Mark Jones
Head of Sales | Sales Director | Enterprise SaaS | GTM & Turnaround
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About
Commercial sales leader with 20+ years' experience building, coaching and leading enterprise and mid-market SaaS teams across HCM and fintech. Proven in stabilising underperforming sales organisations, rebuilding pipeline discipline and delivering consistent quota attainment through structured deal coaching and data-driven execution. Track record of closing complex £1m-£5m+ enterprise deals and developing high-performing managers and AEs.
Experience
Head of Enterprise Sales - Dayforce - UK
(2024-12 - 2025-07)
Brought in following leadership churn to stabilise enterprise sales performance across UKI and Northern Europe (7 AEs; £11m ARR target).
- Reintroduced MEDDIC-led deal reviews and rebuilt Salesforce discipline, improving forecast accuracy from 62% to 94%.
- Reset cross-functional cadence with Marketing, Pre-Sales and Customer Success to accelerate pipeline velocity.
- Coached enterprise AEs on late-stage deal strategy and executive engagement.
- Recovered performance from 20% (Q1) to 76% (Q2) of target.
- Secured £1.3m ARR flagship win (PPHE).
- Reduced voluntary attrition to 0%. Role concluded following organisational restructure after delivery of stabilisation mandate.
Sales Director - Channel & Emerging Markets (EMEA) - UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) - EMEA
(2020-07 - 2024-11)
Owned new-logo revenue via direct and partner channels across Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa, leading a 7-person team including CAMs, Channel Managers and SEs.
- Designed and launched a tiered partner programme, increasing active VARs from 12 to 18 and expanding addressable market by £10m.
- Implemented Challenger-led qualification and structured deal coaching to improve win rates and deal quality.
- Recruited, developed and promoted sales managers and senior AEs across regions.
- Quota: 122% (FY21), 136% (FY22), 174% (FY23).
- Channel ARR grew from £2.5m to £4.9m.
- President's Club - 3 consecutive years.
Head of Sales - Zellis (formerly NGA HR) - UK
(2016-06 - 2020-05)
Mandated to modernise GTM strategy and reverse declining growth for the UK's largest payroll software provider.
- Restructured the sales organisation into a Hunters/Farmers model and introduced an SDR function.
- Rolled out Sandler methodology and vertical playbooks across Retail, Insurance and Property.
- Personally led complex competitive tenders and coached the team through late-stage enterprise negotiations.
- 150% YoY growth in new-business revenue.
- Increased ACV from £5.5m to £7.9m.
- Closed Wilko (£5.8m), Aviva (£1.5m) and Connells (£0.85m).
Business Development Director - Confirmit (now Forsta) - UK
(2015-11 - 2016-06)
- Closed enterprise CX SaaS deals with The AA (£0.8m) and NHBC (£1m).
- Delivered 143% of personal quota.
Sales Director - Northern Europe - KDS (Amex) - Northern Europe
(2014-03 - 2015-11)
- Led regional commercial performance across new business sales, pre-sales, account management and inside sales (€4.8m revenue responsibility).
- Negotiated and won new enterprise clients across the region; recruited and developed a pan-European sales team.
- Contributed to corporate strategy as part of the senior leadership team.
Head of Sales & Partnerships - Airplus International
(2013 - 2014)
- Led corporate and partnership sales; managed strategic relationships including JPM and Santander.
Regional & Enterprise Sales Leadership Roles - SAP Concur
(2008 - 2013)
- Led multi-country enterprise sales; sustained quota attainment of 140-180%; closed Sony, EY and Savills.
Senior Regional Sales Manager - ADP Employer Services
(1995 - 2008)
- Managed payroll P&L up to £2.5m; President's Club 7x.
Education
HND - Business & Finance - University of West London
