Area Sales Manager - Central/Southern Italy

Description

About the Client

Our client is a fast-growing, international provider of rental, pooling and cleaning solutions for reusable packaging: rolling load carriers, crates, pallets and folding IBC systems. Their assets play a vital role in the supply chains of major retailers, food processors, chemical manufacturers and other industrial sectors across Europe.

Their offering now includes folding IBC units, IBC liners, discharge equipment and turnkey liquid-handling solutions. With depots across Europe, including Italy, they support customers with local service and fast response.

About the role

They are looking for a highly driven Area Sales Manager for South Italy, responsible for expanding their market presence and accelerating sales growth. Your region will be finalised according to your location (Rome/Bologna area preferred).

This is a customer-facing, field-based sales role. Travelling to customers is mandatory, as you will regularly visit sites, build relationships and execute a proactive sales plan. You will report to the Commercial Director CEE & Italy.

Key responsibilities

New Business Growth

• Identify and open new opportunities across food, beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
• Conduct on-site visits, prospecting and cold outreach to build a strong pipeline.
• Analyse customer operations and design high-value solutions using IBCs and reusable packaging systems.
• Deliver product demonstrations and present our value proposition directly to decision makers.
• Prepare and negotiate commercial proposals with support from depot and HQ teams.
• Drive the full sales cycle until contract closure.

Account Management

• Develop and grow existing accounts through regular customer visits.
• Understand operational challenges and propose additional services or upgraded solutions.
• Build long-term relationships from operational staff up to management level.

Market Engagement & Intelligence

• Represent the company at trade shows and industry events in Italy and abroad.
• Monitor competitors, pricing dynamics and market trends, providing insights to management.

Requirements

With 5 + years in B2B sales (food process, cosmetics, logistics, packaging) and commercial development, you can demonstrate a successful track record, ideally from a similar or aligned industry sector though they place more emphasis on existing market knowledge than they do existing product knowledge. You will be a self-starter and have a strong work ethic, high energy, drive and determination.

When assessing applicants, we will look for strong evidence of the following competencies:

• New Business Development ability (“hunter”)
• Effective account management/development capabilities (“farmer”)
• Personable – Able to build strong relationships
• Strong presentation skills (Written & Verbal)
• Experience of selling to target bulk liquid sectors (Food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, chemicals etc.).
• Natural communicator at all levels
• Solution sales / Technical sales ability
• Numerically competent
• Excellent organisational skills (Specifically territory planning and time management)
• Ability to absorb client information and communicate features and benefits to customers
• English spoken fluently (to exchange with your colleagues from head office and colleagues of other countries)

Benefits

• A dynamic, entrepreneurial environment in a fast-growing European group.
• Full support from technical, operations and depot teams.
• Opportunities for career development within an expanding international business.
• A home-based role with extensive customer interaction and travel.