Job: Technical Sales Manager
Location: Nationwide Travel - flexible
Industry: Industrial refrigeration Projects
We are currently recruiting for an experienced Technical Sales Manager to join a growing industrial refrigeration business, taking the lead on major technical sales opportunities and high-value project tenders across the UK.
This is a senior, technically focused sales position, offering the opportunity to take ownership of substantial industrial refrigeration projects from initial client engagement and concept development through to tender submission, negotiation and contract award.
Project values typically range from £500k to £6m, covering sectors including food manufacturing, cold storage and logistics, process engineering and beverage production.
This is not a traditional account management or high-volume sales role. Instead, you'll be responsible for developing and securing a select number of significant project opportunities each year, ensuring every bid is technically robust, commercially viable and strategically worthwhile.
You'll combine strong engineering knowledge with commercial awareness, taking responsibility for developing solutions, managing the bid process and securing profitable new business.
The Role
As Technical Sales Manager, your responsibilities will include:
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Business Development & Pipeline Management: Build and maintain relationships with key decision-makers, end users, consultants, main contractors and framework providers. Identify new opportunities, develop existing accounts and assess the commercial viability of potential projects.
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Technical Solution Development: Interpret client specifications, conduct site surveys and work alongside the Industrial Design Manager to develop practical, cost-effective refrigeration solutions. This will include system architecture, refrigerant selection, plant configuration and system resilience.
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Full Bid Ownership: Manage the complete tender process, from initial enquiry through to final submission and client presentation. Develop detailed cost models, obtain supplier quotations and prepare accurate scopes of work, exclusions and technical clarifications.
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Technical & Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all proposals consider relevant industry standards and legislation, including BS EN 378, PED, Pressure Systems Safety Regulations, CDM 2015, DSEAR, GB F-Gas and COMAH screening requirements.
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Commercial Management: Negotiate with clients at senior level, presenting and defending proposals while managing pricing, scope, programme and contractual considerations to protect project profitability.
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Internal Stakeholder Management: Coordinate closely with design, estimating, procurement, operations, finance and legal teams to ensure bids are delivered accurately and within agreed timescales.
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Team Leadership: Manage and develop a dedicated Bid / Estimating Support resource, providing direction, coaching and quality oversight while maintaining overall responsibility for your own bids.
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Project Handover: Ensure successful contract awards are handed over effectively to the Contracts and Project Management teams, maintaining accountability for the technical and commercial commitments made during the sales process.
About You
We're looking for an established technical sales professional with a strong background in the UK industrial refrigeration contractor market.
You'll ideally have a combination of technical engineering expertise, proven major-project sales experience and the commercial ability to manage complex, high-value tenders.
Essential Experience & Qualifications
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Significant experience within the UK industrial refrigeration industry, ideally gained within an industrial refrigeration contractor.
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A proven track record of leading and securing major project bids valued between £500k and £6m.
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Experience of achieving substantial annual order intake targets through technically complex project sales.
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Strong understanding of the complete sales lifecycle, from initial concept design and technical development through to tender, negotiation and contract award.
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Experience working within formal technical design reviews, commercial approval processes and contractual governance procedures.
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Confident negotiating with senior clients on pricing, scope, programme and contractual terms.
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Strong working knowledge of BS EN 378 and Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations, alongside an understanding of PSSR, CDM 2015, DSEAR and GB F-Gas.
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Good knowledge of ammonia refrigeration systems, including two-stage systems and pumped circulation.
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Ability to develop concept designs, undertake or direct heat load and duty calculations, and interpret P&IDs, schematics and engineering layouts.
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Understanding of food manufacturing, cold storage, logistics and associated industrial environments.
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Strong commercial capability, including detailed cost modelling, supplier negotiations, tender preparation and contractual risk management.
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Previous experience managing or directing a bid support or estimating resource.
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Excellent communication, presentation and written skills.
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Competent in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint, alongside CRM and estimating systems.
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HNC/HND in Refrigeration, Mechanical Engineering or Building Services Engineering, or equivalent demonstrable experience.
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Level 3 Maths and English.
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Full UK driving licence and flexibility to travel nationally, including occasional overnight stays.
Desirable Experience
Experience developing new business and opening accounts within targeted growth sectors.
Exposure to framework agreements, two-stage tendering and negotiated procurement routes.
Experience bidding directly to main contractors as well as end-user clients.
Involvement in refrigerant transition, decarbonisation and major energy-efficiency projects.
Knowledge of CO2 transcritical and subcritical systems, ammonia/CO2 cascade systems, low-charge ammonia, advanced controls and heat recovery.
Exposure to HAZOP and HAZID processes.
Degree in Mechanical Engineering or Building Services Engineering.
Membership of the Institute of Refrigeration.
Relevant EN 378, pressure equipment, ammonia safety, F-Gas Category 1 or IOSH Managing Safely qualifications.
Formal leadership, sales or bid management training.
The Working Environment
You'll be joining a business where technical quality, commercial discipline and engineering standards are central to how projects are won and delivered.
Major bids are subject to formal technical design reviews and internal commercial approvals, ensuring proposals are properly assessed before commitments are made.
You'll therefore need to be comfortable taking ownership, working collaboratively across multiple departments and maintaining high standards of technical and commercial accuracy, even when working to demanding client deadlines.
Interested?
If you're an experienced industrial refrigeration professional with a strong technical sales background and a proven ability to win major engineering projects, we'd be keen to hear from you
