Job Overview
The Head of Sales is responsible for the strategic leadership, performance, and continuous development of the Sales function. The role will define and deliver the company's sales strategy, drive sustainable revenue growth across domestic and international markets, and ensure the sales department operates efficiently, effectively, and in alignment with wider business objectives.
This is a commercially focused leadership role responsible for managing the Sales Office Manager, Area Sales Managers, and the wider sales function while fostering a culture of accountability, customer excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement. The Head of Sales will work closely with Production, Operations, Marketing, Finance, and Senior Management to ensure sales activity supports business growth, profitability, long-term customer relationships, and the expansion of the company's presence in existing and emerging international markets.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Sales Leadership
- Develop and implement the company's sales strategy to achieve revenue, profitability, and market share objectives.
- Develop and implement an international sales strategy to expand the company's presence in existing and emerging overseas markets.
- Identify new market opportunities, customer segments, routes to market, and strategic partnerships across domestic and international markets.
- Lead the development of annual sales plans, budgets, and growth initiatives.
- Monitor industry trends, competitor activity, customer requirements, and international market developments to inform business strategy.
Sales Management
- Provide leadership and direction to the Sales Office Manager, Area Sales Managers, and wider sales team.
- Set clear objectives, KPIs, and performance expectations across the department.
- Conduct regular performance reviews, coaching, mentoring, and succession planning.
- Build a high-performing, engaged sales team through effective recruitment, training, and development.
Commercial Performance
- Deliver agreed sales revenue, margin, profitability, and market growth targets.
- Monitor sales performance and implement corrective actions where necessary.
- Review pricing strategies, discount structures, and commercial agreements to maximise profitability.
- Support and lead negotiations with key domestic and international customers, distributors, and strategic partners.
- Lead the preparation of major quotations, tenders, and commercial proposals.
Business Improvement
- Review and improve all sales processes to increase efficiency, consistency, and customer satisfaction.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives across sales administration, customer service, reporting, and CRM usage.
- Champion digital transformation and identify opportunities to improve systems, automation, and reporting.
- Drive best practice across all customer touchpoints.
Customer & Market Development
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, distributors, agents, and business partners across domestic and international markets.
- Lead customer retention and account development initiatives to maximise customer lifetime value.
- Identify opportunities to grow existing customer accounts through cross-selling, upselling, new product introductions, and strategic account planning.
- Identify, evaluate, and secure new domestic and international business opportunities through direct sales, distributors, agents, and strategic partnerships.
- Develop and execute international account plans to expand existing overseas business while establishing new customers and markets.
- Support Area Sales Managers with key customer visits and strategic commercial opportunities.
Cross Functional Leadership
- Work closely with Finance to monitor profitability, debtor performance, and commercial risk.
- Support Product Development by providing market feedback and customer insight.
Key Accountabilities
- Deliver sustainable sales growth and improved profitability.
- Develop and execute the company's sales strategy.
- Build and lead a high-performing sales organisation.
- Grow international sales revenue through new market development and expansion of existing accounts.
- Increase customer retention and maximise growth opportunities across domestic and international customer portfolios.
- Develop a sustainable pipeline of new business opportunities across UK and export markets.
- Improve customer satisfaction and customer retention.
- Deliver accurate forecasting and meaningful business intelligence.
- Drive continuous improvement across sales operations and customer service.
- Ensure sales processes are efficient, scalable, and commercially effective.
Skills & Experience
Essential
- Significant experience in a senior sales leadership or commercial management role.
- Proven track record of delivering sales growth and improving business performance.
- Proven experience of developing and growing international sales through distributors, agents, partners, or direct customer relationships.
- Demonstrable success in identifying, winning, retaining, and growing strategic customer accounts in domestic and international markets.
- Strong leadership experience managing sales teams and developing high-performing individuals.
- Excellent commercial and financial awareness.
- Experience developing sales strategies and delivering against business objectives.
- Strong analytical skills with experience of forecasting, KPI reporting, and sales analysis.
- Experience using ERP and CRM systems, ideally Microsoft Dynamics NAV (Navision) or similar.
- Excellent negotiation, presentation, and communication skills.
- Ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.
Desirable
- Experience managing both field sales and internal sales/customer service teams.
- Tender and contract negotiation experience.
- Experience implementing CRM, ERP, or business improvement projects.
- Experience managing export sales, international distribution networks, and overseas commercial partnerships.
Personal Attributes
- Strategic thinker with a strong commercial mindset and global outlook.
- Inspirational leader who develops and motivates high-performing teams.
- Results driven with a passion for delivering sustainable growth.
- Customer focused with a commitment to exceptional service and long-term relationship development.
- Highly organised with excellent planning and decision-making skills.
- Analytical and data driven, using insight to improve performance.
- Strong problem solver who challenges existing processes and drives improvement.
- Professional, resilient, and confident when managing change.
- Excellent relationship builder with the ability to influence across all levels of the business and develop lasting partnerships with domestic and international customers.
- Proactive, accountable, and committed to continuous improvement.
- Adaptable and forward thinking, embracing innovation, new technologies, and emerging market opportunities.
Pay: From £40,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
