Sales Manager - South England Commensurate

Our client is an established food packaging manufacturer, looking to appoint an experienced Sales Manager to take responsibility for leading and developing its sales function, with a focus on driving commercial growth, strengthening existing customer relationships and securing new business.

This is an opportunity for a commercially minded sales professional who can combine effective team leadership with a hands‑on approach to account management and business development. You will play an important role in developing a high-performing sales team, increasing turnover and identifying opportunities to broaden the company’s customer base and market presence.

Working closely with the Managing Director, you will be responsible for setting sales objectives, establishing clear KPIs and ensuring the team is supported, motivated and focused on achieving its targets. This will include coaching and mentoring existing employees, as well as supporting the recruitment and development of new team members.

A key part of the position will involve overseeing existing customer accounts, ensuring high levels of service, customer retention and long‑term relationship development. Alongside this, you will drive a proactive approach to new business development, identifying potential customers and emerging markets, leading prospecting activity and converting opportunities into profitable business. You will also contribute to pricing decisions, quotations and commercial proposals, ensuring a strong focus on turnover and margins.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively with production, operations, customer service and administrative teams to ensure customer expectations are aligned with operational capabilities. Accurate sales forecasting, pipeline management and reporting will be important aspects of the role, helping the wider business plan effectively and maintain a consistent level of service.

There will also be a responsibility for ensuring sales processes support relevant industry and regulatory requirements, including BRCGS Food Contact Packaging standards. An understanding of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements and associated customer reporting would be advantageous.

You will have a proven background in sales management, gained within packaging, plastics or FMCG, and be comfortable leading a team while maintaining your own commercial focus. You will have a successful track record of developing customer accounts, winning new business and delivering against sales targets.

Strong leadership and communication skills are essential, as is the ability to build lasting relationships with customers and colleagues across the business. You should have sound commercial awareness, with the confidence to influence pricing, protect margins and identify opportunities for growth. Experience with CRM systems, sales forecasting and performance reporting is also required.

Knowledge of BRCGS Food Contact Packaging standards and EPR obligations would be beneficial, as would experience within plastics, extrusion, converting or packaging manufacturing. Exposure to commercial process improvement and business optimisation initiatives would also be advantageous.

This role would suit an ambitious Sales Manager looking to make a tangible contribution to the continued growth and commercial development of an established food packaging manufacturer.