Sales Director and Europe

European Wholesale | Strategic Accounts | Commercial Growth

Location:

UK or Germany – European travel required

Remuneration:
Competitive Executive Package + Excellent Performance Bonus

An opportunity for an experienced, highly connected and hands-on European sales leader to drive significant wholesale growth for an established international sportswear and footwear business with globally recognised brands.

We are looking for a genuine salesperson and commercial dealmaker who knows Europe's major footwear and sporting goods retailers, has direct relationships with senior buying directors and can personally negotiate and close substantial commercial deals.

This is not a conventional, desk-based commercial leadership role. We need someone who enjoys being in front of customers, understands how to trade, can overcome buyer objections and has the drive to make business happen.

The business is predominantly footwear, and the immediate objective is to deliver significant additional revenue through its major European retail accounts. For delivering this your will be compensated very well.

The business has established relationships with several of Europe's leading footwear and sporting goods retailers. The priority is to develop these relationships further and unlock substantial additional sales.

Key Accounts:
The business works with major European retailers and online platforms, including:
Zalando, Decathlon, ABOUT YOU, Intersport, Amazon, Sports Direct / Frasers, Deichmann, etc.

The successful candidate should have established relationships with senior buyers and commercial decision-makers across relevant European footwear and sporting goods retailers, with the ability to engage directly and develop additional business.

The principal responsibility is to personally drive profitable footwear sales growth across major European wholesale accounts.

• Develop and execute individual commercial growth plans for major European retail accounts, targeting substantial increases in turnover.
• Personally manage senior relationships with buying directors and key commercial decision-makers.
• Proactively visit retailers, identify opportunities, negotiate commercial terms and close deals.
• Develop and negotiate SMU (Special Make-Up) programmes that create additional business with key accounts.
• Structure commercially attractive deals involving pricing, margins, FOB arrangements, product categories and customer commitments.
• Negotiate opportunities across different product categories to secure increased orders and expand existing business.
• Challenge buyer objections and develop alternative commercial propositions rather than simply accepting reduced order commitments.
• Identify opportunities to expand footwear sales within established retail partnerships.
• Work with product, merchandising and operational teams to develop customer-specific commercial propositions.
• Build and maintain direct relationships with key European footwear and sporting goods retailers.
• Take personal responsibility for delivering measurable revenue growth and improved profitability.
• Remain actively involved in selling, trading and negotiating rather than operating solely through a sales team.

• Substantial senior sales experience within athletic footwear, sportswear, sporting goods or related lifestyle brands, with strong exposure to footwear wholesale.
• A proven track record of personally managing, developing and growing major European retail accounts.
• Established direct relationships with senior buying directors and decision-makers at leading European footwear and sporting goods retailers.
• Relevant account experience with retailers such as Zalando, ABOUT YOU, Deichmann, Intersport, Decathlon and other major European retail groups.
• Demonstrable experience personally negotiating and closing significant commercial deals.
• Strong practical experience of developing and negotiating SMUs with major retailers.
• A trading mentality, with the ability to negotiate pricing, margins, FOB arrangements and commercially attractive agreements.
• Evidence of delivering substantial, measurable growth within existing wholesale accounts.
• The ability to generate additional sales in challenging market conditions, rather than relying on strong brand demand.
• Strong understanding of the European wholesale footwear market, retail buying structures and commercial decision-making.
• Experience working directly with customers and taking personal responsibility for sales…