Regional Sales Manager - North

Metsä Wood is a successful forest industry group with roots in the Finnish forest. Our parent company is a cooperative of over 90,000 forest owners. The products of Metsä Wood include Kerto® LVL, birch and spruce plywood, and further processed sawn timber. Our products made of northern wood store carbon and play an important role in combating climate change. We welcome people from diverse backgrounds and different stages of life. Metsä has space and opportunities for many kinds of talent, regardless of age, gender, ethnic background, sexual orientation, disability or other characteristics.

This recruitment is carried out anonymously. We are looking for a Regional Sales Manager to join our Sales team, covering our Northern region.

The successful applicant will be responsible for delivering profitable growth with our Merchant and Industrial customer channels. Within the Merchant sector, the candidate will deliver growth of machined softwood, panel products, MDF Mouldings, sawn joinery & traded products to Independent, Regional Merchant and Buying Group customers. Focus will be on driving market share growth from new business and lapsed customers who have not traded with Metsä for over a 12 month period. Close collaboration will be required with Merchant Area Sales Managers to ensure efficient use of time.

Within the Industrial sector, the candidate will identify customers that use softwood or other Metsä products within their manufacturing process. Gather product, specification and volume information and work with internal stakeholders to build a solution that works for both parties. The candidate will provide full account management service for their customers, ensuring service levels are met, growth and profitability targets are achieved and relationships strengthened.

The role is largely field based, with visits to Metsä sites in the UK from time to time. We are looking for someone who will take pride in promoting our product ranges, who will look after the profitability of our merchant accounts and service our valued customers with a sense of innovation, strategy and responsibility.

What do you get to do?

• Maximising sales and profitability of account portfolio through formulating and implementing effective account management plans.
• Preparing budget information, short- and long-term forecasts on account growth and development plans.
• Monitoring account performance against budget and implementing action plans to ensure achievement of budget targets.
• Communicating with internal functions within our business to ensure our customers are favourably serviced at every stage of the sales process.
• Working closely with customers’ portfolios to develop growth plans for their business through product and market reviews, as well as new ideas and initiatives.
• Developing strong working relationships and understanding with key decision makers in our customers’ businesses.
• Ensuring customer issues are handled efficiently and professionally at all times.
• Utilising reports and information to support effective decision-making and analysis.
• Understanding the importance of effective use of CRM.
• Analysing product customer and market data to support opportunities for business development with existing and potential customers.

What are we looking for?

• Highly dynamic and driven “hunter” sales person, capable of identifying the needs of customers.
• Cooperate with internal stakeholders to build solutions that work for both Metsä and their customers.
• Ideally possesses industry experience; however, we are looking for an ability to learn, and an ability to sell and negotiate with our customers.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• High levels of self-motivation, a drive to succeed and sales ability.
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills at all levels.
• Ability to understand and use financial information to improve profit and volume performance.
• A good level of IT literacy, including a sound working knowledge of Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, Word & Outlook.
• Knowledge of SAP and CRM would be an advantage.
• Ideally possesses good level of product knowledge across all Metsä Wood product portfolios.
• Good organisational and strategic planning skills.
• Flexible team player who is able to use initiative and assist wherever needed.
• Experience of and with proven strategies to manage working independently and remotely from the main team.
• Excellent time management and journey planning skills.
• Can-do attitude with a pragmatic approach.
• Must hold a full driving (preferably clean) licence and be prepared for regular travel with or without overnight stays.
• Experience of regional travel would be of advantage.
• Be prepared to locate or reside close to their area of responsibility.

Career in the new era at Metsä Group

An international growth business – build a successful career in renewable products. The forest industry is a prime example of the bioeconomy and circular economy, and shows the way to the future. Megatrends such as urbanisation and rising living standards are driving Metsä Group’s business and the shift to renewable fossil free raw materials and products. With us, you’ll have a front seat view of the market – developing the business with a long-term perspective with our international partners and customers. Metsä Group has a responsible corporate culture that creates a safe working environment for all of us. We value good leadership and support for personal career development. We encourage you to display your competence and will provide you with opportunities to use it.

We offer our employees a wide range of fringe benefits, including comprehensive occupational health care, and extensive training and development opportunities. To support wellbeing at work, we encourage our employees to take advantage of culture, sports and bicycle benefits.

Anonymous recruitment - this is how it works

This is an anonymous recruitment process. The gender and date of birth of the applicant are not asked for on the application form. Personal details such as name, mother tongue, time of studies, name of educational institution and contact details are hidden until the interview stage. Attachments (such as CVs) are also hidden.

Recruiters have access to the contact details of those invited for interview once the applicant has been selected for interview. Our system will guide you through the application process. The questions on the application form will help you present your skills and experience anonymously. Answer all questions carefully. If you’re invited for interview, your CV will be displayed to the recruiters to support the interview.

Would you like to know more? Contact us! Because the application process is anonymous, we don’t record any information about people who contact us. So don’t hesitate to call us if you have any questions about the position or the recruitment process itself.

What happens next?

Click on the link above to apply. Note that attachments won’t be visible in anonymous recruitment until the interview stage, so it’s important to fill in the application form carefully. Please send your application as soon as possible, as we’ll already start processing applications during the application period. Please include your CV and salary request. You’ll receive a confirmation message the next morning after your application has been received. We wish you the best of luck!