Stephen C

Accomplished Sales Director and Board Member with a 12-year record of achievement and quota-surpassing results, recognised for contributions to record-setting sales figures while providing visionary sales leadership within highly competitive engineering, automation, technology and distribution industries in Ireland, UK, Europe, US and the Middle East. Combines entrepreneurial drive with experience leading companies to global market expansion with a record of evaluating new market opportunities and developing lucrative partnerships. Skilled in creating and executing regional sales plans and forecasts and managing end-to-end business relationships in order to maximise profitability through new business development and client acquisition. Proven success in taking ownership of all revenue generation for the commercial sales market segments: building, managing, and scaling a high-performance SaaS sales team; leveraging a methodical, data driven sales process; filling and driving the sales pipeline; and closing enterprise-level deals across all industry verticals. Fastest record of achieving the Diploma & Certificate status of the Chartered Director Programme with the Royal Institute of Directors.

WORK EXPERIENCE

SALES DIRECTOR & VP OF SALES (IRELAND & UK) 

JUN 2018 – PRESENT

Board member, reporting to the CEO, leading a sales team of 20 with full P&L responsibility. A key contributor to the position of the organisation across the UK & Ireland.

• Ownership of the 6-year vision for the country, mentoring, coaching, and building a prestigious technical sales team (20) across the Region of Ireland / UK.
• Having a professional focus on sharing creative and innovative solutions to as many C-Level / Senior Managers, from the top 50 contractors and blue-chip companies.
• Managing the existing pipeline and developing it further in line with the company’s strategy.
• Provide detailed and accurate data driven insights, sales forecasting and measurement, and financial risk analyses.
• Delivered key operational support within the marketing, demand, and lead generation. Implementing and onboarding usage of best-in-class tech stack. 
• Identify and make recommendations for improvement in the areas of process, efficiency, and productivity.

Key Achievements:

• Grew sales 15% YoY to £16m.
• Developed and launched a new customer app that has 67% adoption and resulted in 80% increase in efficiency.
• Secured 104 new blue-chip clients, including 35 of the top 50 contractors in Ireland and UK.
• Large stakeholder in the sourcing, implementation, and usage of the best-in-class tech stack (CRM & ERP systems).
• Successfully scaled and recruited a world class technical sales team from 6 to 20 in 12 months.
• Provided ongoing sales training and support to internal and senior area sales managers.
• Developed a marketing strategy that had 32 successful promotional campaigns across all social & SEO channels.

NATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR (UK & ROI) 

JUN 2017 – JUN 2018

• Developed strong relationships, effective partner management and managed a team that delivered technical solutions in the construction and engineering industry, maximised sales, profitability, and ,market penetration.
• Nurture a network of senior internal stakeholders, generated new ideas to optimise business performance and developed a successful GTM strategy. Provided counsel on complex deals and business decisions.
• Represented the company over 32 counties across Ireland, regular CPD presentations, managed Key Accounts, gained new business and spoke at several Tradeshows / Exhibitions throughout Ireland and the UK.
• Refined and evolved a scalable, measurable, and predictable process for running and growing the team.

Key Achievements:

• Implemented and developed a new growth strategy for the business, developed their digital online presence by 120%, rebranded and redeveloped their regional offices / factories to supply the highest quality products and service as possible. 
• Increased sales volumes by 42%, Increased customer retention by 96%.
• Achieved regional P&L, ambassador for global brands, supported the role out of AI / AR across the team.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER 

JUN 2015 – JUN 2017

• Part of the senior leadership team, contributed to the growth of the company from £3m to £10m in 24 months.
• Executed on the plan to drive new business opportunities fuelling the sales pipeline to ensure that the function’s pipeline quotas are met and exceeded.
• Developed and scaled new teams across the EMEA.
• Presented products and services, prepared proposals and negotiated pricing terms.

Key Achievements:

• Developed a European team of (37) locally and globally to develop strong and everlasting business relationships.
• Represented the business at networking event and international trade shows and worked close with government support initiatives as a way of helping the company consistently utilise their operations.
• Increased the company turnover from £3m to £18m in 2 years, increased the workforce from 27 employees to 64, promoted the marketing presence locally and globally by 34% through re-branding, website presence, social media activity, and conference attendances.
• Deployed, developed, and trained new factory staff, implemented growth strategies, innovation processes, lean and agile strategic management. Negotiation of licensing agreements, procurements, and customer proposals.

EDUCATION
 

MSc International Business Development with Industrial Practices

Ulster University

JUN 2016

BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering with Diploma in Industrial Studies

Ulster University

JUN 2014

1st Class Honours + DPP
 

CERTIFICATION
 

• Diploma in Company Direction (SCQF) Masters Level – Institute of Directors (IoD)         Jan 2022 – Jun 2022
• Accelerated Certificate in Company Direction              – Institute of Directors (IoD)         Jan 2022 – Jun 2022

ADDITIONAL TRAINING
 

• CMI Management & Leadership
• International & Export Sales Management (Heriot Watt)
• IMechE Young Leadership – Board
• Young Enterprise & EY Ambassador