Head of Sales – Italy & Strategic European Markets
Descrizione dell'offerta
Head of Sales – Italy & Strategic European Markets
Scope of Responsibility: Italy (direct) + Germany, France, Spain and secondary European markets
We are looking for an experienced, dynamic and results-driven Head of Sales to lead and develop our commercial organisation in the lifestyle industry. This strategic role will play a key part in the company’s growth, with direct responsibility for the Italian market and oversight of our key European countries: Germany, France and Spain, as well as related secondary markets.
The ideal candidate is a natural leader with strong experience in the lifestyle or consumer goods sector, capable of combining strategic vision with hands‑on execution. This role will act as the main commercial reference point for current and future customers in Italy and will drive business development across major European markets.
Key Responsibilities
- Implement, manage and continuously improve the company’s existing sales strategy, ensuring consistent and effective execution across all European markets.
- Build and structure the European sales organization, defining processes, roles, responsibilities, decision flows and operating models.
- Take full ownership of commercial results (P&L, revenue, margins, volumes, market share) across Italy, Germany, France, Spain and assigned secondary markets.
- Support local sales teams or commercial partners in strategic markets.
- Set clear, measurable and shared objectives for each market and sales leader, translating company strategy into concrete action plans.
- Design and scale the sales model (direct and indirect), defining standard policies for:
- Distributor management
- Commercial policies
- Pricing, discounts and conditions
- Channel and product portfolio priorities
- Implement and strengthen structured CRM, pipeline, forecasting and reporting processes, ensuring data accuracy, performance visibility and reliable forecasting.
- Continuously monitor KPIs and performance metrics, identifying gaps and defining structured corrective actions.
- Analyse market trends, country-level performance and competitor activity, turning data into actionable insights to continuously optimise the sales strategy.
- Manage and develop strategic relationships with key international accounts, major distributors and senior stakeholders, acting as a senior commercial representative of the company.
- Lead, motivate and develop multi‑country sales teams, building local leadership and fostering a culture of accountability, performance and continuous improvement.
- Work closely with Marketing, Product and Supply Chain teams to ensure alignment between sales strategy, go‑to‑market plans, product availability and execution.
- Prepare regular reports, forecasts and structured presentations for management and the board, actively contributing to strategic decision‑making.
Requirements
- Degree in Economics, Marketing or related fields; MBA or Master’s degree is a plus.
- 7–10+ years of experience in sales, preferably within FMCG, lifestyle, or related industries.
- Proven experience as Head of Sales, Sales Director or equivalent role, with direct responsibility for multiple countries.
- Strong background in managing international sales teams and complex commercial structures.
- Demonstrated track record of consistently achieving and exceeding sales targets.
- Excellent knowledge and hands‑on use of CRM systems, pipeline management and forecasting tools (e.g. Odoo, HubSpot, Salesforce).
- Strong analytical and data‑driven decision‑making skills.
- Excellent communication, relationship‑building and negotiation abilities.
- Authoritative leadership style, capable of guiding multicultural and multidisciplinary teams.
- Willingness to travel frequently to Croatia and key European markets.
- Fluent Italian and English.
Work Location & Travel
- Regular presence at HQ (minimum 5 days per month) to support strategic coordination with management.
- Frequent travel across European markets.
What We Offer
- A key leadership role in a fast‑growing lifestyle company.
- A dynamic, international and innovation‑driven environment.
- Competitive compensation package, including fixed salary plus performance‑based variable component.