The International Head of School Sales is to lead and drive the company’s International direct to school's sales team strategy across all International-UK publishing lists in direct markets outside of the UK and ensuring sustainable revenue growth by setting and executing strategic sales targets. This role is responsible for strategy setting and execution; holding teams accountable for performance; delivering results that align with budget expectations and expanding global market presence through data-driven decision making and effective sales execution.
Key responsibilities in this role will include:
Sales Forecasting & Results – Set reasoned and realistic budgets with input from Regional Sales Managers Monitor sales performance including pipeline sales, highlighting any significant opportunities or threats to senior management; reforecast as necessary. Ensure teams are held accountable for performance and deliver results that align with business objectives.
Team management – Lead a team of Regional Sales Managers by: ensuring they are aware of regional,
department and divisional objectives; agreeing SMART objectives and holding regular Performance and Development conversations; encouraging an open environment by regularly giving and receiving feedback; and enabling them to develop management skills through regular coaching.
Operating Expenditure – Set overhead budgets for the team in line with strategic goals; Review expenditure against overhead budgets on a monthly basis, flagging any exceptional spend to senior management.
Sales & Marketing strategy – Create strategic plan together with input from Regional Sales Managers to develop team strategic priorities that align with must wins, deliver the number and drive growth; work with the International Marketing team to ensure aligned priorities; proposing investment plans and report back to senior management as needed. Work with PD and events team to ensure alignment of key priorities.
Product & Market knowledge – Develop and maintain an excellent level of product and future publishing knowledge, along with market knowledge in order to set sales priorities to maximise revenue. Lead supervisory sales role for key International lists, so as to sense-check new publishing proposals and sales forecasts, and lead on annual pricing review.
Relationship management – Collaboratively manage relationships with key internals stakeholders (such as branch MDs, ELT Sales Directors & MDs, PD, Marketing) and external stakeholders (such as Exam boards, Key Accounts).
High risk management and compliance adherence – Working closely with the Compliance team to ensure all internal and external parties are at all times working in compliance with OUP’s Code of Conduct and Ethical Policies, particularly in relation to High-Risk Business Activity such as tenders
Performance management across sales teams - Develop best practice procedures to manage sales performance against KPIs including championing effective use of CRM and consultative sales techniques that can be extended across all channels.
Inspirational leadership – Modelling best practice in collaboration, solutions- finding and resilience to create an environment that fosters innovation. Disseminate divisional, departmental and regional strategy and objectives and create vision for your team.
Self-management - You organize yourself, your priorities and your resources in such a way as to maximise your effectiveness and achieve your objectives. You work with respect with all colleagues and customers according to OUP’s Code of Conduct and Ethical Policies and you demonstrate OUP Qualities such as resilience and collaboration, including working outside of your remit where needed
We operate a hybrid working policy that requires a minimum of 2 days per week in the Oxford office.
About You
To be successful in this role, you will ideally have:
Experience in managing sales across a large portfolio
Experience in managing a large global team
Strong ability to inspire, motivate, and develop team members
Ability to understand and anticipate customer needs and tailor solutions accordingly.
Excellent collaboration & interpersonal skills
Ability to interface with a number of stakeholders at all levels
Experience of managing overheads and setting budgets.
Benefits
We care about work/life balance here at OUP. With this in mind we offer 25 days’ holiday that rises with service, plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (3-days) and a 35-hour working week. We are open to discussing flexibility in respect to working patterns, dependent on role. We also have a great variety of active employee networks and societies.
We help make your money go further by contributing to your pension up to 12%, offering loans and savings schemes through our partnership with Salary Finance, in addition to travel to work schemes and access to a wide range of local discounts.
Please see our Rewards and Recognition page for more information.
Please note this advert may be removed before the advertised end date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
We are committed to supporting diversity in our workforce, and ensuring an inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive. We seek to employ a workforce representative of the markets that we serve and encourage applications from all.
