Executive Search for a Sales Director in Telecomms

Sales Director Headhunters in Telecomms

Introduction
Our client was a telephone and IT support provider serving small and mid sized businesses. Services included managed IT support, unified communications, cloud telephony, connectivity, and security. Growth had slowed as procurement shifted to formal tenders and longer buying cycles. The owners chose to appoint a Sales Director to restore momentum, so they contacted Sales Director headhunters for assistance.

The owners were not involved in day to day sales. They required a leader with technical fluency and commercial control. A sale had been considered.

We were engaged to run a structured search and selection process.

The Challenge

Growth in managed services requires sector knowledge, solution selling, and process control.

The Sales Director needed to:
• Build a qualified pipeline across priority verticals and regions.
• Win multi year contracts for managed IT and unified communications.
• Grow monthly recurring revenue and expand existing accounts.
• Lead tenders and manage complex deals with procurement and technical stakeholders.
• Improve pricing discipline and contract terms.
• Align sales with service delivery, projects, and support to meet SLAs.
• Establish a small team with clear cadence, metrics, and reporting.

The brief required proven experience selling managed services and communications to business clients.

Our Approach

Step 1: Understanding the business and its offer

We met the owners and senior team to confirm the value proposition and targets. We reviewed current services across helpdesk, projects, Microsoft 365, security, VoIP, and connectivity. We assessed partner status with key vendors and distributors. We analysed customer mix, churn, win rates, contract lengths, and margin drivers. We defined the mandate and measures for the first 180 days and the first year.

Step 2: Targeted industry wide headhunt

We searched across managed service providers, telecoms resellers, and cloud communications providers. We targeted leaders who sell to IT and operations decision makers and to procurement. We prioritised candidates with records of growing recurring revenue and securing multi year agreements. The search identified a candidate from a larger MSP and UC provider with clear results in new logo acquisition and account development.

Step 3: Structured assessment and selection

We designed a structured assessment. Scenarios included a 90 day plan to enter a target vertical. A response to an RFP for managed IT and cloud telephony with migration risk mitigation. A pricing strategy under term options and usage variability. An account plan for the top target customers and a partner plan with vendors. We used behavioural interviews, psychometrics, and reference led 360s. We provided an evidence pack on technical fluency, commercial judgement, and cultural fit.

Step 4: Onboarding and transition support

We provided an executive coach for six months. The coach acted as an intermediary between the new Sales Director and the owners. Goals were set and reviewed. Communication protocols were agreed. We co created a 180 day plan. Items included ideal customer profile, vertical focus, value proposition, case studies, CRM standards, pipeline stages, weekly reviews, bid governance, pricing guardrails, and approval routes. We set a quote to order process and a handover to service delivery. Joint customer visits were scheduled. Events and outreach were planned. Milestones were set and monitored.

The Result

The appointment delivered clear commercial gains.

In the first year the company achieved:
• A larger and better qualified pipeline with higher conversion.
• Multi year managed service contracts in target verticals.
• Growth in monthly recurring revenue and improved net retention.
• Higher average margins through pricing discipline and terms.
• Shorter sales cycles and cleaner handover to delivery and support.
• A decision to continue independent growth without a sale.

Key Insights

• Senior sales hires in managed services benefit from a structured, evidence based process.
• Sector credibility and solution selling to technical buyers are critical.
• Advisory and coaching support improve alignment and accelerate impact.
• Disciplined execution delivers growth while protecting margin and service quality.

Contact Us
If you are an owner managed telephone and IT support business planning a sales leadership hire or transition, we can help you secure proven commercial leadership that drives sustainable growth.

Call: 0207 160 6996
Email: info@executiveheadhunters.co.uk
Visit: executiveheadhunters.co.uk
For a confidential discussion with one of our Directors, book a time here.