Christmas Job in Focus: Head of Technical Division for Structural Building Products in East Mids - £70k

Our Christmas Job in Focus is a fantastic opportunity to head the technical division for a manufacturer of Structural Building Products. As Technical Manager you would lead all aspects of the company's technical departments, including mentoring, supporting and developing the team and the level of support the department offers. £70k + benefits.

Our Construction & Building Industry Job in Focus feature takes a detailed look at some of the fantastic sales & marketing construction and building materials job vacancies currently on our books. 

Job in Focus is also promoted on our website. www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk 

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our candidates and client a very Happy Christmas. We hope you get everything you want both personally and professionally in the New Year.

Job Title: Technical Manager

Job Ref: J8411

Product: Heavyside Building Products

Location: East Midlands

Salary: £70k

Head of the Technical Division for a Manufacturer of Structural Building Products. 

Package: £60K - £70K + Company Car, Mobile, Laptop, Pension 

Employer: A leading manufacturer of structural building products with a respected brand name in the sector. Currently experiencing extensive growth in a buoyant market, therefore offering excellent career and personal development opportunities. 

Job Description: You will be responsible for managing the technical departments via the technical managers. Offering support, structure and mentoring members of the team while helping to develop the technical support side of the business. Working with house builders, developers and merchants on a range of structural building products. 

Area: Role will be based in East Midlands - Candidate will ideally live around Loughborough, Derby, Nottingham, Tamworth, Stoke On Trent. 

Person: We are seeking a strong technical manager with an extensive understanding of structural building products. The ideal candidate will have managed a larger technical team either directly or via other managers. 

For further information or to discuss your career options contact Luke Rootham on 01480 405225 or apply online.

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2016 is almost over. Are you ready for 2017?

Another year is almost over and a new one is about to begin. 2016 has been a difficult year for the building and construction industry, but like a determined boxer it keeps getting up off the floor, fighting back and surprising us all.

The year is ending in optimistic mood, as is the job market, defeating some of the post-Brexit gloom.

So it seems after an intense 12 months of hard work, the industry must regroup and prepare to fight again in 2017.

We would like to wish all our candidates and clients a relaxing and enjoyable Christmas and New Year. Our offices close on 22nd December and reopen on 3rd January 2017.

In the meantime, if you'd like to start the New Year with a new job, please take a look at our latest building industry sales jobs here.

Sales of building materials through merchants rise post-Brexit vote

Sales of building materials through UK builders’ merchants rose by 3.8% in the three months after the EU referendum, compared with the same period of 2015.

Latest figures from the Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI) show that total merchant sales in Q3 2016 were up by 3.8% on the same period last year with total ex-VAT sales reaching £1.43bn compared to £1.39bn in 2015.

Total sales for the first nine months of the year were up 5.1% year on year.

Year-on-year sales growth in Q3 was particularly strong in the landscaping sector (+9.6%), helped by good weather throughout the period. Ironmongery (up 5.9%) also performed well, as did the market’s largest product category, heavy building materials (+4.4%).

However, total merchant sales in Q3 were down by 0.6% on the second quarter, and down by 3.7% less when adjusted for two fewer trading days.  This is a turnaround from last year. 

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In 2015, Q3 sales were 1.7% higher than Q2. It remains to be seen if this is an early warning sign that the market may be slowing, the survey authors said.

John Newcomb, managing director of the Builders Merchant Federation, which sponsors the survey, said: “Positive trading results in first three months following Brexit are an important indicator of the industry’s health. Year-on-year sales have continued to grow throughout 2016, bucking the construction trends identified by the ONS.”

Revised ONS figures for July and August showed construction down by -0.8% and +0.8% respectively on the previous year, with a provisional September figure of +0.2%.

Mr Newcomb added: “We are not overly concerned about the slight drop in sales from Q2 as annual sales can peak in either quarter, but we will be monitoring this going forward.”

The survey is compiled by GfK tracking point of sale data from builders’ merchants representing more than 80% of the market by value. 


Photo: via Shutterstock ref. shutterstock_156254927

Job In Focus: Head of E-Commerce in South East for Bathroom Products to Online Retailers

Our December Job in Focus is an exciting position to help develop Internet sales of Bathroom Products with retailers for a leading name in the bathroom sector. As Head of E-Commerce you could earn £75k plus 25% bonus and benefits.

Our Construction & Building Industry Job in Focus feature takes a detailed look at some of the fantastic sales & marketing construction and building materials job vacancies currently on our books. 

Job in Focus is also promoted on our website. www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk

Job Title: Head of E-Commerce

Job Ref: J8298

Product: Bathroom Products

Location: London & South East

Salary: £75k

LUXURY BRAND IN THE BATHROOM MARKET SELLING TO KEY ONLINE RETAILER ACCOUNTS 

PACKAGE: On offer is a basic salary of up to £75,000 plus 25% bonus, car, pension, healthcare and 25 days holiday plus bank holidays. 

EMPLOYER: A highly successful leading name within the bathroom sector offering a superb product portfolio and a presence in more than 100 countries. 

JOB DESCRIPTION: Head of E-Commerce: Reporting to the General Manager this role is aimed at developing and managing the E-Commerce channel in the UK, actively managing the channel to maximise sales through the internet (both direct and via existing distribution channels and key customers) and encouraging both new and existing business opportunities with effective marketing and brand promotions. There will also be a requirement to drive the growth of the E-Commerce Channel by developing the expertise and capabilities within the UK sales team and working closely with Marketing and Heads of Sales. Other responsibilities include optimising the company's online strategy for brand awareness and lead generation to maximise internet sales growth for the online channel and category, identifying and pursuing opportunities to sell directly on the internet when and where attractive, including partnership initiatives and developing a plan for managing top e-retailers based on best practice e-commerce and implementing web analytics's tools. There will also be 1 direct report. 

LOCATION: Field and office based but applicants need to live within easy commute of London so could be based in Surrey, Kent, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, East Sussex or West Sussex 

CANDIDATE: This is a senior level role so we need a senior level exceptional quality candidate. This person needs to have a stable work history, be of graduate calibre and come from an e-commerce background with superior key account management responsibility. Any knowledge of the KBB or heating and plumbing market would be an advantage but it is more important that you have experience with key players in the online distribution, retail or DIY sectors such as Argos, Amazon or Victoria Plumb. 

For further information or to discuss your career options contact Natalie Matthews on 01480 405225 or apply online.

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Construction activity reaches eight-month high as delayed projects resume after Brexit vote

November data indicates that the UK construction sector continued to rebound from a weak Q3 2016 as business activity and incoming new work increased at the strongest pace for eight months. Although both rates of expansion remained much softer than the peaks achieved at the start of 2014. Greater workloads underpinned a further solid rise in employment levels and input buying among construction firms. However, average cost burdens rose sharply, with the rate of inflation the steepest since April 2011.

The seasonally adjusted Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index® (PMI®) picked up slightly to 52.8 in November,from 52.6 in October, thereby signalling an expansion of total business activity for the third month running. Reports from survey respondents cited improved order books, alongside resilient client confidence and strong demand for residential projects. There were again reports that heightened economic uncertainty was a key factor weighing on output growth across the construction sector.

Housebuilding activity remained the best performing category of construction output duringNovember, despite the pace of expansion slipping to a three-month low. Construction firms meanwhile reported a marginal rebound in commercial activity, which ended a five-month period of decline. Civil engineering work remained the weakest area of activity.

Increased volumes of construction output were underpinned by a solid upturn in new work during November. The latest rise in incoming new business was the strongest since March and contrasted with a sustained decline in sales through the summer. Some construction firms noted that their workloads had been boosted by a resumption of projects that were delayed after the Brexit vote. However, there were also reports that the stronger inflation backdrop had led to intense competitive pressures and squeezed margins. 

UK construction companies reported a steep and accelerated rise in their cost burdens in November, with the rate of inflation the fastest for just over five-and-a-half years. This was overwhelmingly linked to supplier price hikes in response to exchange rate depreciation.Purchasing activity meanwhile increased at the fastest pace since the start of 2016.Stronger demand for inputs and low stocks among vendors resulted in the sharpest deterioration in supplier performance since June.

Job creation was maintained across the construction sector in November, while the latest survey also highlighted the fastest rise in subcontractor usage so far in 2016. A number of firms linked additional staff recruitment to robust confidence regarding the near-term demand outlook. That said, business confidence was still softer than seen during the first half of the year, with construction companies generally noting that Brexit-related uncertainty had the potential to weigh on business activity during 2017. 

David Noble, Group Chief Executive Officer at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply,said: “The sector was on a firmer footing this month, as a slight uptick in overall activity and the strongest level of new business growth since March, resulted in more stability after a summer of uncertainty at the time of the EU vote.

“Purchasing activity grew at its fastest pace since the beginning of the year as stronger workflows and tenders materialising into actual projects prompted increased levels of stock building. This resulted in a sluggish response from suppliers, with the fastest lengthening of delivery times since June, as pressure on capacity and low stocks impacted on demand.

“Once again residential activity led the way, though at softer rates than those seen in October and at a more diminished rate than the survey’s long-range norm. Though this positive growth will provide some relief for the economy, continuing cost pressures will be a worry for the sector in the coming months. The impact of the weaker pound was widely felt in November, with cost inflation the strongest since early-2011. Higher prices were reported for a number of materials including bricks, blocks and slate, as businesses struggled with managing costs.Yet, in spite of this grip on precious margins, head counts were increased and demand for subcontractors was also sustained.

“Reports of lingering uncertainty around the progress of Brexit negotiations had business optimism divided, where only 45% of respondents expected a rise inactivity next year – one of the lowest since the middle of 2013. And, as commentators warn about more inflationary impacts next year, the sector will be concerned that decisions from policymakers must ensure these effects are minimalised so that growth is maintained."

Develop and enhance sales performance

We'd like to make sure that everyone involved in sales is aware of a superb event next year.

Sales Innovation Expo is the largest and most important event for professional sales leaders. With some of the best-known names, thought leaders and industry experts offering cutting-edge advice and demonstrating the latest technologies, products and services; this event is sure to equip Sales Directors and Managers with the latest systems and tools to improve sales performance.

It is taking place at the EXCEL Centre in London between 28-29th March 2017.

Over 200 innovative exhibitors will be there with ideas, solutions and products to improve your performance, efficiency, outlook and future strategy. You will also be able to attend expert seminars - there is over 95 to choose from!!

In addition there are 35 interactive masterclass sessions to visit to further enhance your knowledge and become aware of the how sales is changing.

Tickets are free, so put the date in your diary.

More details>>>