Applications for this job are now closed
The FT has an uncompromising mission: delivering independent, quality information, news and services to individuals and companies around the globe. It’s the cornerstone of our reputation and the heart of our ambitions for the future. But for our people, the FT offers so much more than what we do.
FT people come from all kinds of backgrounds and work across a huge range of disciplines and locations, and find an empowering, warm and welcoming culture that values curiosity and rewards smart, ambitious thinking.
Those who are willing to unite around our mission and live our values will find plenty to challenge, inspire and interest them. Like the audiences we serve, no two FT people are the same; but together we help our audience be better informed and understand the world around them. It’s a job that’s never mattered more, and a career that can take you anywhere you want to go.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace
At the FT, we aim for employees across all regions to have a voice so that diverse perspectives are heard and valued. We believe that a supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves at work and have the flexibility they need to meet their personal needs. We'll continue to remove barriers for all, and in particular barriers facing employees from underrepresented groups.
The role
The position sits within the international team, and is responsible for supporting the team across a client/agency patch.
Collaboration across teams within the FT is essential and we are looking for candidates that can show that they are able to deliver results through working effectively with editorial, marketing and advertising operations departments as well as colleagues across the wider team.
You will work closely with these teams to help build compelling proposals based on client strategy, KPIs and outcomes.
Key responsibilities
Sales skills
- Trading and negotiation - Work with your team to understand how to trade within the parameters set by the trading framework.
- Creativity - Be adept in reviewing a brief and supporting the creation of insight-led, outcome-based solutions for your clients, in both display and content executions.
- Agency & Client relationship knowledge - Work to establish good working relationships with the buying and planning teams at the agencies responsible for your clients.
- CRM - Salesforce should be a daily part of your workflow, keeping contacts up to date, logging activities and opportunities on a regular basis. Work to achieve exemplary use of inputting data, tracking contacts, accounts, opportunities and conversations. Become familiar with extracting reports to help the wider team look at trends, deficit clients and BUD.
- Communication - Be confident in speaking and presenting to client personnel and their agency counterparts, working with multiple organisations and departments to create, convince and execute communication plans. Able to communicate effectively both on the phone, via online platforms such as Google Hangout and face to face. Able to demonstrate how you can change your sales approach depending on the audience and understand the modern media world.
- Performance - Be aware of short and long term targets and your team’s collective position. Work to find ways to increase and drive revenue through collaboration. Use your negotiation skills and persuasive nature to build a strong story around a series of facts.
Knowledge
- Product knowledge - become an expert in the FT’s products, print, digital and content based solutions - understand the differences between them and the relevant benefits. Be able to identify the correct products to recommend on RFPs, based on the KPIs.
- Competitive/media knowledge - Develop your knowledge of the FT’s competitive set and the FT’s USPs against them. Know how to request and interpret research runs from the CSI team to position the FT in the best light possible. Understand how to read and interpret client metrics and outcomes, and how that translates to form a brief response.
- FT Knowledge - Develop a good understanding of the different departments within the FT and build good working relationships with campaign management, campaign planning, print production and CSI teams. Understand how and where to seek answers for information on your own.
- Sector knowledge - Know your patch. Read up and around your sector. Understand the trends, challenges and opportunities and use this to enhance your input into RFPs. Be able to speak with confidence on issues pertaining to your sector.
- Client/Agency knowledge - Develop a robust keep-in-touch strategy for the team’s client base and be able to map out organograms for clients, agencies and contacts.
- Be able to take instruction on requirements in order to deliver the correct information to feed into the desired output.
- New business - From your given patch, look to find opportunities for business development across similar companies. Be methodical in your approach and balance this with your daily tasks.
- Lead generation - you should be able to identify proactive leads based on industry news and be comfortable with cold-calling clients and agencies to introduce them to the FT. You will be able to adapt your sales pitch based on responses and be able to deliver knowledgeable suggestions with a view to securing a brief/budget.
What you’ll be measured on
- Financial Performance: Contribute to the growth of current revenue from your team’s patch as well as new business generation.
- Relationships: building close relationships with key advertising clients and agencies.
- New business: scope out additional opportunities within your patch to grow and develop opportunities. Clearly show where progress has been made on a regular basis.
Required skills & experience
Essential
- Relevant degree in business or relevant other discipline required (e.g. international business, marketing, operations, business management, advertising)
- Experience in lead nurturing, lead generation, cold calling and appointment setting
- Articulate and tactful communication skills, active listening and cultural awareness
- Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to build and maintain professional working relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Collaboration - understanding when to engage senior team members when faced with internal or external challenges and contribute with ideas and questions regularly
- Inquisitive and open-minded approach with the ability to challenge when required
- Organised and ability to prioritise busy workload in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to work accurately & with strong attention to detail
- Proactivity to provide suggestions in team discussions and proactively take on tasks
- Readiness to learn and develop understanding of FT product offering and value proposition
- Highly motivated and strong desire to succeed
Desirable
- Second language – Business German is ideal but any second language at business or degree level is desirable
Our benefits
Our benefits vary depending on location, but we are committed to providing best in class perks across all our offices as well as an inclusive environment to develop your career.
Examples of our benefits include; generous annual leave allowances, flexible working (including working from home), medical cover, enhanced maternity & paternity packages, subsidised gym memberships and Giving Back opportunities.
Further information
The FT is committed to providing an inclusive working environment for all. We are an equal opportunities employer who seeks to recruit and appoint the best talent regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We also promote flexible working and will consider specific requests around flexibility for all roles where it can be accommodated.
Please let us know if you require any adjustments as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements, or have any questions, talent@ft.com and a member of our team will be happy to help.
Please note we will stop accepting applications for this position on the morning of Monday 4th December 2023.
