Sales Manager

• Account Management, Business Development, Commercial Management, Leadership, Manufacturing, Sales, Strategic Growth
• Up to £70,000 Basic DOE + Approximately £120,000 OTE

About the job

Job Title: Sales Manager - Manufacturing & Retail
Location: West Yorkshire
Salary: Up to £70,000 Basic DOE + Approximately £120,000 OTE

About the Role

We're recruiting for a commercially driven Sales Manager - Manufacturing & Retail to join an established manufacturing business and lead its next phase of growth, with a particular focus on expanding its presence across the DIY, garden centre, home improvement and wider retail markets.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced B2B sales professional who knows how to open doors with major UK retailers, develop relationships with senior buying teams and turn commercial opportunities into profitable, long-term customer accounts.

The business has an established customer base and strong manufacturing capability, but there is significant scope to strengthen its position within national retail groups, multi-site operators, buying groups and specialist retail channels.

You'll be responsible for developing and delivering a clear sales strategy, identifying new routes to market and building relationships with key commercial decision-makers, including retail buyers, category managers and procurement teams.

Alongside winning new business, you'll take responsibility for developing the existing sales function. This includes introducing greater structure around business development, account management, forecasting and performance, while ensuring the team has clear objectives and the support needed to deliver against them.

Working closely with senior leadership and manufacturing teams, you'll ensure new opportunities are commercially viable, customer commitments can be delivered and sales growth translates into improved profitability.

This is a hands-on sales leadership opportunity offering significant commercial autonomy, the potential for equity participation and genuine longer-term career progression as the business continues to develop.

Key Responsibilities

Sales Strategy & Business Development

• Develop and implement a sales strategy focused on profitable growth across DIY, garden centre, home improvement and wider retail markets.
• Identify, approach and secure new business with national retail chains, buying groups, multi-site retailers and specialist operators.
• Build relationships with senior buyers, category managers, procurement teams and other key commercial decision-makers.
• Identify opportunities to secure new product listings, expand existing ranges and increase sales across customer store networks.
• Develop new routes to market and identify opportunities to expand the business's retail customer base.
• Take a proactive approach to new business development, personally leading key customer meetings, presentations and commercial negotiations.
• Monitor competitor activity, emerging retail trends and opportunities to develop new products or routes to market.

Retail Account Management & Customer Development

• Develop existing customer accounts through effective relationship management and structured account development plans.
• Identify opportunities to increase product penetration, expand product ranges and generate additional revenue.
• Build and maintain strong, long term relationships with national retailers, buying groups and specialist retail operators.
• Understand retail buying processes, product ranging decisions and commercial requirements to strengthen customer relationships.
• Analyse customer performance, sales trends and product demand to identify opportunities for profitable growth.
• Ensure customer relationships are supported by consistent product quality, reliable delivery and excellent service.
• Lead, coach and develop the existing sales team, creating a culture of accountability, customer focus and commercial performance.
• Introduce clear sales objectives, measurable KPIs and structured pipeline management.
• Improve sales forecasting, opportunity management and conversion performance.
• Establish effective account management and business development processes across the sales function.
• Provide accurate sales forecasts, pipeline updates and commercial performance reports to senior leadership.
• Help shape the future structure and capability of the sales function as the business expands.
• Support the development of a proactive, commercially focused sales culture.

Commercial Management & Profitability

• Take ownership of commercial negotiations, pricing and margin management to ensure sustainable and profitable growth.
• Evaluate new business opportunities to ensure they deliver appropriate commercial returns.
• Analyse customer profitability, product performance and sales trends to inform commercial decisions.
• Use CRM systems, sales data and performance reporting to improve sales effectiveness and commercial visibility.
• Work closely with senior leadership to identify opportunities to strengthen revenue, margins and overall business performance.
• Balance customer requirements with manufacturing costs, operational capabilities and long term profitability.

Manufacturing & Operational Collaboration

• Work closely with manufacturing and operational teams to ensure customer requirements, production capacity and delivery commitments are aligned.
• Ensure new sales opportunities are commercially viable and operationally achievable.
• Collaborate with production teams to understand manufacturing capabilities, product availability and delivery requirements.
• Support effective communication between Sales, Manufacturing and Operations to maintain customer satisfaction.
• Identify opportunities to improve coordination between commercial activity and manufacturing performance.

Candidate Profile

• Proven track record in B2B sales, with experience developing new business and managing substantial customer relationships.
• Experience selling products into DIY retailers, garden centre groups, home improvement chains, national retailers or similar multi site retail businesses.
• Strong understanding of retail buying processes, including commercial negotiations, product listings, ranging decisions and ongoing account development.
• Ability to demonstrate tangible commercial achievements, including new account wins, revenue growth and improved customer profitability.
• Previous experience managing, coaching or developing sales teams, with the ability to introduce structure and improve performance.
• Commercially astute, with a strong understanding of pricing, margins, forecasting and the relationship between sales and manufacturing operations.
• Comfortable developing sales strategy while remaining personally involved in winning business and managing key customer relationships.
• Strong relationship building and negotiation skills, with the credibility to engage senior retail buyers and commercial stakeholders.
• Confident using CRM systems, sales data and performance reporting to make informed commercial decisions.
• Proactive, self motivated and comfortable taking ownership of results.
• Adaptable leadership style, with the confidence to challenge existing practices and introduce improvements.
• Strong understanding of the importance of product quality, reliable delivery and customer service in building successful retail relationships.
• Experience within manufacturing, timber products, building materials, garden products, home improvement or another relevant product led environment.
• Established relationships with national DIY retailers, garden centre groups or major retail buying teams.
• Experience securing new product listings and expanding product ranges within multi site retail customers.
• Experience developing new routes to market for manufactured products.
• Previous involvement in improving sales structures, CRM processes, forecasting or commercial performance reporting.

We welcome applications from candidates with different career backgrounds and experiences and are committed to an inclusive and equitable recruitment process.

What Our Client Offers

• Basic salary of up to £70,000, dependent on experience.
• On target earnings of approximately £120,000.
• Potential opportunity for equity participation.
• Significant autonomy to develop and deliver the commercial strategy.
• Opportunity to build relationships with major UK retailers and develop new routes to market.
• An established manufacturing business with an existing customer base and considerable potential for growth.
• Opportunity to develop and lead a more structured, commercially focused sales function.
• Direct exposure to the senior leadership team, with the opportunity to influence wider business decisions.
• Genuine longer term career progression as the business develops.