Our client is one of the leading suppliers within the UK's drinks market, with turnover in excess of £500m. This is an exciting time for the business, as it undergoes a cultural transformation. We are looking to recruit a Head of Field Sales who can lead a transformational growth strategy, which will shift the focus onto delivering world class in-store activation. The role will also have responsibility for managing a multi-million £ budget for third part field sales.
The Role
The primary role of the Head of Field Sales is to lead the Retail Field team to execute the annual brand plans in Wholesale, Convenience and Grocery outlets across the UK, supporting the overall delivery of Net Sales and Profit targets. Whilst the main focus is on the delivery in year, the Head of Field Sales would also be responsible for creating, testing and trialling new ideas and initiatives around execution in outlet that will deliver competitive advantage.
The Head of Field Sales will play a key role on the Sales Leadership team with a leading role in the creation, implementation and execution of the vision & long term strategy for the sales team that will deliver competitive advantage and sustainable profitable growth in the UK marketplace.
This is a location-free, field based role which comes with an attractive base salary and package, aimed at attracting highly talented and energetic senior candidates, and commensurate with a role of this nature.
Key responsibilities include:
- Create a vision and strategy for the internal and external Field Sales Team that inspires at all levels
- Setting and delivering the Field Strategy and Plan
- Embedding a culture of high performance and results delivery
- Building a high technical capability via a sales training programme
- Being a ‘hands-on’ Coach to develop capability in direct reports
- Recruiting and retaining top calibre talent
- Managing the 3rd Party Field Sales Resource
- Process and Budget Management
The Person
As the ideal candidate for this role, you will be a strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen. We are looking for a leader who can create a well-defined inspirational vision for the team. You will have the following skills and experience:
- Educated to degree level or higher.
- +7 Years Customer Facing experience in FMCG ideally in both Field Sales & National Accounts.
- +3 years at Controller level with a range of commercial and people experience.
- Commercial experience, incorporating account management and more senior leadership roles within customer teams, ideally across different trade channels.
- A strong understanding of the FMCG marketplace.
- Excellent line manager/leadership skills gained through managing a team – ideally experienced at managing managers and working within a complex cross functional environment.
- Strong commercial acumen to be able to build strategically sound, financially robust plans that exploit opportunities within the retail channel.
- Strong interpersonal skills – capable of communicating and influencing at all levels with the ability to inspire and lead a broad set of people, both internally and externally.