Sales Recruitment in Leeds
Most sales hires fail before the candidate is even chosen. We do this for SMEs and scale-ups across Leeds and the wider Yorkshire, with on-the-ground knowledge of the Leeds commercial market.
Leeds combines a deep professional services base (the second-largest legal and financial centre in the UK) with one of the fastest-growing technology clusters in the North. The city centre and the South Bank regeneration zone host a mix of FinTech, HealthTech, GovTech and B2B SaaS scale-ups, supported by a heavy investor presence around Wellington Place and Park Square. Channel 4's national headquarters and Sky's growing tech presence have lifted the bar for senior commercial talent the city expects to attract and pay for.
Sky Betting & Gaming (Flutter)
Tech
One of the largest tech employers in the city, a perennial source of senior commercial talent.
Channel 4
Media
National HQ relocated to Leeds, anchoring a wave of senior media and ad-tech roles.
Jet2
Travel tech
Leeds-headquartered, a substantial commercial and digital function.
BJSS
Tech consultancy
Home-grown consultancy with a senior commercial bench.
First Direct (HSBC)
FinTech
Long-standing Leeds FinTech employer with deep digital talent.
TPP
HealthTech
Major Leeds HealthTech business serving the NHS, growing commercial team.
The Leeds revenue talent pool is broad and competitive. SDR and AE supply is healthy thanks to the Sky Betting and Jet2 alumni networks, plus graduate flow from Leeds, Leeds Beckett and York universities. Senior leadership talent is harder to surface: most experienced CROs in the city are passive and embedded in equity packages. Hybrid working two or three days a week is now the dominant pattern for senior roles, with full-remote rare above Director level.
Leeds City Station gives strong rail links to York (25 min), Manchester (60 min), Sheffield (45 min) and Harrogate (30 min), making it a viable HQ for a regional team.
Leeds salary benchmarks
| Role | Leeds band |
|---|---|
| SDR / BDR | £32k-£42k |
| Account Executive | £55k-£85k (Base + OTE 100k-160k) |
| Head of Sales | £90k-£130k (Base + OTE 140k-200k) |
| Sales Director | £120k-£170k (Base + OTE 200k-280k) |
Bands reflect the Leeds market as of 2026. Talk to us for live, role-specific data.
How we work
01
We start with a structured kick-off that captures the commercial objective, not just the title. Reporting line, comp envelope, the deal sizes the person will sell, the buyers they will sell to, and the behaviours that will succeed in your environment.
02
We map where the right people actually sit, across direct competitors, adjacent industries and proven environments in your region. This becomes the long-list of candidates we approach, not just whoever is on the job boards this week.
03
Candidates are approached with a clear commercial narrative, not a job advert. We communicate the opportunity, the leadership environment, the expectations and the growth path, so only genuinely relevant people move forward.
04
Two structured commercial screens before a candidate ever reaches you. Track record validation, deal-stage probing, motivation, and a credibility check on the numbers they have actually delivered.
05
You receive a considered shortlist, not a CV flood. Each candidate is presented with strengths, potential risks and a fit assessment. We then support the process through to offer, acceptance and the first 90 days.
What you get
Why Evara
Local
On-the-ground in Yorkshire. We know the Leeds employer base, the talent pools and the comp norms first-hand, not from a database.
Operator-led
Every Evara partner has carried a number. Sales Recruitment engagements are run by people who have built and led commercial functions, not pure intermediaries.
Honest
If a hire is the wrong move for your stage in Leeds, we will say so. We would rather lose the fee than place a senior leader into a seat that will not work.
FAQs
A typical Sales Director search in Leeds runs 8 to 10 weeks from kick-off to offer accepted. Senior commercial talent in the Leeds market is largely passive and the best people are usually approached, not advertised to.
A Sales Director in Leeds typically earns £120k-£170k base with on-target earnings of £200k-£280k, depending on sector and deal size. FinTech and SaaS sit at the top of that range.
Hybrid is now the dominant pattern. Most Leeds-based businesses expect senior commercial leaders in the office two or three days a week, typically near Wellington Place, Park Square or the South Bank.
FinTech, HealthTech and B2B SaaS are the most consistent hirers, alongside the established legal and professional services base. Channel 4's relocation has also pulled senior media and ad-tech roles into the market.
A typical retained search runs 6 to 10 weeks from kick-off to offer accepted. Director-level searches sit at the longer end of that range. We will not rush a shortlist to hit an arbitrary deadline.
No. Every Evara search is retained on a two-payment structure: a commitment deposit paid up front to cover the strategic work, and a completion fee invoiced on day 60 of the placed candidate's employment. This protects the rigour of the process and means we are accountable for the outcome, not for activity.
Nearby
Leeds-based engagements regularly cover the wider commuter belt, including Wakefield, Bradford, Harrogate, Castleford, Pudsey, Morley.
Related tools
Related Guide chapters
Operator playbooks
Decision guides
Email Rachel Lunn and the Evara team. We will reply within one working day with live market data for the role you have in mind.
Email Rachel Lunn