Regional Sales Manager - Food Production

Developing and implementing a regional sales strategy to achieve revenue targets Visiting customer sites to understand production environments & challenges Strong commercial awareness, negotiation skills

Talent Guardian are delighted to be partnering with an established, market-leading manufacturer of specialist equipment and technical solutions supplied into the food manufacturing and processing sectors. We have a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Regional Sales Manager to join a highly respected business with an excellent reputation for quality, innovation and customer service. Covering the territory south of the M4 corridor between Reading and Bristol, extending into the wider South West, you'll take ownership of developing new business opportunities, building long-term customer relationships and delivering sustainable sales growth. This is an exciting opportunity for a commercially driven, technically minded sales professional with a proven background in capital equipment sales and a strong understanding of the food industry. You'll take ownership of an assigned UK territory, developing new business opportunities, building long-term customer relationships and delivering sustainable sales growth. If you enjoy being out in the field, meeting customers, understanding their operational challenges and providing technical solutions that genuinely add value, this could be an excellent next step in your career.

The Role

As Regional Sales Manager, you'll have the autonomy to manage and develop your territory, identifying opportunities to grow market share while nurturing existing customer relationships. Your responsibilities will include:

• Developing and implementing a regional sales strategy to achieve revenue and growth targets.
• Proactively identifying and securing new business opportunities across the food manufacturing and processing sectors.
• Visiting customer sites to understand production environments, operational challenges and equipment requirements.
• Providing consultative, technically informed sales advice and recommending appropriate capital equipment solutions.
• Managing the full sales cycle, from initial enquiry and site assessment through to proposals, negotiation and securing orders.
• Building strong, long-term relationships with key decision-makers and customers.
• Identifying opportunities to promote additional service and aftermarket solutions.
• Achieving agreed sales targets while maintaining commercial margins.
• Monitoring market developments, competitor activity and emerging business opportunities.
• Working collaboratively with internal Sales, Engineering, Technical and Service teams to ensure excellent customer support.

About You

We're looking for a proactive, commercially astute sales professional who can combine strong relationship-building skills with a good understanding of technical capital equipment. Essential experience and skills:

• Proven experience in capital equipment sales, ideally within food manufacturing, food processing or associated industrial sectors.
• A strong understanding of the food industry and its operational requirements.
• Experience in field-based sales, territory management or regional business development.
• A demonstrable track record of winning new business and achieving sales targets.
• Confidence discussing technical products, applications and equipment solutions with customers.
• Strong commercial awareness, negotiation skills and the ability to manage the full sales cycle.
• Excellent communication, presentation and relationship-building skills.
• A self-motivated, organised approach with the ability to manage your own diary and territory.
• A willingness to travel throughout your region, including occasional overnight stays.
• Experience selling food production machinery, packaging equipment, processing machinery, industrial automation or other technical capital equipment would be particularly relevant.

What's on Offer?

• Competitive basic salary & OTE - c£30k
• Company car
• Field-based role with home-working flexibility
• Company pension
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Health and wellbeing programme
• Employee discounts and additional benefits
• Paid volunteering time
• The opportunity to join an established and respected manufacturer with a strong industry reputation
• A varied and autonomous role with the opportunity to make a genuine commercial impact

Interested? If you're an experienced Regional Sales Manager, Area Sales Manager, Technical Sales Manager or Business Development Manager with a background in capital equipment sales and knowledge of the food manufacturing sector, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today through Talent Guardian for a confidential conversation about this exciting opportunity.