Regional Sales Manager

Regional Sales Manager

Region: West Midlands

Package: Basic salary up to £65,000 plus attractive bonus/OTE, Company car/allowance & flexible benefits package including hybrid working, up to 27 days holiday (plus bank holidays & additional annual leave purchasing scheme)

Sector: Packaging Distribution

Protecting what matters, together

We're dedicated to protecting what matters most - our people, our customers, our communities, and the environment. At Macfarlane Packaging, our commitment to customer satisfaction, sustainability and continual improvement creates a highly collaborative, supportive and friendly workplace where you can unpack a career that grows.

With history stretching back over 75 years, we offer stability whilst always striving for continual growth. Our fast-paced, results-driven approach will challenge and often stretch you, but it will also give you opportunities for personal and professional development. Every colleague has the chance to directly influence our success, leading to real job satisfaction and achievement, at all stages of your career.

We provide competitive pay and personalised incentives, alongside adaptable benefits to make your rewards package go further. And additionally, the way we work prioritises work-life balance and flexibility, empowering our colleagues to manage what is most important to them. Our business values commitment, diligence, teamwork, adaptability and a thirst for learning… so if this sounds like you, come and join us to help drive change that enables businesses to plan for a better future.

The Sales Manager Role

Reporting to the Sales Director at Network Packaging based in Wolverhampton, this hands-on sales management position is focused on driving high levels of sales team performance. Assuming responsibility for a team of four external sales people, the role carries overall responsibility for recruiting, coaching, objective setting and developing the sales team aligned to strategic objectives and company sales processes, designed to expand the customer base and drive sales growth.

Sales Manager Key Responsibilities

• Manage the external sales team, setting clear targets and objectives, conducting regular performance and development assessments, and providing continuous coaching to identify training needs and support professional growth.
• Develop and implement strategic business plans for each territory in partnership with Sales Executives to maximise sales performance and ensure the achievement of overall team sales targets and profitability.
• Lead the sales team in identifying new opportunities and expanding the existing customer base, ensuring designated accounts meet agreed-upon revenue and margin expectations.
• Actively pursue and secure new business, achieving personal targets for new client acquisition and account growth as defined with the Sales Director.
• Monitor and support team CRM utilisation, ensuring all customer interactions, quotes, and orders are accurately logged and maintained to foster a healthy sales pipeline.
• Oversee the preparation of strategic customer account plans, working with the team to ensure that these plans align with company standards and effectively support long-term customer relationships.
• Support team members in maintaining accurate and up-to-date CRM records, emphasising the importance of data integrity in customer management.
• Track team activity levels for quotes, orders, and other sales metrics to meet company expectations and drive pipeline health.
• Complete relevant reports within specified timeframes, monitoring sales inputs, invoicing, margin, and profitability, and taking corrective action where necessary.
• Collaborate closely with site functions such as Internal Sales, Purchasing, and Logistics to ensure accurate delivery schedules, contributing to optimal customer satisfaction and team NPS results.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of all packaging solutions, ensuring team members are well-equipped to provide a complete solution to customers rather than focusing solely on individual products.
• Serve as an escalation point for customer issues in the region, working to provide timely and effective solutions that align with company standards.
• Identify and participate in continuous professional development opportunities for each team member, fostering a culture of growth and development.
• Support strategic sales initiatives by assisting with customer meetings, training, or joint visits as needed to ensure alignment with the site and company-wide objectives.
• Regularly collaborate with other management and functional teams within the company to share insights and develop integrated sales approaches.

What you will bring

The successful candidate will ideally meet with the following criteria…

Essential:

• Minimum 18 months experience mentoring/coaching or managing an external sales team
• Location: Must reside 'on patch' within the West Midlands region (Birmingham/Wolverhampton, Coventry or Staffordshire area).
• Credible personal sales track record straddling both new business sales & account management
• Strong leadership style with experience of coaching, training, and development
• Experienced in strategic sales planning, with ability to effectively forecast
• Strong working knowledge & understanding of Macfarlane Packaging's products & solutions
• Familiarity with packaging-related products and the ability to effectively support customer inquiries and sales efforts, including knowledge of some of our products.
• Experience of working within a fast-paced sales distribution/merchant or wholesale business environment
• Effective communication & presentation skills (both verbal & written)
• Ability to handle matters with sensitivity, diplomacy, and integrity
• Strong IT skills (including intermediate Excel), MS Office, Internet & CRM systems
• Strong numeric, analysis & data interpretation ability
• Valid UK driving licence

Desirable:

• Formal management qualifications (professional accreditations and/or higher education)
• Previous use of & familiarity with Microsoft Dynamics CRM
• Experience in managing within a national/multi-national decentralised multi-site organisation.

What you will get

We provide a competitive basic starting salary and operate a range of rewarding bonus/incentive schemes. Our flexible employee benefits can include: -

• 25 days annual leave (rising to 27 days with service) plus all public/bank holidays
• Additional Holiday purchasing scheme (run annually)
• Contributory pension scheme
• Free parking at most of our site locations
• Annual (company paid) volunteering day
• Range of company cars or cash allowance (including hybrid/electric) for qualifying job roles
• Employee assistance program to support & advise with well-being & any issues
• Extensive range of training/development & potential progression opportunities
• Employee discount scheme (discounts on several major retail/leisure brands)
• Simply Health/Dental Cover option or BUPA cover for qualifying roles
• Enhanced HR policies relating to various employee rights & entitlements
• Long service awards (5-40 years)
• Charitable giving options
• Financial support with eye-tests/purchasing glasses (DSE users only)
• O2 Mobile discount scheme (up to 25% off)
• Candidate referral scheme (awards £750 for referring successful applicants to Macfarlane job vacancies)

Your future with us

Here at Macfarlane Group, you truly have the potential to shape your own future and set your own ambitions. We are a large group company where internal promotion and mobility is a key feature of our success. Through tailored career plans, we provide a wide range of structure training & development pathways, utilizing both inhouse expertise to share knowledge and the best-in-class external training partners. There is potential access to management & leadership development, and we work closely with recognised, accredited bodies including the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) & the Institute of Sales Professionals ISP). So there really are no limits to where your journey within Macfarlane Group may take you.

How to apply

We are working swiftly to find the best applicants and hope to hold local interviews ASAP. Please click 'apply' to submit your up-to-date CV. All applications will be acknowledged. If you haven't heard from us within 2-3 weeks, please assume your application was unsuccessful.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds irrespective of your age, gender, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, gender expression, religion, or sexual orientation. Should you require any specific support or adjustments during the recruitment process, please email our recruitment team directly.

NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES PLEASE