Sales Executive
AI Summary
A Sales Executive drives new merchant acquisition and owns the full sales cycle for e-commerce and regulated verticals, from prospecting and qualification through negotiation to signed contracts and live onboarding.
About this role
About The Payments Factory
The Payments Factory is a regulated payment institution providing card acquiring, payment gateway, and processing services to merchants across Europe and beyond. We operate through two entities: Global Star Finance Ltd (UK) and The Payments Factory Ltd (Malta, and serve a broad range of merchants, including those in higher-risk and regulated verticals.
We are a lean team. We are close to our clients, quick to make decisions, and hold ourselves to high standards. Everyone here has real impact - there is no place to hide and no shortage of interesting problems to solve.
The Role
We are looking for an experienced Sales Executive to join our commercial team and drive new merchant acquisition. Reporting to the Chief Commercial Officer, you will own the full sales cycle -- from initial prospecting through to signed contract and live merchant. The focus is on e-commerce, digital goods, and regulated or higher-risk verticals where our product is competitive. You will be joining a small but growing commercial team, working closely with the CCO, with genuine input into how we develop the sales function.
Key Responsibilities
- New Merchant Acquisition: Own the end-to-end sales process: prospecting, qualification, pricing and proposal, negotiation, and close. This is a new business role -- pipeline generation is core to the job.
- Pipeline Management: Build and maintain a healthy, well-qualified pipeline in the CRM. Keep forecasting data accurate and submit regular pipeline updates to the CCO.
- Prospect Qualification: Conduct commercial and preliminary risk assessments of prospective merchants to confirm fit before investing significant time in the sales process.
- Tailored Proposals: Develop a strong understanding of each prospect's business model, processing volumes, and technical requirements in order to price and position TPF's solutions effectively.
- Negotiation and Close: Lead commercial negotiations, work through objections, and close deals that are profitable for TPF and commercially sound for the merchant.
- Cross-functional Coordination: Work closely with Onboarding, Compliance, and Operations to ensure a smooth and fast merchant activation process from signed contract to first transaction.
- Sales Strategy Input: Contribute to decisions on target verticals, pricing positioning, and outreach approach as the commercial team develops.
- Market Intelligence: Stay current on competitor products, pricing dynamics, and industry developments. Bring that intelligence into the commercial team actively.
What We Are Looking For
- Payments Experience: A minimum of 5 years in B2B sales within the payments industry -- specifically card acquiring, PSP sales, or ISO/agent channel.
- Track Record: Demonstrable history of closing new merchant accounts and meeting or exceeding revenue targets in a quota-carrying role.
- Acquiring Knowledge: Solid working understanding of card acquiring mechanics: interchange, processing fees, GP margins, chargeback ratios, and the basics of merchant underwriting. You can hold a credible commercial conversation with a merchant's CFO or Head of Payments.
- Regulated Environment: Experience managing sales cycles that involve compliance and risk team sign-off. You are comfortable with the pace and discipline a regulated environment requires.
- CRM Discipline: Proficient with CRM tools. Your pipeline is clean, your records are current, and your forecast is trustworthy.
- Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Comfortable engaging at C-suite and Finance Director level, and equally comfortable picking up the phone.
- Independence: A self-starter who operates effectively with a small team and limited process infrastructure. You build your own structure.
- Location: Based in the UK, Malta, or remote in Europe. Willingness to travel to client and industry meetings as required.
Desirable
- Direct experience selling into or alongside higher-risk or regulated merchant categories: gambling/iGaming, FX, or digital goods.
- Existing network directly with merchants in e-commerce or regulated verticals across Europe.
What We Offer
- Competitive base salary with a performance-based commission scheme.
- Flexible and remote-friendly working arrangements.
- Private medical insurance.
- Gym allowance (available after probation).
- Birthday and anniversary recognition.
- Training and development opportunities (available after probation).
- Real commercial ownership and direct access to senior leadership from day one.
