Senior Sales Manager

Key Responsibilities

• Market Development & Expansion: Develop and execute a comprehensive local market development strategy to establish and grow the brand’s presence, increase market penetration and deliver sustainable commercial growth.

• Distributor & Importer Partnerships: Identify, engage and build long-term relationships with local importers, distributors, agents and strategic business partners to establish an effective and scalable distribution network.

• Retail Account Development: Build and strengthen relationships with major retail customers, including supermarket groups, grocery chains, convenience retailers and other relevant sales channels, to secure listings and expand product availability.

• New Business Acquisition: Proactively identify and pursue new business opportunities, negotiate commercial agreements and convert prospective partners into long-term customers.

• Brand Establishment: Take ownership of building the brand from the ground up in the local market, developing routes to market, increasing brand visibility and establishing a strong competitive position within the beverage category.

• Sales Strategy & Revenue Growth: Develop sales plans, identify growth opportunities and drive performance against agreed sales targets, revenue objectives and distribution goals.

• Market Intelligence: Monitor market trends, competitor activity, consumer preferences and retail developments to identify opportunities and inform commercial decision-making.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with the China headquarters team to align local market activities with wider business objectives, coordinate sales initiatives and ensure effective communication across international teams.

• Commercial Negotiation: Lead discussions with distributors and retail partners regarding pricing, promotional activity, distribution agreements and other commercial terms to support profitable growth.

• Performance Management: Track sales performance, evaluate market development initiatives and provide regular updates and recommendations to headquarters on progress, opportunities and challenges.

• Team Leadership: Where applicable, support the development of local sales capabilities and contribute to building a high-performing team as the business expands.

Candidate Requirements

• Relevant Sales Experience: 5–10 years of experience in sales, business development or key account management within the food and beverage or FMCG industry, with a strong record of delivering commercial results.

• Retail & Key Account Expertise: Demonstrable experience managing and developing relationships with major retail chains, particularly within grocery, supermarket and convenience channels.

• Distributor Network: An established network of local importers, distributors, agents and retail contacts, with the ability to leverage these relationships to accelerate market entry and commercial growth.

• Brand-Building Experience: Proven success in launching, establishing or scaling an FMCG brand within a new market, ideally from an early-stage or market-entry position.

• European Market Knowledge: A strong understanding of the European FMCG landscape, including retail structures, distribution models and route-to-market strategies. Experience working across multiple European markets would be highly advantageous.

• Commercial Acumen: Strong negotiation, analytical and business development skills, with the ability to identify opportunities, develop effective sales strategies and deliver against ambitious targets.

• Entrepreneurial Mindset: A proactive, hands-on approach and the ability to work independently, navigate ambiguity and build a business in a competitive market environment.

• Communication & Stakeholder Management: Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to engage stakeholders at all levels and collaborate effectively with international teams.

• Language Skills: Fluency in English is essential. Mandarin or other Chinese language skills would be an advantage.

• Leadership Experience: Previous team management or leadership experience would be beneficial, particularly for candidates who have helped establish or develop a local sales function.

The Ideal Candidate

You will be a commercially minded and results-oriented sales professional who combines strategic thinking with a hands-on approach to business development. You will understand how to navigate the FMCG retail landscape, build productive distributor relationships and turn market opportunities into measurable commercial success.

Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, international environment, you will be motivated by the opportunity to take ownership, build something from the ground up and contribute directly to the growth of an ambitious global beverage business.