Working Hours:   9:00am to 5:00pm (including a one-hour lunch break)

Salary: Circa £32K depending on experience and qualifications

Location: Mainly based at our Nottingham head office – some requirement to travel

Closing Date: Friday 14 January 2022

About the Organisation

Based in Chilwell on the outskirts of Nottingham, the Contract Flooring Association (CFA) is a leading not-for-profit trade body for the commercial flooring sector, with a reputable and forward-thinking approach, striving for improvement of quality and standards throughout the industry for all our members.

Formed in 1974, primarily to support commercial flooring contractors, this remains our main area of focus, albeit we now represent the whole of the commercial flooring supply chain. As a membership organisation, the CFA is constantly seeking to identify the needs of our members and provide benefits and support that reflects those needs. For further information about the CFA see www.cfa.org.uk

The Role:

Reporting to the CEO, this is a new role that demonstrates our ongoing commitment to member support and our drive to increase the number of businesses (members) that we represent.

You will be based at our Chilwell Office and will be encouraged to primarily work from there in all areas of activity but will not be discouraged from visiting potential members (recruitment) or existing members (retention and support) where appropriate and this has measurable value. e.g. Completing a membership application. You will therefore have use of your own vehicle and will be re-imbursed for business miles accordingly.

The CFA have excellent member retention (historically and consistently 95% year on year) and as such working with the other members of our small team, you will be responsible for maintaining and improving this excellent track record by ensuring existing members enjoy the maximum benefit and value from their membership each year. The other main focus of the role is recruitment and is initially where the majority of time should be focussed on a 60/40 or 75/25 basis depending on the time of year and business priorities. During renewals, or in promoting events for example, you may typically spend more time liaising with existing members.

In common with retention, recruitment is monitored year on year, and we would expect to see significant and measurable growth through this role. In many senses this is a typical sale driven role where managing an existing client base is important but new sales are a key element. CFA have carried out market research and identified that we currently have approximately 10% of the contractors eligible to join within current membership and as such growth is a reasonable and achievable expectation in the short to medium term. We also have categories for flooring manufacturers and distributors that increases the opportunities for recruitment.

Duties will include:

• Working with the wider CFA team to increase awareness amongst existing members of all the benefits we offer. Where appropriate highlighting new benefits developed, spotlighting existing benefits and using your influence to help increase the number of attendees at events such our headline Autumn Ball, golf days, AGM, online events such as webinars and various committees.
• Maintaining and developing contacts within individual member businesses and ensuring our database contains the most appropriate contact for specific areas of CFA activity is important, including who receives our monthly newsletter and those that use the website member area.
• CFA have a CRM database that you will ideally eventually help to manage and improve the membership experience.
• Supporting the CFA administration team with the annual membership return, which ensures our members are able to demonstrate they continue to meet our membership criteria.
• Spending somewhere between 60 – 75% of your time on recruitment, you will be expected to develop and influence the CFA recruitment strategy and performance from its current position. The CFA have some excellent tools already available, but your natural sales ability and experience will assist in strategically and operationally managing recruitment, taking it to the next level.
• Working with our Marketing materials and support, help develop the marketing messages and vehicles that we use to support, retain and recruit members.
• Working with our communication partner, the Contract Flooring Journal (CFJ), use their services to further enhance the messages and reach of your role to increase your success in retention and recruitment. This could be through testimonial case studies, PR and articles that you write and submit. Marketing support is provided.
• Attending CFA events and members’ own activities (social and business) as appropriate to support, retain and recruit. Some of these events may be outside of normal working hours.

You will ideally have:

• Proven experience and expertise in either sales or trade association membership management.
• The ability to connect and relate to our target audience.
• Experience of using marketing channels e.g. social media to reach a target audience.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills, including the ability to work independently and to a deadline.
• “Can do” approach and willingness to contributor to our small team in a wider context.
• A flexible approach to working.
• Natural self-motivation.
• Experience in communicating at all levels.
• Good computer skills (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Digital Meeting Software, Social Media Platforms)
• Own transport.

Benefits include

• Competitive salary.
• Company Bonus Scheme.
• Excellent working environment at Chilwell, in a fully equipped modern office.
• Parking onsite.
• Pension contributions matched up to 3%.
• Well-being package including eye test, glasses and dental care.
• 28 days holiday inclusive of the statutory 8 bank holidays.
• Following your initial office-based training and familiarisation (up to 12 months), there may be flexibility and opportunity to work from home periodically and as agreed with the CEO.

Please send your CV with a covering letter to: richard@cfa.org.uk

CFA Ltd, Unit 23 Eldon Business Park, Eldon Road, Chilwell, Nottingham NG9 6DZ.

Tel: 0115 941 1126