Sales Development Manager

SKills4Group • Full-time • Preston • 7h ago

Lead the team driving the next phase of Skills4’s growth.

At Skills4, we’re building one of the UK’s most ambitious apprenticeship and workforce development businesses.

Since 2015, we’ve grown from a specialist pharmacy training provider into a multi-sector organisation supporting employers across healthcare, science, dental and emerging industries. We’re proud to be rated Good by Ofsted, and recognised in the top 1% of Independent Training Providers for behaviours and attitudes.

As we continue to scale, we’re looking for a driven and commercially minded Sales Development Manager to lead, mentor and grow our outbound sales function.

This is a hands-on leadership role focused on building high-performing SDRs and Apprentice SDRs, driving outbound activity and creating scalable prospecting processes that generate consistent employer opportunities.

The Role

This role sits at the centre of our commercial growth strategy.

You’ll lead and develop a team of SDRs and Apprentice SDRs responsible for generating employer conversations, booking qualified meetings and building pipeline across multiple sectors.

You’ll combine coaching, performance management and sales leadership with hands-on involvement in outbound strategy, messaging and pipeline development.

You’ll work closely with senior commercial leadership to build a repeatable outbound engine capable of supporting Skills4’s ambitious growth plans.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in fast-paced environments and enjoys developing people, improving performance and building commercial momentum.

What You’ll Be Doing

Team Leadership & Development

· Lead, coach and mentor SDRs and Apprentice SDRs

· Support the development of junior commercial talent

· Conduct regular 1:1s, coaching sessions and performance reviews

· Create a high-energy, accountable and supportive team culture

· Support onboarding and ongoing sales training

· Help individuals progress into senior sales or business development roles

Outbound Sales Performance

· Drive outbound activity across calls, email and LinkedIn outreach

· Monitor KPIs including activity, meetings booked, conversion rates and pipeline quality

· Improve outreach messaging, call approaches and sales processes

· Ensure consistent pipeline generation across the team

· Support strategic outbound campaigns and target account activity

Sales Operations & Strategy

· Build scalable SDR processes and outbound frameworks

· Maintain CRM discipline, reporting accuracy and forecasting visibility

· Collaborate with marketing on lead generation campaigns

· Identify target sectors, employer trends and growth opportunities

· Work closely with commercial leadership to improve conversion and revenue performance

What We’re Looking For

Essential

· Experience in SDR leadership, sales development or outbound sales management

· Proven experience coaching or mentoring sales development teams

· Strong outbound sales and prospecting capability

· Experience managing KPIs, activity metrics and sales performance

· Excellent communication and motivational skills

· Organised with strong pipeline and CRM management capability

· Commercial mindset with strong accountability and leadership skills

Desirable

· Experience within apprenticeships, recruitment, training or education

· Experience managing early-career or apprentice sales talent

· Understanding of levy-funded apprenticeship programmes

· Familiarity with CRM and sales engagement tools

· Experience within a high-growth or scaling business

What Success Looks Like

· High-performing SDR function generating consistent employer opportunities

· Strong outbound activity and conversion metrics

· Apprentice SDRs successfully developing into permanent commercial talent

· Clear, repeatable outbound sales processes

· Consistent pipeline contribution supporting company revenue growth

· Positive, high-accountability sales culture with strong team engagement

Why Join Skills4?

We’re scaling quickly and investing heavily in commercial growth.

This is an opportunity to shape a growing outbound sales function while developing future commercial talent inside a business with significant ambition.

What We Offer

· Competitive salary and bonus structure

· Office-based collaborative environment in Preston

· Opportunity to build and shape a growing SDR team

· Fast-paced and entrepreneurial culture

· Clear progression into senior commercial leadership

· Company pension

· Employee Assistance Programme

· Birthday voucher

· Full induction and development support

The Ideal Candidate

You’re someone who enjoys building teams and helping people succeed.

You know how to create energy, momentum and accountability within an outbound sales environment. You’re comfortable being hands-on, leading from the front and improving performance through coaching rather than just management.

Most importantly, you’re excited by the opportunity to build something scalable inside a fast-growing business.

Pay: £41,000.00-£46,000.00 per year

Experience: