Senior Area Sales Manager - Materials Handling / Forklift Trucks

Interaction Recruitment PLC; Kettering; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car

Laptop

Mobile phone

24 days’ holiday + bank holidays

Company pension

Job summary

Interaction Recruitment PLC is recruiting a Senior Area Sales Manager for a field-based UK role within the materials handling sector. You will manage a regional territory, win new business, and develop profitable customer relationships across the sales cycle.

You will identify opportunities, conduct meetings and demonstrations, and close deals while maintaining CRM records and market intelligence. A stable career history and strong relationship-building skills are essential.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of continuous sales experience within MHE/forklift truck industry.
• Proven track record selling forklift trucks and materials handling equipment.
• Strong new business development and lead-generation skills.
• Demonstrable success in winning new accounts and developing profitable relationships.
• Excellent negotiation, presentation and closing skills.
• Ability to build relationships with customers at all levels, from operators to senior decision-makers.
• Strong commercial awareness including understanding of customer needs and competitor activity.
• Excellent territory planning, organisation and time management skills.
• Good IT skills including email and CRM systems.
• Proactive and driven approach with a track record of meeting/exceeding targets.

Responsibilities

• Identify, target and secure new business opportunities within your territory.
• Grow relationships with existing customers and upsell/cross-sell.
• Promote and sell forklift trucks and materials handling equipment.
• Arrange and conduct customer meetings, presentations and equipment demos.
• Prepare quotations, negotiate terms and close sales.
• Research market trends, competitors and new markets.
• Understand customer needs and tailor solutions accordingly.
• Plan and manage territory to maximise sales opportunities.
• Maintain accurate sales data and CRM records.
• Review data and CRM reports to drive performance.

Skills

New business development

Relationship building

Negotiation

Closing deals

Territory planning

CRM familiarity

Microsoft Office

Tools

CRM systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Senior Area Sales Manager – Materials Handling / Forklift Trucks

Location: Field-based – UK (regional territory)
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience
Benefits: Company car, laptop, mobile phone, 24 days’ holiday plus bank holidays and pension
Hours: Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week, with flexible working hours

The Opportunity

Interaction Recruitment are recruiting on behalf of a rapidly growing materials handling solutions business for an experienced Senior Area Sales Manager to drive new business growth across an agreed UK territory.

This is an excellent opportunity for an established sales professional with a strong background in the materials handling equipment (MHE) or forklift truck industry. While you will inherit an existing customer portfolio, the primary focus will be on identifying and winning new business, increasing market share and developing profitable, long‑term customer relationships.

You will take ownership of your territory, managing the full sales cycle from prospecting and appointment setting through to customer demonstrations, negotiations and closing deals.

Key Responsibilities

• Proactively identify, target and secure new business opportunities within your territory.

• Develop and grow relationships with existing customers, identifying opportunities to upsell and cross‑sell.

• Promote and sell forklift trucks, materials handling equipment and associated solutions.

• Arrange and conduct customer meetings, presentations and equipment demonstrations.

• Prepare quotations, negotiate commercial terms and successfully close sales.

• Research market trends, competitor activity and potential new markets.

• Take a consultative approach to understanding customer requirements and recommending tailored solutions.

• Plan and manage your territory effectively to maximise sales opportunities.

• Maintain accurate sales activity, pipeline information and customer records within the CRM system.

• Review sales data and CRM reports to identify opportunities and drive performance.

About You

You will be a commercially minded, self‑motivated sales professional who thrives on winning new business and building lasting customer relationships.

To be considered, you will need:

• A minimum of five years’ continuous sales experience within the MHE or forklift truck industry.

• A proven track record of selling forklift trucks and associated materials handling equipment.

• Strong new business development and lead‑generation skills.

• Demonstrable success in winning new accounts and developing profitable customer relationships.

• Excellent negotiation, presentation and closing skills.

• The ability to build relationships with customers at all levels, from operational teams to senior decision‑makers.

• Strong commercial awareness, including an understanding of customer needs and competitor activity.

• Excellent territory planning, organisation and time management skills.

• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office, email and CRM systems.

• A proactive, driven approach with the determination to achieve and exceed sales targets.

A stable career history and sustained sales performance are particularly important for this position.

What's on Offer?

• Competitive salary, dependent on experience.

• Company car.

• Laptop and mobile phone.

• 24 days’ annual leave plus 8 bank holidays.

• Company pension scheme.

• Investment in your professional development, with opportunities to progress as the business grows.

• The opportunity to join an established, family‑oriented business with ambitious growth plans.