Head of Sales

Cavendish Maine are proud to be working as the chosen exclusive recruitment partner to this leading, international pet accessory brand!

The company:

A leading international brand of premium pet accessories (cat & dog bedding & feeding categories), stocked by every major retailer of pet products in the UK & Ireland including; Pets At Home, Jollyes & Pets Corner as well as leading homeware retailers such as Next, Dunelm, Robert Dyas & Costco.  They also work closely with major pet Wholesalers along with over 250 leading independent pet, garden and homewares retailers.

The product range is mid – market to super – premium, with a focus on innovation and quality and the company has impressive plans to increase market (category) domination over the next 2 years, doubling the number of independent stores and chains they supply in the UK & Ireland to 500!

The role:                                                            

Working as Head of Sales, you will be required to lead, develop and execute the company’s brand sales growth strategy in the UK & Ireland.  You will lead a team of 1 National Account Manager and 2 Independent Account Managers, leading, measuring, coaching, developing and driving them to achieve the best possible results.  Specific duties will include:

• Leading the coaching and development of the UK Sales Team, focussing on both collective and individual growth and success
• Leading the development of strategies for the brand in online and offline wholesale and retail channels, focussing on brand presence, visibility and channel growth
• Working closely with Account Managers and customers – attending meetings, pitches and presentations
• Setting and executing sales targets and strategy to increase revenue and brand growth from existing and new channels (UK & Ireland)
• Defining activities calendar and align with key stakeholders such as Sales, Managing Director, Creative, Production and Marketing teams
• Identifying and establishing brand KPIs at both Account Manager and customer levels
• Determining advertising and promotional needs, collaborating with relevant departments to deliver
• Analysing competitor activity to identify opportunities and gaps
• Driving business growth with top customers through specific initiatives, category management projects and negotiating terms and promotions with the relevant Account Manager
• Leading the merchandising in stores by defining in-store priorities, tracking KPI’s

The person:

In order to be considered for the role of Head of Sales, you must possess the following;

• A wealth of B2B sales management experience gained from within the Pet (non food), Garden or Home sectors specifically
• Experience of winning and managing national accounts
• A proven track record of selling a premium level product/range
• If from the pet industry, experience of selling premium pet accessories as opposed to pet food
• Experience of selling into Independent retailers; Pet Stores, Garden Centres, Gift Shops etc.
• Enjoy presenting products and new concepts to retail buyers
• Have a sales driven mindset with the ability to expand business, identify and develop new opportunities
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills
• The ability to work effectively under pressure to seasonal and customer deadlines
• Strong commercial awareness and integrity
• A clear communicator with intuitive relationship management skills
• A full UK Driving license
• Able to commute to the Manchester office when required

The benefits:

The job holder will enjoy a basic salary of up to £70,000 p.a, 23 days holiday, discounts on company products, professional development opportunities as well as a vibrant and collaborative working environment.

Contact: Sophie Simmonds

Reference: SS/86820

Footnote

If your application is successful we will contact you to discuss the opportunity in more detail, within 48 hours of receiving your application.

Due to the overwhelming Application response we receive through various sources should you not hear from us within one week then please assume your application has been unsuccessful.