope to create new business and broaden the specification pipeline.
This is a genuine early-stage specification role. The emphasis is on developing direct relationships with lighting designers, architects, interior designers and fit-out/design studios at concept and design stage, influencing product selection before projects move into procurement. It is not simply a contractor- or wholesaler-led cross-specification sales position.
The product proposition is strongly design-led. Success will come from being equally comfortable discussing finish, material, colour, trend and overall look-and-feel as technical performance. Bespoke and made-to-order solutions also provide an important opportunity to secure and protect specifications, create differentiation and deliver stronger commercial value.
Key Responsibilities Specification & New Business Development

• Proactively identify, develop and win new specification opportunities across hotels, restaurants/cafes, managed residential, senior living and student accommodation, from early design stage through to order.
• Build and develop direct relationships with lighting designers, architects, interior designers, fit-out studios, D&B contractors, specification consultants and other influential project stakeholders.
• Prioritise early-stage A&D-led opportunities where the product can be influenced at concept/design stage, while understanding the wholesale and contractor route to market.
• Identify the designer, end user, operator, developer or packager behind relevant tenders and build relationships upstream where this strengthens the opportunity.
• Develop a proactive specifier engagement programme, including presentations, product sessions, samples and lunch-and-learn style activity.
• Use bespoke and made-to-order solutions proactively to strengthen the specification, differentiate the offer and reduce the risk of late-stage value engineering.
• Use project intelligence and market insight to identify new-build and refurbishment opportunities and convert them into a qualified sales pipeline.

Account, Pipeline & Project Management

• Manage and grow a portfolio of project, specification and trade customers alongside developing new accounts and relationships.
• Own and maintain an accurate, credible sales pipeline, recording project value, probability, stage and next actions through to win, loss or postponement.
• Progress tenders, quotations and proposals with disciplined follow-up and provide accurate forecasting against realistic project probabilities.
• Coordinate samples, literature, technical information, project pricing and internal support required throughout the specification process.
• Conduct structured account reviews with key customers and identify opportunities for incremental growth and deeper engagement.
• Work closely with internal Customer Service, Marketing, Finance and Commercial teams to deliver a joined-up customer experience.

Commercial Responsibility

• Deliver agreed sales and margin targets across the hospitality and managed residential specification channel.
• Protect commercial value through effective negotiation, project pricing and appropriate use of bespoke solutions.
• Provide regular reporting on pipeline value, conversion, win rates, key opportunities and forecast performance.
• Where appropriate, structure commercially sound growth or loyalty arrangements with route-to-market partners, linked to incremental volume and mutual value.

Candidate Profile Experience

• A proven track record in specification sales and business development within decorative lighting, architectural lighting or a closely related interiors/FF&E/architectural products sector such as fabrics, soft furnishings, bathroom products or decorative surfaces.
• Genuine early-stage A&D-led specification experience, with evidence of building relationships and influencing product selection from design concept onward.
• Experience working with and influencing lighting designers, architects, interior designers, fit-out/design studios and other specification stakeholders.
• Relevant exposure to one or more target sectors: hotels, hospitality, BTR/PRS, senior living or PBSA/student accommodation.
• Experience managing a project sales pipeline/CRM and progressing tenders and proposals from concept through to order.
• An understanding of wholesale, trade and contractor routes to market alongside direct specification activity.
• Established relationships within the UK specification community would be advantageous.

Skills & Personal Attributes

• A proactive new-business mentality combined with the discipline to develop and grow existing accounts.
• Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills across design professionals, contractors, distributors and end customers.
• Comfortable selling on design and aesthetic value - finish, material, colour, trend and look-and-feel - as well as technical and performance criteria.
• Commercially astute and able to prioritise opportunities based on realistic revenue, margin, probability and strategic value.
• Confident managing quotations, tenders, pricing and commercial negotiations.
• Highly organised, with strong CRM/pipeline discipline and accurate forecasting habits.
• Credible and engaging communicator, able to present product, design concepts and commercial solutions to design professionals.
• Self-motivated and effective working autonomously across a national territory while collaborating closely with internal colleagues.
• Target-driven, resilient and comfortable taking ownership of a broad, relationship-led business development remit.

Practical Requirements

• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel regularly throughout the UK, with occasional travel potentially including Ireland.
• Willingness to attend relevant industry events and trade shows as required.
• Candidates must already be UK-based and have full, unrestricted right to work in the UK. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Why This Role?
This is a broad national opportunity for somebody who enjoys creating relationships at the front end of the specification process and wants genuine ownership of a developing market. It combines an existing base of live opportunities and relationships with the freedom to identify new specifiers, new projects and new routes to growth across several active hospitality and residential sectors.
For the right person, the attraction is the combination of design-led selling, national influence, autonomy and the opportunity to shape how the specification channel develops rather than simply inherit and service an established territory.

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