Sales Director - UK and Europe

Provallar Executive Search; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive package

Performance bonus

Global travel

Job summary

Provallar Executive Search seeks an experienced European sales leader to drive footwear wholesale growth for an established international sportswear and footwear business. The role emphasizes hands-on client engagement with major European retailers and requires frequent travel across Europe.

The successful candidate will manage senior buyer relationships, negotiate and close substantial deals, and develop SMU programmes to unlock significant revenue while delivering measurable profitability.

Qualifications

• Substantial senior sales experience within footwear, sportswear or related lifestyle brands.
• Proven track record of managing and growing major European wholesale accounts.
• Established relationships with senior buyers and decision-makers at European retailers.
• Experience negotiating and closing significant commercial deals.

Responsibilities

• Drive profitable footwear sales growth across major European wholesale accounts.
• Develop and execute commercial growth plans for key retailers.
• Proactively visit retailers, negotiate terms and close deals.
• Develop SMU programmes to create additional business with key accounts.
• Structure deals with pricing, margins, FOB terms, and product categories.

Skills

Senior sales leadership

European wholesale experience

Key account management

Negotiation and deal-closing

Travel readiness

Job description

European Wholesale | Strategic Accounts | Commercial Growth

Location: UK or Germany – European travel required

Remuneration: Competitive Executive Package + Excellent Performance Bonus

An opportunity for an experienced, highly connected and hands-on European sales leader to drive significant wholesale growth for an established international sportswear and footwear business with globally recognised brands.

We are looking for a genuine salesperson and commercial dealmaker who knows Europe's major footwear and sporting goods retailers, has direct relationships with senior buying directors and can personally negotiate and close substantial commercial deals.

This is not a conventional, desk-based commercial leadership role. We need someone who enjoys being in front of customers, understands how to trade, can overcome buyer objections and has the drive to make business happen.

The business is predominantly footwear, and the immediate objective is to deliver significant additional revenue through its major European retail accounts. For delivering this your will be compensated very well.

The Opportunity

The business has established relationships with several of Europe's leading footwear and sporting goods retailers. The priority is to develop these relationships further and unlock substantial additional sales.

Key Accounts: The business works with major European retailers and online platforms, including: Zalando, Decathlon, ABOUT YOU, Intersport, Amazon, Sports Direct / Frasers, Deichmann, etc.

The successful candidate should have established relationships with senior buyers and commercial decision-makers across relevant European footwear and sporting goods retailers, with the ability to engage directly and develop additional business.

The Role

The principal responsibility is to personally drive profitable footwear sales growth across major European wholesale accounts.

Key responsibilities include:

• Develop and execute individual commercial growth plans for major European retail accounts, targeting substantial increases in turnover.
• Personally manage senior relationships with buying directors and key commercial decision-makers.
• Proactively visit retailers, identify opportunities, negotiate commercial terms and close deals.
• Develop and negotiate SMU (Special Make-Up) programmes that create additional business with key accounts.
• Structure commercially attractive deals involving pricing, margins, FOB arrangements, product categories and customer commitments.
• Negotiate opportunities across different product categories to secure increased orders and expand existing business.
• Challenge buyer objections and develop alternative commercial propositions rather than simply accepting reduced order commitments.
• Identify opportunities to expand footwear sales within established retail partnerships.
• Work with product, merchandising and operational teams to develop customer-specific commercial propositions.
• Build and maintain direct relationships with key European footwear and sporting goods retailers.
• Take personal responsibility for delivering measurable revenue growth and improved profitability.
• Remain actively involved in selling, trading and negotiating rather than operating solely through a sales team.

Experience Required

• Substantial senior sales experience within athletic footwear, sportswear, sporting goods or related lifestyle brands, with strong exposure to footwear wholesale.
• A proven track record of personally managing, developing and growing major European retail accounts.
• Established direct relationships with senior buying directors and decision-makers at leading European footwear and sporting goods retailers.
• Relevant account experience with retailers such as Zalando, ABOUT YOU, Deichmann, Intersport, Decathlon and other major European retail groups.
• Demonstrable experience personally negotiating and closing significant commercial deals.
• Strong practical experience of developing and negotiating SMUs with major retailers.
• A trading mentality, with the ability to negotiate pricing, margins, FOB arrangements and commercially attractive agreements.
• Evidence of delivering substantial, measurable growth within existing wholesale accounts.
• The ability to generate additional sales in challenging market conditions, rather than relying on strong brand demand.
• Strong understanding of the European wholesale footwear market, retail buying structures and commercial decision-making.
• Experience working directly with customers and taking personal responsibility for sales results.
• The ability to operate effectively in an entrepreneurial, commercially driven environment.

The Individual

We are particularly interested in someone who is:

• A genuine salesperson: Enjoys selling, meeting customers, negotiating and closing deals.
• Exceptionally well-connected: Has personal relationships with senior buying directors and can secure meetings directly.
• A commercial trader: Understands how to construct deals that work for both the retailer and the brand.
• Hands-on: Prepared to travel, visit customers and personally drive business.
• A grafter: Hardworking, persistent and determined to generate additional sales.
• Commercially resourceful: Able to overcome buyer objections and identify alternative ways to secure business.
• Entrepreneurial: Capable of creating opportunities rather than waiting for orders.
• Results-driven: Focused on delivering measurable sales growth and improved profitability.

Location: The role can be based in London, UK or Germany, depending on the candidate's experience, relationships and suitability.

Regular engagement with major European retail customers will be essential.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity for a commercially driven European sales leader with exceptional retail relationships, strong SMU and negotiation experience, and a proven ability to deliver significant footwear wholesale growth.

If you have personally developed major European retail accounts, negotiated substantial commercial deals and consistently generated additional business, I would be pleased to hear from you.

Relevant Titles: European Sales Director | Sales Director | Head of Sales | Wholesale Sales Director | Strategic Accounts Director | Key Account Director | Commercial Director

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