Sales Executive

Black Lines | B Corp™; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days paid holiday

Bonus potential

Company bottle allowance

Structured development

Team bonus/commission

Job summary

Black Lines is seeking a proactive Field Sales professional to own and grow a key channel across on-trade and off-trade in the UK. You will drive new business, manage accounts end-to-end, and coordinate activations and tastings to drive revenue.

You will report to the Senior Sales Manager and work closely with Marketing and Operations to deliver measurable commercial outcomes. Ambition for progression to Senior Sales Executive is clear within the role.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of proven B2B field sales success with numbers to show for it.
• Experience in F&B, FMCG or related sectors is preferred.
• Able to prospect, close and grow accounts end-to-end.
• Strong pipeline discipline and CRM accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Build and own channel strategy across on-trade and off-trade; drive new business with pace and discipline.
• Own full sales cycle from first contact to signed order; manage qualification, proposal and close.
• Lead tastings, trainings and customer engagement events; present brand to drive commercial opportunity.
• Lead commercial sell-in of new products and seasonal ranges; coordinate with Marketing on timing.
• Convert inbound private event enquiries into revenue; coordinate delivery with Operations.
• Maintain weekly activity against KPIs and conversion targets.
• Take ownership of accounts from first order; maximize value and extend product range.

Skills

B2B field sales

Account management

CRM proficiency

Strong communication

Pipeline & forecasting

Brand/product knowledge

Microsoft Office / Google Suite

Tools

CRM software

Google Workspace

Microsoft Office

Job description

From our Tottenham home - where everything is made in house - to some of the UK’s most iconic venues including Wembley, The Standard Hotel, Selfridges, and Whole Foods. Since 2017 we've been making on tap and bottled cocktails that deliver the quality and balance of a great handmade serve. We use fresh pressed juices and partner with independent distilleries including Sapling, East London Liquor Company and Two Drifters. We are growing fast, building our account base across the UK, and our ambition is to become the leading cocktail brand in the on and off trade.

Role Purpose

This is a field-first, high-activity sales role for someone with a proven track record in B2B sales who is ready to take full ownership of a channel and deliver against it. You will report into the Senior Sales Manager and work across on-trade, off-trade and private events - winning new business, building account relationships and taking responsibility for the revenue that follows. You win it, you own it.

Strong performance in this role leads directly to a Senior Sales Executive position. If you have the ambition, the commercial track record and a genuine interest in shaping the future of cocktail culture, we want to hear from you.

Core Responsibilities

Business Development

• Build and own your channel strategy across on-trade and off-trade - identifying the right account profiles, prioritising your pipeline and driving new business with pace and discipline.
• Own the full sales cycle from first contact to signed order, managing qualification, proposal and close with clear commercial judgement at every stage.
• Lead trade tastings, training sessions and customer engagement events, presenting the brand confidently and using each as an active commercial opportunity.
• Lead the commercial sell-in of new products and seasonal ranges into existing and prospective accounts, working with the Marketing team on timing and positioning.
• Convert inbound private event enquiries into confirmed revenue, managing end-to-end delivery in coordination with the operations team.
• Maintain a rigorous prospecting plan with weekly activity tracked against agreed KPIs and conversion targets.

Account Management

• Take full ownership of every account from first order, with a clear focus on maximising account value - growing volume, extending range and ensuring reorder cycles are on track.
• Develop a clear commercial view of each account - where to push for growth and where to protect existing revenue.
• Ensure Black Lines shows up correctly in every account - winning and maintaining menu listings, securing consistent POS placement and running in-venue sampling activity to drive rate of sale and build brand presence on the floor.
• Execute activations, tastings and seasonal campaigns at account level with the Senior Sales Manager and Marketing team, converting brand activity into measurable commercial outcomes.

Sales Administration, Reporting and Trade Marketing

• Own the trade marketing function - leading customer communications including the Trade Mailer, with a consistent output and a standard that reflects the ambition of the brand.
• Support product and seasonal launch campaigns, working with the Marketing team to ensure commercial messaging lands effectively across the account base.
• Manage the administrative onboarding process for all new accounts.
• Keep CRM and pipeline records accurate and current after every interaction, and maintain cyclical reporting on a weekly, monthly and quarterly cadence covering pipeline, account performance and channel activity.
• Produce strategic reporting and analysis to support commercial decision-making - identifying trends, surfacing opportunities and providing clear recommendations to the Senior Sales Manager and Co-Founder.
• Prepare proposals, quotations and order confirmations that are professional, accurate and require minimal rework.

Individual P&L Management

• Take ownership of your individual P&L, from top to bottom.
• Track customer spend and profitability across your account base, maintaining a clear view of which accounts are delivering margin and which require review.
• Understand and apply customer lifetime value and contribution margin in commercial decision making - prioritising accounts and investment accordingly.
• Manage account investment - including support spend, sampling budget and activation resource - where it will drive measurable return.
• Provide regular profitability updates to the Senior Sales Manager, flagging any accounts where investment is not translating into commercial return.

Reporting & Structure

• Reports to: Senior Sales Manager
• Works closely with: Senior Sales Manager, Marketing Manager, Co-Founder, Operations team
• Direct reports: None

Key Skills & Experience

• 2+ years of proven B2B field sales success with numbers to show for it. Experience in F&B, FMCG or a closely related sector is required.
• Highly ambitious, self-motivated and results-driven with a strong track record of winning new business, not just managing existing accounts.
• Full-cycle account ownership - able to prospect, close and then grow an account without losing momentum at any stage.
• Pipeline discipline that the wider team can rely on - CRM current, forecasts accurate, activity tracked.
• Sharp communicator - persuasive in person and in writing, with the ability to tailor a pitch and hold position under commercial pressure.
• Commercially literate - understands margin, pricing and the levers that drive account profitability, and applies that understanding in the field.
• Competent using Google or Microsoft Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint and AI tools.
• Experience and genuine passion for the RTD, cocktail or food and drink categories.
• Existing relationships with on-trade or off-trade buyers that can be activated from day one.
• Experience handling private or corporate event enquiries in a commercial context.

Personal Attributes

• A strong team player - collaborates well across departments, communicates clearly and contributes positively to the wider business.
• Commercially driven - motivated by targets, energised by winning and focused on delivery.
• Brand confident - comfortable and credible representing Black Lines in any room, with a strong understanding of the brand and the ability to identify commercial opportunities within it.
• Resilient and self-sufficient - handles rejection, resets quickly and maintains high activity levels without needing to be managed into it.
• Confident under pressure - holds position in a negotiation, knows when to push and when to walk, and protects margin with clear commercial rationale.
• Proactive and curious - organised in their approach, willing to learn and genuinely interested in the category and the business they are representing.
• Challenger mindset - motivated by the idea of shaping a new era of drinking habits and genuinely excited to be part of a brand shaping the future of cocktail culture.

Success in this Role Looks Like

• Becoming a trusted commercial partner to your accounts - not just a supplier.
• Confident and knowledgeable about the Black Lines brand and products - able to present, train and advise without support.
• A genuine product specialist and brand ambassador - the person buyers and bartenders call when they have a cocktail challenge to solve.
• Demonstrating strong commercial acumen - pipeline healthy, margin protected, account value growing.
• Consistently adding value beyond the transaction - helping customers grow their businesses and build Black Lines into their long-term offer.
• A strong professional reputation in the market, and a career trajectory at Black Lines that reflects it.
• Additional performance-based bonus.
• 25 days paid holiday (+ bank and public holidays).
• Structured development with a clear route to Senior Sales Executive based on performance.
• 6 bottles per month free allowance for all team members.