Role Purpose
As Senior Sales Manager you will take ownership of a defined group of strategic and key accounts in the Industrial bakery manufacturing sector, identifying, developing and converting new business opportunities, to achieve our ambitious budget.
Reporting to the Sales Director, you will also lead, coach and develop our sales account managers to drive individual and team performance.
You will combine your strategic mindset, with hands-on execution of the Commercial plan, focusing on lead generation, account relationship development, pipeline management and close collaboration with marketing, NPD and operational colleagues to deliver exceptional results.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage, motivate, and develop a team of National Account Managers to achieve sales and profit targets.
- Drive growth through strategic business planning, focusing on both new business development and expanding existing customer relationships.
- Monitor market trends and competitor activity to inform sales strategies and product innovation.
- Report on performance metrics, forecasts, and opportunities to senior leadership.
- Proven leadership experience in managing and developing sales teams.
- Forward-thinking, proactive, and results-oriented approach.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills; a true team player.
- Experience in the bakery ingredients or wider food ingredients sector is highly desirable.
- Deliver projects to achieve and keep KPI targets
- Own [process/system]; maintain accuracy/compliance at [threshold].
- Partner with stakeholders to remove blockers early.
- Continuously improve workflows; document SOPs and ship measurable gains.
- Report progress via dashboards/meetings; escalate issues promptly.
- Coach team to build capability in skills.
- Contribute to DEI, sustainability and wellbeing initiatives relevant to the role.
- Attend and contribute to required meetings
Skills, experience & qualifications
· Proven experience in sales, ideally in the bakery ingredients sector
· Commercially minded with the ability to analyse data, build commercial proposals and accurately forecast demand
· Previous management experience leading a team, developing team skills, setting targets and delivering through others. We would also like to hear from candidates who can demonstrate they are ready to take the next step into team leadership
· A strong track record in new business generation, account management and pipeline development
· Hands-on and results-driven
· Excellent influencing, communication and relationship-building skills. Comfortable to engage at all levels, internally and externally
· Collaborative mindset, understand the benefit of working closely with other functions for mutual success, happy to lead by example and support others to succeed
· Willingness to travel across UK (occasionally overseas) and work flexibly as required
· Full UK driving licence
- Experience in FMCG or food manufacturing sector, especially with experience of bread, multi-site or complex supply chain environments.
- Professional certifications such as Key Account Management, Negotiation Skills, or Sales Leadership or equivalent experience
- Proven leadership and development of teams
Who will thrive in this role?
This role will suit someone who is energetic, driven and self-motivated, with the resilience and tenacity to pursue opportunities and deliver results through others. The successful candidate should be structured, disciplined, highly organised and confident operating at both leadership and customer level. A proven track record in delivering solutions to clients needs and ultimately winning and growing business. A sound understanding of the UK food industry and market, especially the bakery ingredients and bakery solutions sector.
The right person will combine commercial focus with a genuine partnership mindset: someone who wants to understand customers, develop their team, add value through solutions and play an active part in the companies UK’s next stage of growth.
Pay: £65,000.00-£71,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company car
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Private medical insurance
- Sick pay
Work Location: In person
