Internal Sales Support
We are seeking a highly organised, proactive and customer-focused Internal Sales Support to join our busy Sales, Commercial and Technical teams within the Home & Personal Care (HPC) business.
The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting the day-to-day commercial activities of the Personal Care & Cosmetics (PC) and Home, Industrial & Institutional (HI&I) markets across EMEA.
Acting as a key link between customers, Sales Managers and internal departments, the role will involve managing customer enquiries, coordinating samples and quotations, supporting commercial opportunities and ensuring a high standard of customer service.
In addition to providing comprehensive support to the HPC Sales Managers, the role will involve taking ownership of smaller customer accounts and distributor relationships, identifying new business opportunities and contributing to the continued growth of the business.
Key Responsibilities
1. Sales & Commercial Support
Provide day-to-day administrative and commercial support to the HPC Sales Managers across the PC and HI&I markets.
Act as a key point of contact between customers, the Sales Team and internal departments to ensure efficient communication and resolution of enquiries.
Respond to customer and prospective customer enquiries, identifying requirements and coordinating product sourcing where necessary.
Prepare and issue quotations to smaller customers (T3 accounts) and distributors using approved price lists.
Follow up on quotations, customer enquiries and commercial opportunities to support sales conversion.
Request and coordinate product samples, monitor progress and proactively obtain customer feedback.
Maintain accurate records of sample requests, customer interactions and sales opportunities, ensuring opportunity pipeline reports are updated.
Identify and communicate potential sales opportunities, customer insights and market intelligence to the Sales Team.
Support the Sales Team with follow-up actions arising from customer meetings, visits and commercial discussions.
Request and update transport quotations from the Logistics Team to support customer pricing and commercial proposals.
2. Customer Relationship & Account Management
Develop and maintain strong working relationships with customers, distributors and trading partners.
Take responsibility for managing and developing smaller customer accounts through proactive telesales and regular customer engagement.
Maintain regular communication with customers to identify requirements, follow up on enquiries and encourage repeat business.
Support customer retention and account development by delivering a responsive and professional service.
Resolve customer queries and issues promptly, coordinating with relevant internal teams where required.
Act as an intermediary between the Sales Team and Customer Service, Supply Chain, Logistics and other internal functions to ensure customer requirements are met.
Attend customer visits where appropriate to support relationship development and commercial activities.
3. Technical Documentation & Regulatory Coordination
Coordinate customer requests for technical and regulatory documentation, including Technical Data Sheets (TDS), Safety Data Sheets (SDS), Regulatory Data Sheets (RDS) and other product information.
Liaise with the Regulatory Affairs Team to facilitate the completion of customer questionnaires, Raw Material Information (RMI) forms and other compliance-related documentation.
Coordinate requests for product certifications and declarations, including Vegan, Halal, Kosher, RSPO, animal testing declarations and Leaping Bunny questionnaires.
Ensure customer documentation is accurate, complete and returned within agreed timescales.
Maintain organised records of documentation requests and follow-up actions.
Work closely with Technical and Regulatory colleagues to ensure customer enquiries are directed to the appropriate specialists.
4. Business Development & Market Research
Research and identify potential new customers and business opportunities within the PC and HI&I markets.
Investigate new markets, customer segments and potential distribution opportunities to support business growth.
Gather and share relevant market intelligence, competitor activity and customer feedback with the Sales Team.
Support lead generation activities, including contacting prospective customers and distributing relevant product or promotional information.
Ensure new leads and opportunities are recorded accurately within the relevant internal systems.
5. Marketing & Distributor Communications
Support the implementation of HPC marketing activities, including promotional flyers, newsletters, email campaigns and new product communications.
Create, maintain and manage distributor marketing email circulation lists.
Coordinate the distribution of relevant marketing and commercial information to customers and distributors, including:
New product launches and product developments.
Technical information, brochures and promotional materials.
Available stock and product promotions.
Training opportunities, events and exhibitions.
Other relevant business updates.
Liaise with the Sales and Marketing teams to ensure communications are accurate, timely and targeted to the appropriate audiences.
6. Exhibitions & Events
Assist with the planning, coordination and organisation of HPC exhibitions and industry events across Europe.
Support exhibition preparation, including logistics, marketing materials, customer communications and other administrative requirements.
Attend exhibitions and industry events as required to support the Sales Team.
Engage with existing and prospective customers at exhibitions, identifying potential business opportunities.
Coordinate post-event follow-up activities and ensure leads and enquiries are recorded and progressed.
7. Accounts & Credit Control Support
Coordinate credit check requests for new customers in conjunction with the relevant Finance and Credit Control teams.
Assist with requests for credit limit increases for existing customers.
Support the follow-up of overdue customer payments where highlighted by the Finance or Credit Control teams.
Liaise with internal stakeholders to resolve customer account queries and support the smooth processing of commercial transactions.
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Essential
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build professional relationships with customers and colleagues.
Strong customer service skills and a customer-focused approach.
Excellent organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands and manage a busy workload.
High attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.
Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven commercial environment.
Confident problem-solving skills, with the ability to handle customer enquiries and resolve issues professionally.
Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint.
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a cross-functional team.
A proactive, flexible and adaptable approach, with a willingness to take ownership of tasks and follow them through to completion.
A good understanding of customer service processes and supply chain principles.
Desirable
Previous experience in a commercial support, internal sales, sales administration or customer account management role.
Experience working within the chemical, speciality ingredients, personal care, cosmetics or HI&I industries.
Experience using SAP or a similar ERP system.
Familiarity with CRM systems, sales pipelines and opportunity management.
Understanding of technical and regulatory documentation associated with chemical products.
Knowledge of chemicals, dangerous goods handling and associated supply chain requirements.
Experience supporting sales and marketing campaigns, customer exhibitions or industry events.
Experience communicating with customers or distributors across international markets.