Senior Sales Manager

Arla Foods Limited; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading European cheese manufacturer based in Leeds is seeking a Senior Sales Manager to drive growth in strategic Food Manufacturing and Cheese Processing accounts across the UK and EU. The role demands strong pricing negotiation, stakeholder management, and analytical skills to achieve key financial targets. The successful candidate will collaborate with teams in the UK and Denmark, and will enjoy a competitive salary along with benefits such as a bonus scheme, flexible working, and comprehensive healthcare coverage.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Flexible hybrid working – 3 days per week in the office

Bonus scheme (up to 20%)

BUPA Single cover healthcare

26 days holiday + Bank Holidays

Employer pension matched up to 6%

4× annual salary life assurance cover

Career development and training

Qualifications

• Significant commercial experience in FMCG, dairy knowledge is an advantage.
• Proven pricing and negotiation capability.
• Strong numerical and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage strategic customer growth across UK and EU.
• Lead price negotiations and deliver financial targets.
• Build and execute customer business plans.

Skills

Commercial experience in FMCG

Pricing negotiation capability

Stakeholder management

Numerical and analytical skills

Relationship building

Job description

Senior Sales Manager – Arla Foods UK - Leeds

Do you want to shape growth for a leading European mozzarella and cheese manufacturer by managing strategic Food Manufacturing and Cheese Processing accounts across the UK and EU?

You’ll lead strategic customer growth, negotiate pricing in a dynamic market and collaborate across the UK and Denmark to deliver profitable volume plans.

How You Will Make Impact

Join our Commercial Ingredients trading team and take ownership of a prestigious UK / EU portfolio of food manufacturing and cheese processing customers. You will drive an ambitious growth agenda across our cheese range, balancing strategic account development with tactical execution. Working closely with colleagues in the UK and Denmark, you will influence plans, volumes and pricing to deliver strong customer outcomes and maximise product returns.

Own a portfolio of key food manufacturing and cheese processing accounts, building long‑term partnerships.

• Lead monthly / quarterly price negotiations to deliver competitive, value‑creating outcomes
• Deliver key financial targets (revenue, margin, mix) with robust forecasting and performance tracking
• Manage and optimise allocated and forecasted cheese volumes across EU and UK supply
• Build and execute customer business plans to grow existing business and win new opportunities

This permanent role sits within the Commercial Ingredients trading team at our Leeds HQ and reports to the Commercial Ingredients Director. You will also represent the function at global trading forums and collaborate across a matrix of stakeholders.

What Will Make You Successful

You will have significant commercial experience in FMCG (with dairy knowledge an advantage), proven pricing and negotiation capability and be adept at stakeholder management in a matrix environment.

Your strong numerical and analytical skills enable you to navigate complex pricing, volumes, and profitability, and you have a track record of building positive senior customer relationships and delivering growth. Results‑driven and decisive, with high energy and ownership, you will be a commercially astute negotiator who thrives in dynamic markets and a relationship builder with a global mindset and clear, confident communication.

We work closely together and are proud of our collaborative culture and high job satisfaction; expect a steep learning curve, meaningful responsibility, and colleagues who will cheer, support, and challenge you.

What Do We Offer?

• Competitive salary (discussed at application stage)
• Flexible hybrid working – 3 days per week in the office
• Bonus scheme (up to 20%)
• BUPA Single cover healthcare
• 26 days holiday + Bank Holidays
• Employer pension matched up to 6%
• 4× annual salary life assurance cover
• Flexible benefits – option to purchase additional holidays, reward gateway scheme with retailer discounts
• Strong career development and training (internal & external)

At Arla, you’ll join a market leader producing household‑favourite brands in a way that makes things better for our customers, the farmers who own us and the world. In Commercial Ingredients you’ll gain international exposure (UK / Denmark), a blend of strategic and tactical responsibility, and strong support for your professional development and progression.