Sales Development Representative London, England
Job description
About Us
The FT has an uncompromising mission: delivering independent, quality information, news and services to individuals and companies around the globe. It's the cornerstone of our reputation and the heart of our ambitions for the future. But for our people, the FT offers so much more than what we do. FT people come from all kinds of backgrounds and work across a huge range of disciplines and locations, and find an empowering, warm and welcoming culture that values curiosity and rewards smart, ambitious thinking. Those who are willing to unite around our mission and live our values will find plenty to challenge, inspire and interest them. Like the audiences we serve, no two FT people are the same; but together we help our audience be better informed and understand the world around them. It's a job that's never mattered more, and a career that can take you anywhere you want to go.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace
At the FT, we aim for employees across all regions to have a voice so that diverse perspectives are heard and valued. We believe that a supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves at work and have the flexibility they need to meet their personal needs. We'll continue to remove barriers for all, and in particular barriers facing employees from underrepresented groups.
FT Professional
As part of the Financial Times, one of the world's most respected brands and news sources, we at FT Professional work to help our customers get more from Financial Times journalism – through additional resources, curated news, and action-oriented tools. We proudly serve over 7,700 businesses, governments, and education institutions, equipping users with specialist knowledge and tailored insights to help them make the best strategic and commercial decisions in an unpredictable global environment. FT Professional is entering a new exciting chapter in its growth journey - with an ongoing focus on developing our existing offering along with creating new stand-alone and complementary products for our customers.
Role Overview
FT Professionals licenses FT content to organisations around the world, with clients across corporate, finance, government, professional services, education and media sectors. The Sales Development Executive will be responsible for pre-qualifying leads and prospects for the Global field sales team to close into new business revenue. The role will support the field sales team through a number of activities which include: pre-qualification of leads/opportunities; identifying potential budget holders and stakeholders on trials; proactive prospecting for new contacts; gathering testimonials/evidence for proposals, responding to inbound web chat inquiries
The role reports into the Global region sales lead with a dotted line to marketing, to ensure alignment around campaign activity. This role requires the applicant to actively prospect for new contacts and therefore this will suit someone comfortable working to targets and communicating over the phone with prospective clients, showcasing a good understanding of the FT product offerings.
What you will be responsible for
Prospect and build a sales pipeline for the field sales team via outbound calling and email communication
Source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up
Research and contact potential budget holders/decision-makers
Pre-qualify leads and book appointments/call backs for the field sales team
Assign qualified leads/opportunities to the field sales team for further development and closure
Follow up with each field sales manager to gather feedback and agree next steps
Contact readers to gather testimonials and evidence to support sales proposals
Act as a bridge between marketing and sales. Liaise with the marketing teams on campaign activity to generate leads and improve the quality of leads
Record conversations with prospects on the CRM system for reporting purposes
Weekly reporting, including successful calls made and challenges faced.
Experience/skills you need to be successful in this role
Articulate and tactful communication skills, particularly on the phone
Proactivity and readiness to learn and develop understanding of FT product offering and value proposition.
Effective internet research skills
Self-motivated and driven with strong desire to succeed
Organised and ability to prioritise busy workload in a fast paced environment
Ability to work accurately, with strong attention to detail
Display initiative in undertaking all aspects of the role
Experience in lead nurturing, lead generation and appointment setting
Good team player with a willingness to collaborate
Be a willing contributor to the department, who offers ideas and suggestions.
What's in it for you? FT Benefits
Our benefits vary depending on location, but we are committed to providing best in class perks across all our offices as well as an inclusive environment to develop your career. Examples of our benefits include; generous annual leave allowances, flexible working, medical cover, enhanced maternity & paternity packages and subsidised gym memberships. Full details of our benefits can be found here.
Further Information
The FT are committed to providing an inclusive working environment for all. We are an equal opportunities employer who seeks to recruit and appoint the best talent regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We also promote flexible working and will consider specific requests around flexibility for all roles where it can be accommodated. Please let us know if you require any adjustments as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements, or have any questions, please contact a member of our HR team who will be happy to help.
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