Country Manager, UK - Smart Home Security & Fire Safety

HRBS Global; Coventry; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

HRBS Global seeks a Sales Leader / Country Manager to build the UK business from the ground up in Coventry, owning the UK P&L and leading the sales team. You will bridge UK market needs with China and Vietnam operations and drive channel development across retail, trade and professional security.

You will shape strategy, recruit, and manage the UK team, and oversee GTM for new products while aligning pricing, content, and promotions with partners and regulators.

Qualifications

• : 10+ years in sales and business development in security, fire safety, smart home or consumer electronics.
• A proven record of building a local sales team from 0 to 1.
• A verifiable record of growing a business in the UK or Europe and expanding retail/pro channels.
• Experience launching new products from start to finish.
• Localising an Asian or overseas brand is strongly preferred.
• 3+ years as BU head, country or regional GM or sales/marketing director.

Responsibilities

• Strategy and market insight: assess UK security and smart home category and build entry strategies with 3-year growth plan.
• Channel development and execution: build new channels, manage key accounts, drive JBPs, lead GTM for new product launches.
• Retail and channel management: end-to-end retailer onboarding, listings, terms, and promotional calendars.
• Organization building: recruit and lead UK sales, KA and customer support teams; cross-cultural coordination with HQ.
• Results and KPIs: define and track channel KPIs, own UK revenue and profitability.
• Digital and data: use data/AI to forecast, plan and connect online/offline channels.

Skills

Negotiation

Relationship building

Forecasting

P&L ownership

Job description

Job Description: Sales Leader / Country Manager, UK

Location: Coventry, UK

Reports to: Global Sales Head / Managing Director

Role type: Full-time, business-unit-head level

The company designs and manufactures smoke, CO, heat and gas alarms, sensors, thermostats and smart home modules. Its factories are in Ningbo and Vietnam, and it sells in over 100 countries. It holds more than 1,000 product certifications and over 400 patents. It runs an in-house UL fire testing lab and a TÜV-partnered EN lab, and supports Matter, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Wi‑Fi and RF. The UK is a combined R&D and sales location, and we are now building a locally led UK business.

Role Purpose

You will own the UK P&L and build company’s UK presence from the ground up. That means turning a China-based manufacturer and OEM/ODM supplier into a trusted local brand and channel partner across retail, trade and professional security. You will recruit and lead the UK sales team and act as the bridge between the UK market and our China and Vietnam operations.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategy and market insight

• Assess the UK security and smart home category using industry data, retailer and channel sell-out/POS data, and trade bodies, and judge where trends are heading.
• Build channel-specific entry strategies with phased targets and a 3-year growth plan.
• Develop counter-strategies against established competitors (Kidde, FireAngel, Aico, Honeywell, Ei Electronics and others), based on a clear view of their channel positioning.

2. Channel development and execution

• Build new channels from 0 to 1, with a clear grasp of buyer decision chains and procurement cycles.
• Manage key accounts at buyer, category director and VP level, and drive joint business plans (JBPs) through to execution.
• Lead the full go-to-market process for new product launches, from range review and listing through to sell-out.
• Manage retailer entry end to end: supplier onboarding and vetting, range reviews, contract and commercial terms, annual trading and marketing plans, and promotional calendars.
• Manage supply, replenishment and shelf standards (planograms, POP/POS, display optimisation) with retailers’ inventory and logistics requirements in mind.

3. Channels covered

• DIY, trade and home improvement: B&Q, Screwfix, Toolstation, Wickes and electrical wholesalers, including range-entry standards, display specifications and POP requirements.
• Consumer electronics and general retail: Currys, Argos, Tesco, Amazon UK and other online/offline retailers.
• Professional security and fire: security installers, integrators, fire and security distributors, housing associations, social landlords, and monitoring/smart home service providers. This covers equipment selection criteria, technical integration, installer training and after‑sales service.
• Europe: UK‑led development of selected European partners and distributors in cooperation with global sales.

4. Organisation building and management

• Build the UK sales, key account and customer support team from scratch, including hiring, onboarding and performance management.
• Lead cross-cultural collaboration between the UK team and headquarters in China, translating between local market needs and R&D, product and supply chain priorities.

5. Results and KPIs

• Define and track a channel KPI framework: distribution/listing rate, sell-through, inventory turns, channel ROI, market share, gross margin and forecast accuracy.
• Own the UK revenue target, budget and profitability.

6. Digital and data

• Make decisions from data and use AI tools to improve forecasting, account planning and productivity.
• Connect online and offline channels (e.g., Amazon with retail and trade partners) so pricing, content and promotions are consistent.

7. Brand localisation and compliance

• Lead the shift from a Chinese manufacturer to a trusted local brand in positioning, packaging, support, warranty and after‑sales service.
• Work with certification and R&D teams to keep the range compliant with UK and EU requirements.

Requirements

Experience

• 10+ years in sales and business development in security, fire safety, smart home or consumer electronics. This includes 3+ years as a business unit head, country or regional GM, or sales/marketing director.
• A proven record of building a local sales team from 0 to 1.
• A verifiable record of growing a business in the UK or Europe, and of building or expanding retail and/or professional channels. Experience scaling from online to full‑channel offline is a strong plus.
• Experience launching new products from start to finish.
• Experience localising an Asian or overseas brand is strongly preferred.

Category and technical knowledge

• Deep knowledge of the security and smart home category.
• Working knowledge of the standards and regulations for smoke, CO and heat alarms and smart security products. This includes BS EN 14604, BS EN 50291, BS 5839-6, CE/UKCA marking, BSI/Kitemark/LPCB approvals, and the UK smoke and CO alarm regulations for rented homes.
• Understanding of the Matter smart home ecosystem and wireless protocols.

Skills

• Strong negotiation and relationship-building skills with retail buyers and professional channel partners.
• Commercial and financial acumen, including P&L ownership, forecasting and trade terms.
• Fluent English. Mandarin is a plus but not required.
• Willingness to travel to China and Vietnam.

Preferred Backgrounds

We would like to hear from people with leadership or senior commercial experience at:

• Multinationals: Schneider Electric, Johnson Controls, Bosch, Siemens, Halma, Ei Electronics.
• Professional security and fire brands: EPS, i-Alarm, Secplan, Jablotron, Ajax.
• DIY and consumer brands/distributors: Inter-Union, A-bus, Smartwares, Hugo, Gloria, Komsa.