Head of Sales

Bell Recruitment; Armagh; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leadership opportunity

Career development

Collaborative environment

Shape commercial strategy

Job summary

Bell Recruitment seeks an experienced Head of Sales to develop and execute the sales strategy, lead a high-performing team, and drive profitable growth across all channels. This senior role demands strong commercial acumen, strategic thinking, and a proven ability to build long-term customer relationships while delivering business performance.

The role requires 8–10 years of sales leadership in relevant sectors, a track record of revenue growth, and expertise in budgeting, forecasting, and

Qualifications

• Minimum 8–10 years' sales leadership experience within food manufacturing, FMCG, foodservice, or related sectors.
• Proven track record of delivering significant revenue growth and commercial success.
• Experience managing strategic customer relationships.
• Strong leadership experience with responsibility for developing and managing sales teams.
• Experience in budget management, forecasting, and strategic planning.
• Exceptional negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen.
• Strategic and results-driven mindset.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to analyse data and translate insights into commercial actions.
• Relevant professional sales or leadership qualification.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the company's sales strategy in line with business objectives.
• Identify and pursue new market opportunities, customer segments, and sales channels.
• Lead annual sales planning, budgeting, and forecasting activities.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and customer needs to support commercial decision-making.
• Deliver agreed sales, margin, and profitability targets.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, distributors, and strategic partners.
• Negotiate major commercial agreements and customer contracts.
• Drive customer retention, account growth, and new business development.
• Lead, coach, and develop the sales team to achieve high performance.
• Establish clear objectives, KPIs, and performance management processes.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Support succession planning and talent development within the sales function.
• Work closely with Operations, Production, Finance, Procurement, and Marketing teams to align business priorities.
• Contribute to pricing strategies, promotional planning, and product development initiatives.
• Ensure customer requirements are effectively communicated throughout the business.
• Prepare regular sales reports, forecasts, and market analysis for the leadership team.
• Monitor and analyse sales KPIs to drive continuous improvement.
• Manage sales budgets and ensure effective use of resources.
• Undertake additional duties as required to support business needs.
• Follow company procedures, policies, and quality standards.
• Assist with the training and development of colleagues where required.
• Provide operational cover when necessary.
• Identify training and development opportunities within the team.
• Maintain positive working relationships with customers and colleagues across all departments.
• Promote and maintain a safe working environment by following Health & Safety policies and procedures.
• Take responsibility for personal safety and the safety of others.
• Report hazards, incidents, and unsafe practices promptly.
• Participate in mandatory Health & Safety training and risk assessments.
• Use equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) correctly.

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Head of Sales to develop and execute the company's sales strategy, lead a high-performing sales team, and deliver profitable growth across all customer channels. This senior leadership role requires strong commercial acumen, strategic thinking, and the ability to build long-term customer relationships while driving business performance.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement the company's sales strategy in line with business objectives.
• Identify and pursue new market opportunities, customer segments, and sales channels.
• Lead annual sales planning, budgeting, and forecasting activities.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and customer needs to support commercial decision-making.

Revenue Growth & Customer Management

• Deliver agreed sales, margin, and profitability targets.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, distributors, and strategic partners.
• Negotiate major commercial agreements and customer contracts.
• Drive customer retention, account growth, and new business development.
• Lead, coach, and develop the sales team to achieve high performance.
• Establish clear objectives, KPIs, and performance management processes.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Support succession planning and talent development within the sales function.

Commercial & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Operations, Production, Finance, Procurement, and Marketing teams to align business priorities.
• Contribute to pricing strategies, promotional planning, and product development initiatives.
• Ensure customer requirements are effectively communicated throughout the business.

Reporting & Performance Management

• Prepare regular sales reports, forecasts, and market analysis for the leadership team.
• Monitor and analyse sales KPIs to drive continuous improvement.
• Manage sales budgets and ensure effective use of resources.

General Responsibilities

• Undertake additional duties as required to support business needs.
• Follow company procedures, policies, and quality standards.
• Assist with the training and development of colleagues where required.
• Provide operational cover when necessary.
• Identify training and development opportunities within the team.
• Maintain positive working relationships with customers and colleagues across all departments.

Health & Safety

• Promote and maintain a safe working environment by following Health & Safety policies and procedures.
• Take responsibility for personal safety and the safety of others.
• Report hazards, incidents, and unsafe practices promptly.
• Participate in mandatory Health & Safety training and risk assessments.
• Use equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) correctly.

Skills & Experience

• Minimum 8–10 years' sales leadership experience within the food manufacturing, FMCG, foodservice, or related sectors.
• Proven track record of delivering significant revenue growth and commercial success.
• Experience managing strategic customer relationships.
• Strong leadership experience with responsibility for developing and managing sales teams.
• Experience in budget management, forecasting, and strategic planning.
• Exceptional negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen.
• Strategic and results-driven mindset.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to analyse data and translate insights into commercial actions.
• Relevant professional sales or leadership qualification.

What We Offer

• Leadership opportunity within a growing business.
• Career development and progression opportunities.
• Collaborative and supportive working environment.
• Opportunity to shape commercial strategy and drive business growth.