Tennants Distribution Ltd
Commercial and Internal Sales Assistant

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Location: Purfleet, RM20 3LH
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm
Location Type: Office-based
About The Company
Tennants Distribution Ltd is a leading independent distributor of chemicals across the UK and a subsidiary of Tennants Consolidated Ltd. With origins dating back to the late 1700s, the business has a long-standing history and established reputation within the industry.
Today, Tennants Distribution works with some of the world's major chemical companies, stocking more than 3,000 products across a wide range of packaging sizes. The company can also supply products in intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) and bulk road tanker quantities.
We are now looking for a Commercial and Internal Sales Assistant to join our team in Purfleet. This is a varied and commercially focused role, ideal for someone with an interest in the chemical industry who would like to develop their career on the commercial side of the business.
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The Role
You will support a range of commercial and administrative activities, working closely with customers, suppliers and the wider sales team. Your responsibilities will include general purchasing, product reordering, supplier and customer liaison, as well as helping to identify and generate new sales leads.
This is a great opportunity for someone with a science or chemistry background, or relevant experience within the chemical industry, who is keen to build their commercial knowledge and develop within a busy distribution environment.
What You'll Do
- Support purchasing, reordering and general commercial administration.
- Liaise with suppliers and customers regarding products, orders and requirements.
- Assist the sales team with identifying and generating new sales leads.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date administration and records.
- Manage multiple priorities effectively while supporting the wider commercial team.


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What You'll Bring
- Previous experience within a similar environment is advantageous but not essential.
- A science-related degree, ideally with a Chemistry background.
- An interest in developing a career within the commercial side of the chemical industry.
- The ability to work effectively as part of a team.
- Self-motivation and strong time-management skills.
- Excellent organisation skills, with the ability to multitask and prioritise.
- Good IT literacy, including working knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
- Strong communication skills and an excellent telephone manner.
Why Join Tennants Distribution
This is an excellent opportunity to join an established chemical distribution business in a varied role where you can develop your commercial experience and build a career within the industry.
If you have a science background, strong communication skills and an interest in sales and commercial operations, we'd love to hear from you.
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