Head of Sales - Southern China (Guangdong based)

Company Description

Informa is a leading academic publishing, business intelligence, knowledge and events business, creating unique content and connectivity for customers all over the world. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100.

Taylor & Francis Group produces high quality, peer reviewed books and journals. We produce unique, trusted content by expert authors, spreading knowledge and promoting discovery globally. We aim to broaden thinking and advance understanding, providing academics and professionals with a platform to share ideas and realise their individual potential.

Our purpose is to foster human progress through knowledge.  We strongly believe that this requires us to encourage and examine different ideas and voices, so that any work that meets our exacting levels of quality deserves to be included in our publications. This requires open minds, the opportunity for robust debate, and the courage to defend perspectives that stand up to scrutiny, even if they conflict with our personal beliefs or values. Because that’s the only way to find the best obtainable version of the truth and, ultimately, foster human progress. If you agree, then we’d love to hear from you.

Job Description

The Head of Sales will report directly to the VP Go-to-Market, China. This role will lead Taylor & Francis's sales operations across a designated territory in China, driving ambitious revenue growth and strengthening our market position across academic journals, books, eBooks, and digital content.

As a member of the leadership team, this position will be responsible for delivering overall revenue and profit objectives while setting the strategic agenda for operations within the territory towards profitable and sustainable trading. The role demands strategic vision, exceptional sales acumen, and the ability to operate effectively in a high-pressure, results-driven environment. The successful candidate will play a critical role in achieving the overall in-year sales target for a territory in China and will ensure momentum aligned to the 3-year plan (3YP), while fostering innovation and customer centricity.

This position carries responsibility for a high level of cross-functional and departmental collaboration and is required to design and lead specific strategic initiatives in cooperation with key stakeholders. The Head of Sales will be instrumental in building and leading a high-performing sales team, penetrating untapped markets, and maximizing revenue potential across the territory.

Closing date for applications: 31 August 2026

Applications are shortlisted on a rolling basis, and we will be interviewing alongside advertising. We therefore encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity

What you will be doing:

Strategic Leadership:

• Design, with key stakeholders, a 1–3 year business plan for the territory, ensuring that activity is both relevant and flexible to the evolving trading environment over time
• Develop and implement tailored sales plans to penetrate untapped markets and maximize revenue potential, with the goal to grow market share and expand into new geographies
• Lead strategic initiatives to enhance sales scalability and effectiveness, identifying opportunities for business development and market expansion
• Represent the company externally on working party groups or through networks, maintaining a presence and information gathering role on the trading environment
• Build and lead a sales team, delivering a clear vision for operational effectiveness, development of revenue lines through increased trading and profitability

Revenue Growth & Performance Management:

• Achieve and exceed annual territory sales targets, delivering the overall revenue and profit objectives of the department, including the 2026 sales target with consistent month-on-month performance
• Continuously monitor and analyze sales performance, addressing gaps with actionable insights and solutions
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators for sales operations, implementing data-driven approaches to strategy optimization and resource allocation
• Drive sales velocity by ensuring deals are closed within defined timeframes
• Report periodically to key stakeholders on sales progress and the business environment, enabling responsiveness to both micro and macro trading conditions

Team Management and Development:

• Lead and mentor sales colleagues, ensuring clarity of expectations and alignment with revenue goals in the short run and market share and penetration in the long run
• Foster a culture of high performance, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement within the team
• Manage resources to ensure that the structure and makeup of the team is optimal towards the success of the sales operation
• Conduct regular one-on-one reviews to track progress, provide feedback, and address challenges proactively
• Develop team capabilities through effective delegation, coaching, and performance management

Market & Stakeholder Engagement:

• Build and sustain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including institutions, other market segments, and government bodies, to unlock new opportunities
• Represent the organization at high-stakes discussions, partnerships, and negotiations, particularly for large deals
• Actively liaise with other stakeholder departments or groups within the business to enhance T&F's coverage of the territory
• Acquire new accounts and deepen existing relationships to expand market presence

Operational Excellence & Efficiency:

• Identify and execute strategic activity projects relating to quality improvement and the effectiveness of sales operations, delivering quantifiable business benefit and in line with Six Sigma improvement criteria
• Ensure seamless execution of sales operations, maintaining compliance with organizational timelines and company trading and terms policy to protect profitability and value of business in the territory
• Leverage data and analytics to make informed decisions, ensuring optimal resource allocation and effective strategy implementation
• Perform other ad hoc tasks and responsibilities as required to support evolving business needs

Qualifications

What we’re looking for:

• Significant experience of working in a sales environment (10+ years), with an understanding of the demands placed in sales and the support needs of a sales team
• Considerable knowledge of the academic publishing industry and academic content business models
• Extensive network in academic communities, including funders, distributors, government agencies, etc.
• Proven success in managing high-pressure sales environments and achieving ambitious revenue targets
• Resilience and adaptability in managing change with a positive mindset in response to business transformation
• Strong analytical capabilities with experience using data to drive sales performance improvements and strategic decision-making
• Exceptional communication and negotiation skills to influence key stakeholders and manage complex discussions
• Strategic mindset with ability to craft and execute effective strategies for rapid growth in competitive markets
• Demonstrated experience leading, motivating and developing high-performing sales teams, with a proven track record of driving results through effective delegation, coaching, and performance management
• Willingness to travel on territory and to conferences, book fairs as required by the company, both domestically and internationally
• Native in Mandarin, full professional proficiency in English, with excellent verbal and written communication skills suitable for business operations and stakeholder engagement globally and regionally
• Ability to create and maintain positive and effective relationships with the commercial team and other internal stakeholders

Additional Information

What we offer in return:

• An excellent work/life balance with a fantastic, flexible working culture
• 20 days (pro-rata for first year) annual leave per year, plus an extra day off for your birthday
• 4 paid volunteering days each year
• Paid sick leave of 14 days
• Social insurance and housing fund plus supplementary medical insurance
• Employee assistance programme – offering 24/7 well-being support
• Performance bonus
• Annual health screening for employee and spouse, optical and medical care

Location:

• This role is open to candidates based in Guangdong or Zhejiang Province. Candidates must have the right to work in China with flexibility to travel to customers and our offices in Shanghai or Beijing when required. 
• Relocation support is not provided for this role.

At Taylor & Francis we care about our colleagues, promoting work-life balance, wellbeing and flexible working. We believe that the skills and experience you bring to Taylor & Francis are invaluable. We want you to have the opportunity to develop your abilities, and to innovate and develop in areas which you are passionate about.

Being Yourself at Taylor & Francis 

If you’re excited about working with Taylor & Francis to foster human progress through knowledge, we invite you to apply even if your existing skills and experience don’t fit every item listed above. At Taylor & Francis, we are at our best and most successful when colleagues can be themselves and contribute regardless of their identity or background. As a colleague, you will have the opportunity to further innovate and develop in areas that you are passionate about. Our goal is to empower you with the resources, incentives, and flexibility you need to enjoy success at work and to live a healthy, balanced life. 

Taylor & Francis is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in and value diversity of people and thought, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where all colleagues can learn and succeed as their true selves. Taylor & Francis recruits, develops, and retains colleagues without regard to any protected personal characteristics or other non-merit-based factor. 

If you have a disability, or face another barrier,  and would like to request an adjustment to assist your participation in the hiring process and/or in the advertised position, please contact Ivy Ma. Your request will be reviewed and considered in the strictest confidence.

We genuinely care about our colleagues, promoting work-life balance, wellbeing, and flexible working. We believe that the skills and experience you bring to Taylor & Francis are invaluable. We want you to have the opportunity to develop your abilities, and to innovate and develop in areas which you are passionate about. To find out more about our business and the great career opportunities please go to our Careers Site: http://www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/careers