Salaries and Costs
Sales pay in Durham spans entry sales roles through to senior commercial leadership. SDR and telesales roles often land between £22,000 and £28,000 with commission on top. Territory and account managers earn between £30,000 and £40,000, with a car allowance and tiered bonus plans. Sales managers and heads of sales in regional teams commonly sit between £45,000 and £60,000, with OTEs exceeding £80,000 on stretch targets. Temp agencies quote pay rates for retail or contact centre campaigns ranging from £11 to £14 per hour, with weekend uplifts. Recruitment fees for permanent hires tend to range from 15% to 22% of basic salary, with executive search for senior commercial posts rising to around 25%. Day rates for short contracts vary by product and channel, but £180-£350 is a fair guide for experienced reps or interim managers. Agency costs are shaped by scarcity, notice periods, and the complexity of the brief, so a short conversation with recruitment consultants will clarify the right route for your business.
Qualifications
Most sales roles in Durham do not require formal licences, but employers value product knowledge, pipeline discipline, and CRM fluency. Many businesses ask for experience with Salesforce, HubSpot, or Dynamics, plus confident Excel reporting. For technical sales across engineering or software, a relevant degree or HNC can help with progression. CPD through ISM or APS signals commitment and can support promotion into leadership. Recruiters and employment firms will look for closed-won examples, territory growth, and clean references rather than a long list of certificates.
Regional Or Geographic Variations
Durham sits on the A1(M) and the East Coast Main Line, which keeps travel practical across the North East. Roles often span Durham City, Belmont Business Park, Aykley Heads, and routes into Chester-le-Street and Newton Aycliffe. Commuter links pull candidates from Sunderland and Newcastle, so staffing agencies widen shortlists across the Tyne and Wear corridor when needed. Rural patches ask for self-starters with strong car ownership and diary control, where city roles may focus on enterprise sales or contact centre campaigns based near transport hubs.
Hiring Challenges
The toughest briefs tend to be new business hunters in technical markets, senior account managers with sector contacts, and sales leaders with proven coaching records. Retention matters across the local workforce, since travel and counteroffers shape the labour market during busy periods. Recruiters support employers by mapping competitors, testing commission plans, and flagging realistic pay bands. For fast-moving projects, temp agencies can stabilise service levels, then convert top performers into permanent staff when budgets settle.
Roles And Career Paths
Durham agencies place candidates across SDR, internal sales, account executive, territory manager, channel partner manager, and key account roles. Contact centre sales and renewals teams feed talent into B2B account management. Progression moves through team leader to sales manager, then regional or national posts. Executive search handles heads of sales and commercial directors, with P&L ownership and pipeline forecasting as core measures. Jobseekers can build a route by registering with an agency, taking contract work to gain sector exposure, then stepping into permanent posts once results stack up.
Employment Types And Flexibility
Local employers use a mix of temporary, permanent, and contract work. Temporary hires cover product launches, seasonal peaks, and maternity cover. Contract projects suit CRM migrations, channel transitions, or distributor onboarding. Permanent hires suit stable books of business and long sales cycles. Staffing agencies will discuss notice periods, availability, and trial days, helping both businesses and candidates reduce risk before a full offer.
Key Sectors In The Area
Common briefs arrive from manufacturing and engineering suppliers along the A1(M) belt, SaaS and IT services with hybrid teams, logistics and packaging firms near key junctions, healthcare suppliers, education services, and professional services. Retail and travel campaigns run in and around the city centre, with pop-up or roadshow sales seen at key times. Recruitment agencies that know these niches bring product context, buyer personas, and territory history into the hiring plan.
Hard-To-Fill Positions
Technical account managers who can talk comfortably with engineers, enterprise hunters for SaaS, and channel managers with distributor ties are regularly in short supply. Inside sales leaders who can build dashboards, coach cold call structure, and manage multi-touch cadences also take time to secure. Recruitment consultants may pre-qualify passive candidates and use retained search for these posts, which helps keep momentum and protects confidentiality.
Pay Plans And Retention
Clear structures matter to the workforce. Many businesses use a 60–40 split between base and bonus, with accelerators once targets are passed. Car or car allowance is still common for territory roles. Transparent commission rules and prompt payments keep morale high. Retention improves when managers support onboarding with a tight first 90 days, weekly coaching, and clean territories. Employment firms can help by benchmarking pay rates and proposing benefits that lift acceptance rates without pushing fixed salaries too far.
How To Work With Recruiters
Start with a clear brief that sets territory, product, sales cycle, and key outcomes. Share salary, OTE, and recruitment fees up front to save time. Decide if you need temp agencies for speed, or a permanent search for staying power. Ask your recruiters for two to three profiles that show different strengths. If you want to hire seniors, consider an executive search to reach passive candidates. For job seekers, register with an agency, keep your CV focused on results, and be open about notice periods and target history. Sales recruitment agencies in Durham can then match you to roles that fit how you sell.
Quick Facts And FAQs
What is the going rate for an SDR in Durham?
£22,000 to £28,000 base with commission depending on sector and pipeline length.
Do agencies cover temporary sales campaigns?
Yes. Temp agencies supply event teams, contact centre sales, and short projects with fast onboarding.
What recruitment fee should an employer expect?
Most permanent fees range from 15% to 22% of basic salary, with higher fees for executive search.
Which sectors are hiring in Durham right now?
Manufacturing, software, logistics, professional services, and healthcare suppliers offer steady briefs throughout the year.
Can I use contract work to step into B2B sales?
Yes. Contract work builds product knowledge and gives hiring managers confidence in your numbers.
How can a business reduce dropouts at the offer stage?
Share clear OTE rules, set a swift interview timeline, and keep feedback tight between stages.