Hiring and Sponsoring Sales administrators (SOC Code 4151)

Sales Administrators, classified under SOC Code 4151, play a crucial role in supporting sales teams and enhancing customer satisfaction within various industries. Their responsibilities include:

• Providing Information: Offering customers detailed information on products and prices to facilitate informed purchasing decisions.
• Online Order Assistance: Helping customers place orders through social media platforms, ensuring a seamless online shopping experience.
• Telephone Enquiries: Managing telephone enquiries from prospective customers, effectively representing the sales team and responding to queries.
• Sales Invoicing: Preparing accurate sales invoices and maintaining comprehensive records of sales activities to ensure proper financial tracking.
• Handling Complaints: Addressing customer complaints directly or forwarding them to the appropriate member of the sales team for resolution.
• Administrative Duties: Carrying out general sales and marketing administrative tasks, contributing to the overall efficiency of the sales department.

As the business landscape evolves, the demand for skilled sales administrators is increasing, making this role pivotal in driving sales success and customer engagement. This guide will assist HR professionals in understanding the hiring and sponsoring process for sales administrators within the UK's immigration framework.

What is SOC Code 3411 for Sales administrators?

SOC Code 4151 refers to sales administrators who play a vital role in supporting sales operations and ensuring customer satisfaction. Their responsibilities can include:

• Providing product information: Offering detailed insights to customers concerning products and pricing.
• Assisting online ordering: Helping customers to place orders via social media platforms.
• Fielding inquiries: Responding to telephone inquiries from prospective customers on behalf of the sales team.
• Preparing sales invoices: Creating and maintaining records and documented accounts of sales activities.
• Handling customer complaints: Addressing customer concerns or forwarding them to the relevant sales team member.
• Performing general administrative duties: Carrying out various sales and marketing administrative tasks to support overall operations.

Sales administrators are essential in enhancing customer experiences, streamlining sales processes, and contributing to the growth of the business.

Eligibility to Hire Sales administrators (SOC Code 3411)

1. Job Requirements

Sales administrators must demonstrate proficiency in administrative tasks related to sales and have specific qualifications or experience criteria. These may include:

• Customer Interaction Skills: Ability to provide clear and accurate information to customers regarding products and pricing.
• Order Management: Experience in assisting customers with placing orders online, particularly through social media platforms.
• Communication Skills: Proficiency in handling telephone inquiries from prospective customers on behalf of the sales team.
• Administrative Expertise: Ability to prepare sales invoices and maintain accurate records and accounts of sales activities.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Competence in managing customer complaints effectively or directing them to the appropriate sales team member.
• Sales and Marketing Knowledge: Familiarity with general sales and marketing administrative duties that support the sales function.

Ensure the job description aligns with SOC Code 4151, and that the sales administrator’s experience and work meet the expectations for the role.

1. Salary Thresholds
2. Use the Minimum Salary Calculator to ensure your salary offer meets immigration requirements.

Sponsoring Sales administrators: A Step-by-Step Guide for HR Professionals

Once you’ve confirmed that the role and candidate meet the eligibility requirements, follow this step-by-step guide to sponsoring Sales administrators under SOC Code 4151.

Step 1: Obtain a Sponsor Licence

Before hiring non-UK Sales administrators, your company or institution must obtain a sponsor licence. This licence enables you to legally sponsor overseas Sales administrators under the Skilled Worker Visa program.

• Sponsor Licence Application: Submit documentation proving that your business is legitimate and has a genuine vacancy. Visit the sponsor licence application guide for more information. 
• Sponsor Licence Fees: Small businesses typically pay £574, while larger institutions pay £1,579. For more information, visit the sponsor licence fees guide. 
• Processing Time: Applications typically take up to 8 weeks, but using the Sponsor Licence Priority Service can reduce the processing time to 10 working days.

Once your sponsor licence is approved, you will receive a sponsor licence number, which allows you to assign Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS).

Step 2: Assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

Once you have your sponsor licence, the next step is to assign a CoS to the Sales administrators. This document provides key details about the job and the individual being sponsored.

• Defined vs Undefined CoS: Use a Defined CoS for Sales administrators applying from outside the UK, and an Undefined CoS for those already in the UK. Learn more in the Defined & Undefined Certificates of Sponsorship guide. 
• Required Documents: Provide details such as the Sales administrators’s portfolio, passport and job offer. Refer to Documents Required for Certificate of Sponsorshipfor a full list of necessary documents.

Step 3: Apply for the Skilled Worker Visa

Once the CoS is issued, the Sales administrators can apply for the Skilled Worker Visa.

• Visa Fees: Fees vary depending on the role and visa length—use the visa fees calculator to estimate the costs. 
• Immigration Skills Charge: Employers are required to pay this charge as part of sponsoring non-UK workers. This is separate from visa fees.

Conducting a Right to Work Check for Sales administrators

Before the Sales administrators begins working, you must conduct a right to work check to ensure they are legally allowed to work in the UK.

• Manual Right to Work Check: Verify original documents such as the Sales administrators’s passport and visa. 
• Online Right to Work Check: If the Sales administrators holds an eVisa, you can use the UK government’s online system to verify their right-to-work status.

For more details on how to perform these checks, see the right to work check guide.

Post-Hiring Responsibilities and Compliance

1. Record-Keeping and Reporting  
2. • Record-Keeping: Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of the Sales administrators’s employment details, salary and contact information. 
   • Reporting Changes: Report any significant changes to the Sales administrators’s role—such as promotions or salary increases—via the Sponsor Management System (SMS).
3. Sponsor Licence Duties and Compliance
4. Failure to comply with your sponsor licence duties can result in penalties or sponsor licence revocation, impacting your ability to sponsor future Sales administratorss.

How Borderless Can Help with Sponsoring Sales administrators

Sponsoring Sales administrators under SOC Code 4151 can be a complex process, but Borderless can simplify it for you. We offer comprehensive support to help you manage the entire sponsorship process.

End-to-End Sponsorship Support

At Borderless, we assist with:

• Sponsor Licence Application: Guiding you through the application process and ensuring all required documents are submitted correctly. 
• Certificate of Sponsorship Assignment: Streamlining the CoS process to make hiring easier. 
• Compliance Management: Helping you stay compliant with immigration laws to avoid penalties.

If you need assistance with hiring or sponsoring Sales administrators, get in touch for personalised support.

Conclusion

Hiring and sponsoring Sales administrators under SOC Code 4151 can be a rewarding way to enrich the cultural landscape of your organisation. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can successfully navigate the sponsorship process while ensuring compliance with UK immigration laws.

For further guidance, Borderless is ready to assist you with all your sponsorship needs. Contact us for expert advice.