Sales Manager

Antal International; Netherlands; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Antal International is seeking a Sales Manager for a premium natural latex comfort material manufactured in Maastricht, NL. You will drive profitable growth by translating product performance and brand credentials into customer value, engaging bedding manufacturers, retailers, and distributors.

You will build demand, influence specifications, and secure long-term partnerships, while leading consultative sales, new business, and disciplined commercial execution to increase revenue, margin, and

Qualifications

• Proven success in B2B sales within value-added, consultative environments.
• Experience selling premium, technical products with multi-stakeholder decision processes.
• Strong discovery, questioning and value articulation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead consultative conversations to uncover commercial, technical and consumer needs.
• Translate premium product features into clear customer outcomes and margins.
• Develop tailored value propositions and business cases with customer insight.
• Influence product development and specifications through cross-functional engagement.
• Create and execute account plans to grow revenue, margin and share of wallet.
• Build multi-level relationships and conduct structured business reviews with customers.
• Identify prospects, build a healthy pipeline, and represent the brand at events.
• Negotiate agreements balancing value, price, volume and risk; maintain CRM records.

Skills

B2B sales

Value-based selling

Strategic account management

Negotiation

CRM proficiency

Dutch and English fluency

Education

Degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, Materials or related

Job description

Or client is a manufacturer of flexible polyurethane foams. For over 75 years they have led the pursuit of innovative, sustainable products for comfort, cushioning and protection environments. PE owned.

Our client's BU makes 70% of the company’s revenue and profits. It manufactures and sells blocks of foam from its 11 foaming sites in Europe and 6 converting sites. It serves 7,000 customers across 15 territories divided in 5 regions. The business is characterized by a transactional ecosystem with a high level of competition intensity where pricing discipline, negotiations skills and customer intimacy prevail.

Our client has a specific brand for its premium natural latex comfort material, manufactured in Maastricht, Netherlands. Renowned for its unique combination of luxurious comfort, pressure-relieving support, breathability, and durability, this product is used by leading bedding manufacturers and premium sleep brands worldwide.

Used in mattresses, mattress toppers, and pillows, our product naturally adapts to the body's shape to enhance comfort, improve sleep quality, and deliver a superior sleeping experience. With over 90 years of latex innovation behind it, our client's brand is recognised globally as a benchmark for premium solutions.

Role Overview & Job purpose

As Sales Manager, you will drive profitable growth for this product by selling the measurable value of a premium natural latex comfort material rather than competing primarily on price. You will develop a deep understanding of each customer’s commercial strategy, product portfolio, consumers, and technical requirements, then translate this product’s performance, comfort, durability, breathability, and brand credentials into compelling customer solutions.

Working with bedding manufacturers, brand owners, retailers, distributors, and product development teams, you will create demand, influence product specifications, build persuasive business cases, and secure long-term commercial partnerships. The role combines consultative selling, strategic account development, new business acquisition, and disciplined commercial execution to increase revenue, margin, market share, and the premium positioning of the product

Key responsibilities

Value-Added Sales and Solution Development

• Lead consultative customer conversations to uncover commercial, technical, product, and consumer needs.
• Translate the product premium features into clear customer outcomes, including product differentiation, consumer appeal, performance, sustainability credentials, and margin potential.
• Develop tailored value propositions, commercial proposals, and business cases supported by customer insight and evidence.
• Influence product development and specification decisions by engaging buyers, technical teams, product developers, marketing teams, and senior decision-makers.

Strategic Account Growth and Retention

• Create and execute account plans that grow revenue, margin, share of wallet, and the number of customer products containing this product.
• Build trusted, multi-level relationships and become a credible commercial partner to customers.
• Conduct structured business reviews, identify unmet needs, and agree joint growth initiatives with clear actions and measures.
• Protect existing business by resolving issues quickly, maintaining service credibility, and reinforcing the value delivered throughout the customer relationship.

New Business and Market Development

• Identify and prioritise attractive prospects, applications, and market segments where this product can command a premium position.
• Build and convert a healthy opportunity pipeline through targeted prospecting, networking, referrals, events, and customer-led introductions.
• Gather competitor, customer, and consumer insight to shape propositions, pricing, product development, and go-to-market activity.
• Represent our client's brand confidently at customer meetings, industry events, and product presentations.

Commercial Execution and Collaboration

• Negotiate sustainable agreements that balance customer value with price, volume, margin, service, and contractual risk.
• Maintain accurate account plans, opportunity records, forecasts, and activity in the CRM system.
• Monitor performance against revenue, margin, pipeline, conversion, and strategic account objectives, taking corrective action where required.
• Collaborate closely with technical, product development, marketing, operations, customer service, and finance teams to deliver a credible end-to-end customer proposition.

Knowledge, Skills and Competencies

• Proven success in B2B sales, business development, or key account management within a value-added, consultative sales environment.
• Experience selling premium, technical, or differentiated products with a multi-stakeholder and specification-led sales cycle.
• Strong discovery and questioning skills, with the ability to identify customer needs and convert them into tailored propositions.
• Commercial acumen and confidence in quantifying value, building business cases, protecting margin, and resisting price-led selling.
• Excellent presentation, storytelling, negotiation, influencing, and communication skills.
• Ability to build credibility with buyers, product developers, technical specialists, marketing teams, and senior executives.
• Disciplined pipeline, forecasting, account planning, and CRM management skills.
• Fluency in English and Dutch.
• Willingness to travel internationally.
• Valid driving licence.
• Experience within bedding, furniture, latex, foam, textiles, comfort materials, interiors, or premium consumer products.
• Experience working with manufacturers, OEMs, distributors, retailers, and premium brands.
• Understanding of product development, manufacturing, and specification-led selling.
• Degree or equivalent experience in Business, Marketing, Engineering, Materials, or a related discipline.
• Consultative Selling – Diagnoses customer needs and shapes solutions that deliver meaningful commercial and consumer value.
• Value Articulation – Communicates complex technical benefits in a clear, persuasive, and customer-relevant way.
• Commercial Judgement – Balances customer outcomes with revenue, margin, risk, and long-term partnership value.
• Strategic Account Management – Builds multi-level relationships and executes plans that generate sustainable growth.
• Influence and Collaboration – Mobilises customer and internal stakeholders to progress complex opportunities.
• Curiosity and Market Insight – Seeks evidence, asks insightful questions, and turns market intelligence into action.
• Resilience and Ownership – Maintains momentum through long sales cycles and takes accountability for outcomes.
• Data-Driven Execution – Uses CRM data, forecasts, conversion measures, and customer insight to prioritise activity and improve performance.