Head of Sales (Asia & Europe)

BackStretch; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

BackStretch is seeking a commercially driven Head of Sales (Asia & Europe) to lead regional strategy, grow revenue, and build strong customer partnerships across Asia and Europe from its Los Angeles base.

You will coach Account Managers, manage pricing and margins, and drive forecasts, pipelines, and cross‑functional collaboration across operations and finance to deliver profitable growth across multiple channels and brands.

Qualifications

• Fluency in Chinese required, including leadership of customer discussions and negotiations.
• Must be based in Los Angeles and willing to travel internationally.
• Strong professional English communication skills.
• Demonstrated success in leading international sales teams and profitable growth.
• Experience managing customer or distributor relationships across Asian and European markets.
• Strong commercial judgment including pricing, gross margin, product mix, and opportunity assessment.
• Track record of growing existing accounts and developing new customers, products, or channels.
• Experience coaching Account Managers and holding teams accountable for performance.
• Strong forecasting, pipeline management, and analytical skills.
• Ability to work across cultures, functions, and time zones.

Responsibilities

• Lead Regional Strategy & Growth for Asia and Europe with priorities for profitable growth.
• Identify opportunities to expand relationships and develop new customers, products, brands, and channels.
• Assess market conditions and competitive dynamics to focus resources.
• Coach Account Managers to build and execute growth plans.

Skills

Chinese language fluency

English communication

International sales leadership

Forecasting & analytics

Cross-cultural collaboration

Tools

SAP

CRM platforms

Job description

We are an established international business in the food and consumer products sector, seeking a commercially driven sales leader to oversee Asia and Europe. Further company details will be shared with candidates as the process progresses.

The Role

We are looking for a Head of Sales (Asia & Europe), to lead regional strategy, develop the sales team, and build strong customer partnerships that deliver profitable growth.

You will own sales and gross margin performance across both regions, with a focus on strengthening existing accounts, developing new opportunities, and diversifying the business across customers, brands, products, and channels.

This role calls for someone who can set direction and stay close to execution. You will coach Account Managers, lead complex commercial discussions, and turn market insights into clear priorities and action plans.

The position is based in Los Angeles and requires Chinese language fluency, international travel, and flexibility to work across time zones.

What You’ll Do

1. Lead Regional Strategy & Growth

• Develop and execute the sales strategy for Asia and Europe, with clear priorities for profitable growth.
• Identify opportunities to expand existing relationships and develop new customers, products, brands, and channels.
• Assess market conditions, customer needs, and competitive dynamics to determine where to focus resources.
• Guide Account Managers in building and executing practical account growth plans.

2. Own Sales Performance & Profitability

• Deliver regional sales and gross margin targets, prioritizing the quality and profitability of growth.
• Lead pricing and commercial decisions that protect and improve margins.
• Review customer and product performance, address profitability risks, and put recovery plans in place where needed.
• Build a more diversified business while managing customer and brand concentration.

3. Lead & Develop the Sales Team

• Set clear expectations for account ownership, commercial judgment, and execution.
• Coach Account Managers to identify opportunities, solve problems, and make sound decisions.
• Establish regular performance reviews and hold the team accountable for targets and agreed growth initiatives.
• Support the team in complex customer conversations and negotiations.

4. Build Strategic Customer Partnerships

• Develop strong relationships with key customers, distributors, and commercial partners.
• Understand customers’ businesses and translate their needs into commercially viable opportunities.
• Lead important negotiations and help resolve issues affecting customer relationships or regional performance.
• Travel to meet customers, develop market knowledge, and support growth opportunities.

5. Drive Forecasting & Execution

• Own the regional sales forecast and pipeline, ensuring realistic projections, clear timelines, and actionable next steps.
• Evaluate opportunities against expected sales, gross margin, likelihood of conversion, and resource requirements.
• Use CRM, SAP, and business reporting tools to monitor performance and inform decisions.
• Work closely with operations, supply chain, finance, and business development to align resources and deliver customer commitments.

What We’re Looking For

• Fluency in any Chinese language is required, including the ability to lead customer discussions, negotiations, and relationship development.
• Must be based in Los Angeles and willing to travel internationally as needed.
• Strong professional English communication skills.
• Demonstrated success leading international sales teams and delivering profitable growth.
• Experience managing customer or distributor relationships across Asian and European markets.
• Strong commercial judgment, including pricing, gross margin management, product mix, and opportunity assessment.
• A record of growing existing accounts and developing new customers, products, or channels.
• Experience coaching Account Managers and holding teams accountable for performance.
• Strong forecasting, pipeline management, and analytical skills.
• The ability to work effectively across cultures, functions, and time zones.

Preferred Experience

• Background in food, beverage, consumer products, international distribution, or export sales.
• Experience developing distributor networks and route-to-market strategies.
• Familiarity with SAP and CRM platforms.
• Existing commercial relationships in relevant Asian or European markets.

What Success Looks Like

• Regional sales and gross margin performance against budget and rolling forecasts.
• Growth in sales and gross margin from new customers, brands, products, or channels.
• Greater business diversification and balanced customer and brand concentration.
• Accurate forecasts and a qualified pipeline that converts into profitable business.
• Account Managers meeting targets and delivering agreed account growth initiatives.

The Person Who Will Thrive Here

You combine ambition with sound commercial judgment. You see where the business can grow, understand what makes an opportunity profitable, and help your team turn that opportunity into results.

You take ownership, bring recommendations, and follow through. You build trust with customers and colleagues, approach challenges collaboratively, and act with integrity.

Compensation

Total compensation of $100,000 – 150,000 USD, comprising base salary and a performance-based bonus.