Job Title: Sales Manager
Location: Home based, with travel as needed
Reports to: Commercial Manager
Position Purpose:
Responsible for the management and strategic development of a portfolio of high-value regional/geographical accounts. This role is crucial in driving sales volume, profit, and the achievement of strategic objectives within the assigned customer base. The Sales Manager will work closely with the Lesaffre UK and Ireland commercial team to ensure the successful implementation of the company's commercial strategy and contribute to global objectives.
Essential Position Functions:
Sales and Profitability
- Promote and generate sales volume and profit across all Lesaffre UK products and services within the assigned accounts.
- Achieve the set strategic, budgetary, and profitability targets for the designated accounts
- Monitor performance against objectives and propose actions to improve efficiency and results
Account Management and Negotiation
- Manage the negotiation and implementation of annual agreements with key accounts, ensuring alignment with Lesaffre UK policies
- Actively seek new accounts to support the growth strategy.
- Collaborate with the commercial Manager and other departments to implement the commercial strategy in terms of products, pricing, conditions, logistics, and services
New Business Development
- Identify and capitalise on opportunities for new product and ingredient developments within current and potential accounts
- Work closely with the Commercial Manager to prioritise and develop high-impact projects.
- Engage cross-functionally with the customer's management, NPD, quality, marketing, and production teams.
Financial Management
- Monitor and control the payment terms and financial performance of the assigned accounts
- Collaborate with the finance team to optimise commercial terms and minimise risk
Market Intelligence and Relationship Building
- Develop strong relationships with customers to gather market insights and intelligence
- Stay up-to-date on market trends, competitor activities, and industry developments
- Communicate relevant information to support decision-making across the business.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
• Demonstrated experience in key account management or a similar commercial role
• Proven track record of driving sales growth and profitability within a portfolio of strategic accounts
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to secure favourable commercial terms
• Strong understanding of the food manufacturing, ideally in the baking industry, including products, raw materials, processes, and economics
• Ability to work collaboratively across multiple departments and functions
• Capacity to manage complex projects and new business development initiatives
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to liaise effectively with stakeholders at all levels
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and make data-driven decisions
• Proactive, solutions-oriented approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement
This is a commercial role requires a strategic solution orientated mindset, strong business acumen, and the ability to contribute and support the delivery of the overall commercial strategy of Lesaffre UK and Ireland.
Attributes:
• Strong decision-making abilities.
• Detail-oriented with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Commitment to fostering a positive
Skills Required
- Demonstrated experience in key account management or similar commercial role
- Proven track record of driving sales growth and profitability within a portfolio of strategic accounts
- Excellent negotiation and influencing skills
- Strong understanding of food manufacturing, ideally the baking industry
- Ability to work collaboratively across multiple departments and functions
- Capacity to manage complex projects and new business development initiatives
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to liaise with stakeholders at all levels
- Analytical mindset with ability to interpret data and make data-driven decisions
- Proactive, solutions-oriented approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement
- Ability to travel as needed and work remotely (home-based)
Lesaffre Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Lesaffre and has not been reviewed or approved by Lesaffre.
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Healthcare Strength — U.S. postings and employer-verified listings describe comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, in some cases starting on day one. Subsidiary and job materials also point to strong health plans across certain U.S. entities.
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Retirement Support — Job postings and U.S. materials indicate a 401(k) with company match, sometimes with day-one eligibility. Employer-verified benefit lists also include retirement plans as part of the core package.
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Strong & Reliable Incentives — Performance bonuses and employee discounts are referenced as part of total rewards, and shift differentials can materially increase pay in roles with nonstandard hours. These elements provide additional pathways to boost total compensation beyond base pay.
Lesaffre Insights
What We Do
A key global player in fermentation for more than a century, Lesaffre, with a €2.7 billion turnover, and established on all continents, counts 11,000 employees and 96 nationalities. On the strength of this experience and diversity, we work with customers, partners, and researchers to find ever more relevant answers to the needs of food, health, naturalness and respect for our environment. Thus, every day, we explore and reveal the infinite potential of microorganisms. To nourish 9 billion people, in a healthy way, in 2050 by making the most of our planet’s resources is a major and unprecedented issue. We believe that fermentation is one of the most promising answers to this challenge.
