Sales & Business Development Recruitment
Sales recruitment requires a different approach from most other disciplines. A candidate who performs brilliantly on paper and impresses in an interview may still underperform in a specific sales environment if the product, sector or management style is not aligned with how they operate. RFT assesses beyond CVs and competency frameworks. We understand what motivates a sales professional to stay and perform rather than move on within twelve months, and we use that understanding to make introductions that hold.
About This Sector
Sales Recruitment Built on Real Understanding
We place sales professionals across the full range: business development executives at the start of their careers through to National Sales Directors and VP-level leaders managing distributed teams. Our clients span software, professional services, manufacturing, logistics and financial services. The connecting thread is not the product they sell but the commercial discipline they expect from their team.
Manchester and the wider North West has a deep sales talent pool, and RFT knows it well enough to find the right people quickly without compromising on fit. A high-volume transactional environment suits some sales professionals and burns others out. We take time to understand how you operate before matching you to a sales culture that suits your working style and career ambitions.
Roles We Place
Sales Roles We Recruit
From first-hire business development executives to national sales directors, we recruit across the full commercial sales function.
Business Development Executive
Outbound prospecting, pipeline building and new business conversion. Typically the first sales hire in a team or an entry point for candidates building a B2B sales career.
Account Executive
Managing existing relationships and identifying upsell and cross-sell opportunities within a defined account base. Strong retention metrics matter as much as new business wins.
Sales Manager
Frontline team leadership with responsibility for individual quotas, pipeline management and coaching junior members of the team. We look for player-managers who can lead by example.
Business Development Manager
Senior-level new business focus, often with autonomy over territory strategy and the ability to work to longer sales cycles at higher contract values.
Key Account Manager
Strategic relationship management for a business's most commercially significant clients. Candidates must demonstrate how they have grown and retained accounts over time.
Sales Director
Board-level or near-board commercial leadership across a revenue function. Often owns the go-to-market strategy, team structure and partner relationships simultaneously.
Field Sales Representative
Territory-based face-to-face selling, common in FMCG, medical devices, manufacturing and logistics. A clean driving licence and a track record of meeting territory targets is standard.
Telesales Executive
High-volume inbound or outbound calling, often in financial services, utilities or SaaS environments. Call quality, conversion rate and daily activity are the primary performance measures.
Internal Sales Executive
Desk-based sales support and account management, frequently working alongside a field team to qualify leads and close smaller opportunities.
National Sales Manager
Multi-territory or multi-region sales leadership. Candidates must show they can manage remote teams, set strategy independently and report at board level.
Pre-Sales Consultant
Technical sales support bridging product knowledge and commercial conversations, most common in IT, software and professional services environments.
Partnership Manager
Channel and alliance relationship management, typically within tech, media or financial services. Candidates need both sales credibility and the ability to build long-term collaborative relationships.
For Employers
Why Employers Choose RFT
We assess beyond the CV, bring sector depth, and stay accountable long after placement.
We Assess Beyond the CV
A strong sales CV is easy to write. We go further: structured competency conversations, reference checks focused on actual commercial performance and an honest assessment of whether a candidate's motivations align with your business. We tell you what we find, not what you want to hear.
Sector Depth Across Verticals
Our sales candidates span technology, financial services, logistics, manufacturing and professional services. When you brief us on your product and market, we can draw on relevant experience rather than sending generalist profiles that do not understand your commercial environment.
Retention Focus From the Outset
We do not place and disappear. We follow up after 30, 60 and 90 days to check the hire is performing and the candidate is settled. Our incentive is long-term success, not a quick fee.
For Candidates
Why Candidates Work With RFT
Honest market intelligence, introductions matched to your sales style and complete confidentiality.
Honest Assessment of Your Market Value
We will tell you whether your current package is competitive, where the opportunities are in your sector and what the realistic next step looks like. If a move does not make commercial sense right now, we will say so - and explain why.
Introductions That Match Your Sales Style
A high-volume transactional environment suits some sales professionals and burns others out. We take time to understand how you operate before matching you to a sales culture that fits your working style and career direction.
Confidential and Discreet
Exploring the market while employed requires trust. We never approach a client on your behalf without explicit permission, and we never share your details without your authorisation. Every conversation is treated with full discretion.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions we hear most from employers and candidates in the sales sector.
Looking for Your Next Sales Hire - or Your Next Move?
Share what you need and a sales recruitment consultant will be in touch the same day. No lengthy process, no hard sell - just a straight conversation about what is possible.