Area Sales Manager - HU / DN

About Crown Lift Trucks Ltd

Since its entry into the material handling industry in the 1960s, Crown Equipment Corporation has earned a reputation for exceptional product design, engineering and manufacturing of its award‑winning line of electric lift trucks. From our smallest pallet truck to our highest lifting VNA truck, our goal is to always provide the user with the safest, most efficient and ergonomic forklift truck possible. Crown supports customers with a wide selection of electric forklift trucks ranging from pallet trucks to very narrow‑aisle VNA trucks. Crown’s brand promise is: “Crown designs, manufactures, distributes, services and supports material handling products that provide customers with superior value.” Quality and performance are the foundation of Crown’s success. Since our inception, our company culture has always been about people performing and working as a team to ensure that quality is built into every forklift truck we make. Crown’s headquarters, manufacturing facilities and network of branches offer diverse and challenging careers in a broad range of professional and vocational roles.

Job Description

Reporting to the Regional Sales Manager, your key responsibility is the growth of a specific sales region. The area already hosts an existing client portfolio but ultimately the success of the role hinges on 80% new business development and 20% account management of our existing customer base. We are looking for candidates that come from a materials handling background and ideally within the forklift industry. You will play a key role in all stages of the sales process, including initial prospecting, appointment making, customer presentations and demonstrations through to ultimately closing the deal. The efficient planning and management of the territory is as crucial as your work ethic, drive and enthusiasm. Offering a consultative approach, working across all levels from shop floor to board level, you will develop a thorough understanding of each prospect or customer and their operations, looking for opportunities to secure new business, develop further business or provide additional value. We are looking for an individual who can demonstrate a successful sales track record within the electric warehousing equipment sector or a similar or aligned industry such as pallet racking systems. We place emphasis on career stability and therefore look for an employment history that demonstrates this. You will be a self‑starter and have a strong work ethic, high energy, drive and determination.

Person Specification

• Minimum of 5 years materials handling sales background, ideally within the forklift industry.
• Strong new business development skills.
• Effective account management and development capabilities.
• Personable – ability to build strong relationships.
• Strong presentation and customer‑facing skills (written and verbal presentations, equipment demonstration, price negotiation, and objection handling).
• Commercial acumen (need identification, market awareness, competitor awareness).
• Solution sales ability.
• Numerically competent.
• IT skills (Microsoft Office, email, etc.).
• Excellent organisational skills (specifically territory planning, time management and working to deadline).
• Ability to absorb client information and communicate features and benefits to customers.

Vacancy Details

• Hours of work: Monday to Friday – 37 hours per week, may be more to fulfil the job requirements.
• Target salary: highly competitive salary plus excellent commission and quarterly bonus.
• Company vehicle: company car and fuel card; private mileage benefit subject to tax regulations.
• Holidays: 25 days holiday.
• Pension: company pension plan.

Employee Benefits

• Company car plus fuel card – private use of company vehicle (subject to tax regulations).
• Company pension plan.
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Excellent discount scheme with access to the best perks from some of the UK’s biggest brands.
• Childcare voucher scheme.
• Employee assistance programme.