Job in Focus: Key Account Manager to Corporate end-user Accounts for Commercial Interior Fit-Out products - £60k +

Our new Job in Focus is superb opportunity as Key Account Manager in the London region working for a manufacturer of commercial high-end flooring for offices. You would deal with corporate end-user accounts like Amazon, Visa and the Bank of Tokyo. The package is worth £60k plus.

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: Key Account Manager
Job Ref: J8755
Product: Commercial Interiors
Location: London
Salary: £60k plus bonus, car and benefits

GLOBAL MANUFACTURER IN THE INTERIORS MARKET TARGETING CORPORATE END USERS IN THE COMMERCIAL FIT OUT MARKET 

PACKAGE: On offer is a basic salary of up to £60,000 plus an excellent bonus structure and company benefits including car, pension, healthcare, mobile phone, laptop and 24 days plus bank holidays. 

EMPLOYER: Our client are at the forefront of design and innovation within the floor coverings marketplace specialising in projects within the high end hospitality, leisure and retail sectors. 

JOB DESCRIPTION: Key Account Manager Corporate End Users: This role is focused on managing key corporate end users accounts including the likes of Amazon, Visa and Bank of Toyko in terms of refurbishments and fit out of high end contract flooring. The successful person will be responsible for current and future opportunities within prestigious London accounts within the office space market. 

LOCATION: London - so you must live within the M25 or close to it in Middlesex, Greater London, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Essex and Hampshire 

CANDIDATE: To be considered for this role you need to have had experience targeting key corporate end users within the office space, education, hotel, leisure or retail market and have ideally sold an interior / design-led product. You must also show you are a self-motivated new business winner capable of working with decision makers at all levels. Furthermore, this person must prove they have successfully worked in a KPI focused environment and be used to smashing sales targets. Experience selling to Facilities Managers, Estates Departments, Property Managers and Procurement is essential. 

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

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UK construction industry could lose 8% of workforce post-Brexit

Many of us have been left very confused with Brexit and how it will ultimately affect the building and construction industry. So far the scare stories do not seem the have been realised. Both optimism and the evidence has remained pretty good that much of it is hype. However, an area which has been a problem for the industry for some time is a shortage of a skilled work force and this could be the one area where Brexit really does have some impact, as we have benefitted by EU workers for many years now. 

New RICS figures last week revealed that the UK construction industry could lose almost 200,000 EU workers post-Brexit should Britain lose access to the single market, putting some of the country’s biggest infrastructure and construction projects under threat.

• 8% of UK construction workforce comes from the EU
• Post-Brexit, should UK lose access to single market, 176,500 jobs could be under threat
• Industry is already facing skills shortages, jeopardising a predicted £500 billion project pipeline

RICS has cautioned that for Brexit to succeed, it is essential to secure continued access to the EU Single Market or to put alternative plans in place to safeguard the future of the property and construction sectors in the UK.

Latest RICS figures show that 8% of the UK’s construction workers are EU nationals, accounting for some 176,500 people. 30% of construction professionals surveyed revealed that hiring non-UK workers was important to the success of their businesses.

The UK is already in the grip of a construction skills crisis. While some overseas professionals, such as ballet dancers, are regarded as critical by the UK Government, and are therefore prioritised during the visa application process, construction professions have not yet been added to the 'UK Shortage Occupations List'. RICS is warning that this could already be placing the UK’s predicted £500 billion infrastructure pipeline under threat and must be addressed as a priority.

When asked about the effectiveness of current plans to address the UK’s long-term skills shortages, 20% of respondents felt that apprenticeship schemes were not effective at all.

Image from: Shutterstock

Monthly fall in Construction output in January, but still higher than a year ago

ONS figures published last week showed that construction output in January fell by 0.4% but rose by 2.0% compared with one year earlier. In addition, new orders in Q4 were 2.8% lower than Q3 and flat compared to a year ago.

Rebecca Larkin, Senior Economist at the Construction Products Association, commented: “Following an increase in output in Q4 last year, the overall fall in construction output in the opening month of 2017 was disappointing, with a decrease in housing, industrial, commercial and RM&I activity over the month.

“Furthermore, the construction new orders data from the ONS suggests that there may be continued weakness in activity in some sectors during 2017. Commercial new orders tailed off in the second half of 2016 and in Q4 were 10.6% lower than in Q3 and fell 24.1% from a year ago, and new orders in the industrial sector were the lowest in two years. Building work in both sectors requires a large up-front investment for a long-term rate of return and it appears decision-making has been clouded by a rise in economic uncertainty.

“Taking total new orders growth of 2.9% in 2016 as a whole, however, shows there remains an impetus for construction activity over the next 12 months. As echoed in our forecasts, output during 2017 will be driven by higher orders for housing – both private and public – as well as infrastructure and new public sector buildings such as schools and hospitals.”

BMF and PDA announce strategic partnership

The decorative sector - especially paints and coatings - has been one of the sectors where we have seen a large growth in the amount of sales jobs being created in the last couple of years. Therefore, it is of great interest to read that the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) and the Painting and Decorating Association (PDA) have agreed a strategic partnership designed to raise the profile of the decorative sector.

The new strategic partnership coincides with the launch of the BMF Decorative Forum, which meets for the first time on 4 May at Akzo Nobel’s Dulux Academy in Slough. Stuart Yates, national president of the PDA will be the main speaker at this meeting, which brings together merchants and suppliers with an interest in decorating products.

The BMF’s latest trade alliance will support the PDA’s recent work to encourage end-users to use a quality decorator. The reputation of PDA members is often reliant on the effective supply of quality decorative materials by merchants and manufacturers throughout the supply chain. Sourcing quality products from BMF members offering the highest standards of service adds value to their proposition.

John Newcomb, managing director of the BMF, said: “Our agreement sets the foundations for the BMF and the PDA to work together to raise the profile of a sector with enormous potential. The PDA represents over 1,300 painter and decorating companies members, while 221 of the BMF’s 316 merchant members are selling decorative products and there are also 17 BMF supplier members supplying decorative products to merchants in BMF membership.”

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Neil Ogilvie, chief executive of the PDA, added: “The core values of our two organisations are closely aligned. Like the BMF, the PDA represents both large national contractor organisations through to small businesses. The annual market value of the decorating sector is £4bn. We have a clear purpose to ensure that all our members adhere to the highest standards. By joining with the BMF we are aiming to raise both the profile of this valuable sector and the professionalism of our members working within it.”

Another key element of the partnership will involve sharing knowledge and experience on training and apprenticeships. The BMF is working on setting up a Trailblazer Trade Supplier Apprentice scheme in merchanting, and both trade bodies appreciate the importance of attracting the right new recruits to their respective industries.

Construction Update: Modest rise in construction output, but cost pressures remain at an eight and a half year high

UK construction companies recorded a sustained expansion of overall business activity in February, with civil engineering replacing house building as the main growth driver. Residential activity increased at the slowest pace for six months, while commercial building declined for the first time since October 2016.

The latest Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index® survey revealed a further solid expansion of employment numbers, despite a slowdown in new business growth to its weakest for four months. Meanwhile, intense cost inflation persisted in February, which was overwhelmingly linked to higher prices for imported materials.

Key findings:

• Solid upturn in civil engineering activity underpins growth in February
• House building activity expands at slowest pace for six months
• Input price inflation little-changed from January’s peak

At 52.5 in February, up slightly from 52.2 in January, the seasonally adjusted Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index® (PMI® ) registered above the neutral 50.0 threshold for the sixth consecutive month. However, the rate of output growth remained weaker than its post referendum peak (54.2 in December 2016) and subdued in comparison to the trends seen over the past three-and-a-half years.

Survey respondents noted that the resilient economic backdrop and a stabilisation in client confidence since the EU referendum continued to help drive construction growth in February. However, there were also reports that demand growth had softened so far in 2017. Reflecting this, incoming new work increased only marginally and at the slowest pace since last October. Some construction companies noted that sharply rising input costs had an adverse impact on decision-making and contributed to delays in contract completions.

February data indicated that construction companies remain upbeat about their growth prospects for the next 12 months, with almost half (48%) forecasting a rise in business activity and only 13% expecting a decline. The degree of positive sentiment was stronger than seen on average in the second half of Page 2 of 4 © IHS Markit 2017 2016, but weaker than January’s 13-month peak. Strong demand for house building projects was cited as a key factor likely to boost construction output.

Robust business confidence contributed to sustained staff hiring across the construction sector in February. Sub-contractor demand also picked up during the latest survey period, which contributed the sharpest drop in sub-contractor availability since January 2016.

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Comments
Tim Moore, Senior Economist at IHS Markit and author of the Markit/CIPS Construction PMI®, said: “February’s survey data highlights that the UK construction sector has rebounded from its postreferendum soft patch but remains on a relatively slow growth trajectory. Weaker momentum in the house building sector was a key factor weighing on construction growth, alongside a renewed fall in work commercial projects.

“There was little sign that the UK storms had a material impact on construction growth in February, although some firms noted that longer delivery times for roof tiles had added to supply chain issues. Instead, survey respondents mainly cited an underlying slowdown in sales growth, with the latest rise in new work the weakest for four months. In some cases, construction companies reported that sharply rising input prices had a disruptive impact on contract negotiations.

“February data revealed that input cost inflation remained at levels last seen in the summer of 2008. Suppliers’ efforts to pass on rising energy costs and global commodity prices have been amplified by the weak sterling exchange rate.”

Input buying increased again in February, although the rate of expansion was only marginal. Greater pressure on supplier capacity led to the sharpest deterioration in vendor performance since June 2015.

Construction companies also reported the second-fastest rise in input costs since August 2008. Survey respondents noted higher prices for a range of materials, driven by the weak sterling exchange rate against the U.S. dollar and euro.

Duncan Brock, Director of Customer Relationships at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, said: “Suppliers were challenged this month as they groaned under the weight of higher demand and some material shortages, with the sharpest drop in performance since June 2015. This impacted on the sector’s overall pace of activity, as delivery times lengthened for bricks, blocks and roofing tiles.

“Housing was singled out as a drag with its weakest performance for six months. As a previous driver of growth, there will be concerns about this softening of house building activity. The drop in sub-contractor availability was the largest seen since January 2016, against a backdrop of rising employment numbers across the construction sector, which will add to worries around labour market capacity as we move along the path to Brexit.

“But overall, the sector’s optimism was still high as workloads remained strong, propped up by the prospect of new projects and repeat business. Though the level of new orders was modest, it is the relentless and brutal rise in prices for construction materials, combined with the impact of the weaker pound, that could block the sector’s progress in the coming months.” 


Photo: From Shutterstock

Job in Focus for March: Specification Account Manager for Commercial Flooring in South East - £63k OTE

Our latest Job in Focus is a Specification sales role to develop high-end flooring products to the hospitality, office, commercial, retail and residential markets in the South East region. It come with a £53k basic package and a possible 10k bonus and numerous other 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: Specification Account Manager
Job Ref: J8693
Product: Flooring
Location: London & South East
Salary: £53k

MULTI-NATIONAL MANUFACTURER IN THE FLOORING MARKET TARGETING THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR 

PACKAGE: On offer is a basic salary of up to £53,000 plus bonus of up to £10,000 and company car, mobile, laptop, pension, healthcare and 24 days plus bank holidays. 

EMPLOYER: A true market leading manufacturer of high-end flooring to the hospitality, office sector, commercial retail and high-end residential markets. 

THE JOB: Account Manager: This is a multifunctional role targeting the corporate office market working. This person will work with architects, fit out contractors and corporate end- users selling a range of design led carpet tiles. The role will involve managing projects from inception to completion, identifying, tracking and securing projects within the office sector. The role is to work alongside another account manager on the territory to develop business. 

AREA: Field based covering London - candidates should live as close to London but those living in Greater London, Middlesex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Essex, Surrey, Kent, East Sussex or West Sussex 

CANDIDATE: The client is looking for an excellent candidate that has experience developing business with specifiers, preferably with an aesthetic product. The area has been well looked after and is performing well, however we still need a highly professional field sales person with the gravitas to win business from professional clients.
For further information or to discuss your career options contact Natalie Matthews on 01480 405225 or apply online.

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UK FREE Construction Sales Recruitment Clinics for March 2017

It is March and doesn't that has a nice ring about it?! The weather is getting warmer, nature is coming back to life and we all start to become more positive. So, if you have been in a bit of a slumber since Christmas, now is the time to get your enthusiasm back and start looking for a new job.

What next?
To progress your career in construction sales or marketing, then you should take advantage of a FREE evaluation of your career, gain expert guidance on your next move and take a look at suitable current vacancies. Interested...? Arrange to attend our PinBuild Career Development Clinics this March. 

This could be the most important appointment of your career so far...

PinBuild Clinics are for sales and marketing professionals in the construction and building products sector, providing specialist career advice and a match to the latest construction sales vacancies.

Call us and arrange to meet one of our expert construction industry consultants on 01480 405225 or contact us via to secure your booking e-mail recruit@pinnacleconsulting.co.uk

March 2017

• Wednesday, March 15th - Guildford 
• Thursday, March 16th - Doncaster 
• Wednesday, March 22nd  - Birmingham 
• Tuesday, March 28th - Bristol
• Thursday, March 30th - Warrington

We will also be at the Ecobuild exhibition each day between 7-9th March.

Our current jobs: You might find one you'd like to discuss: Search for building and construction products sales jobs

PinBuild Clinics will evaluate the job seeker’s career to date and identify the best opportunities available. The clinics provide professionals with expert advice on how to progress their career by discussing the industry sectors that have potential for growth, the skills and focus needed to ensure that they develop with the changing nature of the market and how to ensure that their career continues to progress rather than stagnating.

The clinics will also assist those that attend to map out a realistic and achievable career path, including any potential training requirements. Assistance will also be given to evaluate their CV and also their interview technique and where they should focus to ensure they realise their true potential in the building and construction industry.

We specialise in external and internal sales positions, marketing and management roles and director and board appointments with manufacturers, merchants or distributors across the whole building, construction and interiors product spectrum.

Take some time out to read about CRASH the construction industry's charity for homeless people and one of our industry partners for our charity initiative 'Helping others as you recruit.' Our other partner is the wonderful Lighthouse Club, who look after people and families from the industry who have suffered from illness, injury or death.