Country Head

Lead the Italian country - role of team inspiration and business development. Multinational company with a strong culture and fun environment. About Our Client Founded 30 years ago, our client is an international distributor of licensed products, collectibles, and games. It also produces several pop culture products and media channels, primarily for gaming and collectibles. With a portfolio of over 30,000 products supplied to more than 5,000 B2B customers — from boutique stores to retail chains — the company is professionally supported by a team of over 240 employees. With teams in nine international locations leveraging advanced logistics to distribute products from more than 1,000 licensed collections and 350 brands, our client has been a leading industry supplier for many years. In Italy they are part of a group, serving customers in the country. The employees are highly driven, professional, and possess extensive knowledge and experience. The company attributes its success and growth to its people, well‑organised processes, and data‑driven support. Over the years, they have grown into a major player in the European licensed merchandise market and are an official distributor of various brands. The licensed merchandise market is growing but constantly evolving. The company must continuously adapt by finding new products and developing new services and channels. There is now an opening as country head, requiring a new lead for the team who can bring fresh insights, inspire, and motivate. Someone who can ensure that the team’s challenges remain exciting and engaging. Job Description We seek a candidate who has a keen eye for market developments. The ideal candidate has made planning and organising all activities to identify potential customers. They can anticipate setbacks but are also willing to take risks. Entrepreneurship is highly valued, and having a strategic vision is even better. We need a true leader who can inspire a team of 2‑3 sales professionals by leading by example. Someone who builds trust through coaching, values the team’s insights while also expecting commitment, and takes full responsibility alongside the team. Finally, we expect a strong result‑driven mindset. Main responsibilities Daily management of the commercial department (ca. 3 FTE); Responsibility for major accounts and business development in the "large account" segment; Connecting the triangle: Sales team – Clients – Organisation; Developing and executing a development, retention, and acquisition plan, including associated costs and revenues; Continuously optimising and adjusting strategies based on developments and results; Taking the lead in closing deals; Ensuring that secured deals align with internal processes; Actively forecasting and maintaining the team’s pipeline in the CRM system; Sales forecasting and reporting to headquarters; Taking an active role within the group of country heads (UK, ES, NL, DE, …); Collaboration with other offices regarding sales activities, campaigns and international clients. Your working area covers Italy, with support for remote work. Regular travel across Italy and to Germany is required for meetings with team, clients, management and European colleagues. The Successful Applicant A completed Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent higher professional education and experience); At least 5 years of proven leadership and sales experience (experience in our industry or a related field is a plus); Work experience in Italy is preferred; A proactive leader who drives change rather than maintaining the status quo; Strong coaching skills; Positive persuasion, effective negotiation, and closing techniques; A strong connector with sharp focus on results; A high level of ambition, drive, perseverance, and commercial intuition; A good sense of humour and strong team spirit (results matter, but people matter even more); Structured and independent work approach; Strong analytical skills and creative problem‑solving for complex client challenges; Experience with merchandise, collectibles, trading cards, specialty retail preferred; At least some familiarity with EDI, API and other technical terms; Vision and goal‑oriented leadership; Interest in data and the ability to translate it into actionable insights; Creativity in identifying new opportunities (thinking outside the box when needed); Proactive approach to generating, qualifying, and converting leads. What's on Offer Opportunity for professional growth in a senior position, a stimulating and results‑oriented work environment, focused on people and their development. Opportunity to contribute significantly to the company’s strategy. #J-18808-Ljbffr