Sales Manager, Personal Care

Irving Knight has partnered with a global producer, customer manufacturer and traditional distributor of specialty ingredients to identify a UK&I Sales Manager in their Personal Care division. This role will inherit £2m in business and will handle accounts across the UK, but candidate should visit the Cheshire HQ once per week, and as such, be within commutable distance.

The role will possess responsibility for a wide range of Cosmetic Ingredients, most of which are of sustainable origin, such as Lipids, Oils, Butters, Waxes, Actives and Botanicals. My client has start-of-the-art R&D facilities, whilst their own resources are augmented by external cutting-edge technology to serve the specific customer requirements. Continuously & progressively, the company invests in advanced technology, analytical capabilities, and highly qualified technical team of experts.

This will be a home office role with 30% travel and one visit per week to Cheshire for sales meetings. Customers are spread across the UK with a large concentration in Northwest England.

This role is a chance to work completely autonomously with no micro-management. You will have sheer creative freedom, whilst you will be working in the best-performing business unit globally.

If you would like to work for a company that puts employees first, heavily focuses on diversity/sustainability, and work in a truly collaborative environment, this could be the role for you.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Reporting to the Managing Director, you will be solely responsible for driving the growth of the Personal Care business unit in the UK, with up to 30% travel.
• Utilize product knowledge and sales/product management experience to clearly deliver the value proposition.
• Sustain and improve upon the level of service offered to customers via unique and new service initiatives.
• Stay on top of and provide analyses of industry changes, emerging markets and market shifts as well as new products and competitive landscapes.
• Attend (as required) and recommend participation in industry tradeshows and other events.
• Represent your employer as a leader in the industry through conferences, industry events, social media platforms, etc.
• Incorporate appropriate sales techniques when prospecting new customers, ensuring effective communication of the brand and market presence.
• Move prospects through the sales process to secure new business.
• Prepare and deliver sales presentations and product demonstrations, where applicable, either in person or virtually.
• Secure in-person customer visits with purchasing, R&D, and sales and marketing contacts at potential customers.
• Address customer questions, concerns and inquiries with a sense of urgency and accuracy.
• Send quotes to new/existing customers and sample requests, etc., as required.
• Participate in new product introductions, training, joint sales calls, and testing.
• Issue timely reporting of customer issues, meetings, and opportunities through call reports, emails and other means of communication.
• Liaise closely with product management, pricing and R&D teams.

Qualifications

• A technical degree (at least BSc) in Chemistry, Pharmaceuticals or similar is not absolutely essential, but heavily preferred.
• Absolute minimum of two years of experience selling Cosmetic Ingredients to British customers.
• Self-motivated, high energy, and engaging level of enthusiasm and positive outlook.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, and ability to adapt communication style to the audience as needed.
• Software knowledge of Microsoft Office including Outlook, Word, Excel and Power Point.
• Must have a valid driver's license and evidence of insurability.
• An existing network of customers within the Cosmetic industry.
• Must be willing to travel >30% of the time, including overnight visits semi-regularly.

Our offer to you:

• A competitive annual salary of up to £55,000.
• Bonus potential of up to 10%.
• Company phone and laptop.
• Company Car.
• £3,000 per year learning & development allowance.
• Travel reimbursement in full.
• A young, cosmopolitan and thriving workplace with state-of-the-art facilities.
• A fun, ambitious and collaborative environment.
• Implementation of home office/all equipment required.

Please note, if you haven't heard back within two weeks of your application, you have most probably been unsuccessful in this process. This is due to the sheer number of applicants that we experience for such adverts.