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 :
The sales pitch
The business objectives (quantities and benefits)
The sectors’ objectives (products, regions…)
The positioning on the market (price, promise)
The global budget
What are the required competencies ?
Master the negotiation and selling techniques
Management and leadership
Diplomacy, good communication and listening
A stress/pressure tolerance
Handle with database software, figures
Master several languages
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 :
Degree in economics, marketing, or business development
Degree in Supply Chain Management or Import/Export
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 :
MSC and MBA In Food and Agribusiness (Audencia, France)
Master in Global Supply Chain Management (Antwerp Management School, Belgium)
MSc Operations, Project and Supply Chain Management (Alliance Manchester Business School, England)
Master in International Business and Foreign Trade (IFFE, Spain)
What are his/her main challenges nowadays ?
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.
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.
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 :
New business partners (procurement managers, wholesalers)
Logistics and shipping solutions
Financial and insurances services
Raw ingredients
A new job in Food and Beverage Industry, worldwide
