SALES MANAGER
JOB DESCRIPTION
What’s a sales manager ?
The sales manager participates in building the business strategy and is responsible for applying the action plan to his/her department in order to increase the sales and the revenues. Most often, sales are divided according to ranges of products, services, areas, targets : a sales manager is in charge of a specific one if needed.
He/She manages a team of sales representatives and supervises all the commercial activities of the department. So he/she can be in charge of recruitment and education of the sales representatives and the team’s lead.
What are his/her missions ?
The missions depend on the company where the sales manager works. However, here are the core missions that you will find in any corporate :
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The sales pitch
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The business objectives (quantities and benefits)
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The sectors’ objectives (products, regions…)
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The positioning on the market (price, promise)
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The global budget
What are the required competencies ?
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Master the negotiation and selling techniques
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Management and leadership
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Diplomacy, good communication and listening
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A stress/pressure tolerance
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Handle with database software, figures
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Master several languages
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Entrepreneurship/ Intrapreneurship profile
How to become a Sales Manager in the F&B Industry ?
A sales manager is more often a senior worker with an average background of 10 years. They are often former sales representatives with seniority in the company or significant experiences.
In terms of education to become a sales representative or a business developer, many training courses (Bachelors and Masters) are accessible :
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Degree in economics, marketing, or business development
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Degree in Supply Chain Management or Import/Export
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Degree from a Business School
If you want to work in the Food and Beverage Industry specifically, the main entrance door is the experience (through internships or junior experiences). F&B Industry is a mainstream market, there are many different opportunities and sub-sectors (dairy, bakery, hospitality, staple foods etc.) to build your career.
However, if you want to get specialized, you can also find post-graduate trainings such as MBA, MsC in Business Schools all over the world. Here are some examples of courses in Europe :
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MSC and MBA In Food and Agribusiness (Audencia, France)
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Master in Global Supply Chain Management (Antwerp Management School, Belgium)
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MSc Operations, Project and Supply Chain Management (Alliance Manchester Business School, England)
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Master in International Business and Foreign Trade (IFFE, Spain)
What are his/her main challenges nowadays ?
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Budget restrictions : A sales Manager must know how to handle budget restrictions. Especially with the crisis, the raw ingredients’ inflation (poor harvest) or logistics’ issues (custom fees, shipping’s shortages). So, he/she must analyze the market and optimize the prices in order to maintain the sales.
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CSR (Company Social Responsibility) : A sales Manager can’t avoid CSR anymore whether it is for finding suppliers, sourcing materials or dealing with social and environmental issues. He/She must be well aware of the new policies and laws and pay attention to the final consumer’s expectations to adapt the business offers.
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Shortages: whether it is for raw materials/ingredients, workforce or partners, it’s a tedious period to find new business opportunities. The sales manager must (more than ever) think outside the box to increase his/her sales.
Why should a sales manager be on uFoodin ?
On uFoodin, we help you find :
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New business partners (procurement managers, wholesalers)
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Logistics and shipping solutions
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Financial and insurances services
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Raw ingredients
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A new job in Food and Beverage Industry, worldwide
