Job Description:

European Sales Director
  
Location: Europe – flexible location with regular European travel

Permanent | Full Time
Wolviston Management Services is recruiting on behalf of an established international industrial manufacturing business for a European Sales Director to lead and develop its commercial operations across Europe.
This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for a commercially driven sales professional who can combine immediate performance improvement with longer-term strategic growth.
  
You will take responsibility for developing and executing the European sales strategy, leading a multi-country sales operation, strengthening key customer and distributor relationships and identifying new opportunities across existing and emerging markets.
  
The business is open to experienced Sales Directors as well as high-performing commercial leaders ready to step into a broader European leadership position.
  
The Role
Reporting directly to the Group CEO, you will be responsible for driving sustainable revenue growth and improving commercial performance across the European region.
Key responsibilities will include:

• Define and execute the European sales strategy to deliver sustainable revenue and market growth
• Lead, develop and motivate a regional, multi-country sales team
• Develop tailored commercial strategies across individual European markets
• Take ownership of regional sales performance, forecasting, pipeline development and P&L
• Build and strengthen relationships with major customers, strategic partners and key accounts
• Manage both direct sales channels and distributor/indirect sales networks
• Lead complex commercial negotiations and major contract discussions
• Identify new markets, industries, customer segments and geographical growth opportunities
• Grow market share across underrepresented European regions
• Analyse sales performance, market intelligence and customer trends to support strategic decision-making
• Monitor competitor activity, regulatory developments and wider market changes
• Work closely with Engineering, Operations and Product teams across European manufacturing locations
• Provide senior leadership with commercial intelligence, market feedback and growth recommendations
• Ensure high standards of sales reporting and commercial discipline across the European organisation

  
About You
We are looking for an experienced and commercially focused sales leader who can quickly build credibility across customers, teams and senior stakeholders.
You will ideally have:

• Proven senior sales leadership experience within pigments, chemicals, coatings, industrial manufacturing or a closely related sector
• Experience managing sales operations across multiple European countries
• A strong track record of delivering revenue growth and developing new markets
• Experience managing and developing sales teams
• Strong knowledge of distributor networks and indirect sales channels
• Experience of complex B2B sales cycles, including tendering, specification selling and longer commercial lead times
• Strong key account management and customer relationship skills
• Experience negotiating significant commercial agreements and contracts
• Commercial awareness with experience of budgets, forecasting and P&L performance
• Strong analytical, critical-thinking and decision-making capability
• The ability to operate autonomously within an international organisation
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder-management skills
• Fluency in English plus at least one additional European language
• Flexibility to travel regularly throughout Europe

  
The Person
You will be a driven, results-focused commercial leader who is comfortable challenging existing approaches and identifying opportunities to improve performance.
  
You do not necessarily need to already hold the title of European Sales Director. We are equally interested in ambitious Regional Sales Directors, Commercial Directors, Sales Leaders or senior international sales professionals who can demonstrate the capability and track record to step into a broader European role.
  
You should be able to balance delivering results today with building the strategy, customer relationships and commercial infrastructure required for sustainable long-term growth.
  
Why Apply?
This is an opportunity to take a highly visible European commercial leadership role with genuine influence over the future direction and growth of the business.
  
You will work directly with senior Group leadership and have the autonomy to shape European sales strategy, strengthen commercial performance and identify new opportunities across customers, sectors and geographical markets.