Head Of Sales

bfpeople; Derby; Hybrid; GBP 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading European food group is seeking a Head of Sales to lead its UK & Ireland expansion in the in-store bakery market. This role offers a salary around £75,000 plus bonus potential and a car allowance. The ideal candidate will have strong connections in UK grocery retail, experience in the bakery or pastry sectors, and be able to manage the full sales cycle. This entrepreneurial position is pivotal in establishing a competitive presence in the UK market.

Benefits

Performance-related bonus

Car allowance

Career-defining opportunity

Qualifications

• Expertise in market entry and business development in food sectors.
• Proven track record of securing orders with major retailers.
• Ability to develop and execute a go-to-market strategy.

Responsibilities

• Lead market entry and business development in the UK & Ireland.
• Secure orders with major grocery retailers.
• Collaborate with NPD and production teams for tailored offerings.

Skills

Strong connection in UK grocery retail

Experience in bakery or pastry sectors

Sales cycle management

Negotiation skills

Understanding of own-label product development

Job description

Head of Sales, UK & Ireland In-store bakery goods Career-defining opportunity

Flexible UK location c£75,000 plus great bonus potential plus car allowance (6-figure package)

Do you have the experience and ambition to lead the UK & Ireland expansion for one of Europe s top suppliers of premium bakery and pastry products?

bfpeople is retained by a €500m European food group to appoint a commercially minded sales manager who will launch and grow the business in the UK&I in-store bakery market. This is a rare opportunity to build a business from the ground up, backed by a group with a strong track record of quality, innovation, and success across Europe.

About the Company

The company supplies a wide range of breads, viennoiserie, and pastries to major retailers and foodservice operators across Europe. Known for its quality, flexibility, and product innovation, it is now looking to establish a serious UK and Ireland presence, initially through supplying supermarket in-store bakeries and own-label frozen products.

It already has a small UK footprint, with positive early feedback on locally tested products. Now it's time to scale.

The Role

As the first UK-based Salesperson you will:

• Lead market entry and business development in the UK & Ireland
• Secure orders with major grocery retailers
• Develop and execute a go-to-market strategy with clear growth goals
• Collaborate with NPD and production teams to tailor offerings for local consumers
• Build strategic relationships with key buyers and lead commercial negotiations
• Manage tenders, JBPs, and promotional plans to support successful launches

This is a hands-on, entrepreneurial role with long-term strategic impact. Your brief is to establish a credible, competitive presence in the UK market within five years.

About You

You are:

• Well-connected in UK grocery retail, especially with in-store bakery buyers
• Experienced in opening doors and driving new business in bakery, pastry, or closely related food ingredients
• Adept at managing the full sales cycle from strategy to execution and from product development to promotion
• Commercially sharp, with a strong grasp of own-label product development, pricing structures, and promotional frameworks
• A confident negotiator who can secure and manage major accounts
• Comfortable working autonomously and cross-functionally, reporting to a European Commercial Director

This is not an account management role. We re looking for someone who can build, lead, and deliver.

What s on Offer

• A flexible salary package with a bespoke performance-related bonus
• Car allowance
• A pivotal career-defining opportunity with the backing of a market-leading European group

Location is flexible within the UK, but you must be within easy reach of the major customers and an airport for regular travel to Europe.