Sales Director Italy

Your Role

We are looking for a Sales Director for Italy who will report directly to the General Manager of Italy. This role will be responsible for defining and executing the national sales strategy to deliver sustainable, profitable growth across all channels in the Italian market. The role has full accountability for net sales performance, customer management, commercial execution and team leadership, ensuring strong alignment with Marketing, Finance, HR and Operations. The Sales Director works in close partnership with the Commercial Excellence Director, who acts as a strategic enabler and governance function for Point-of-Sale execution, Revenue Growth Management (RGM) and Category Management. The position represents the senior commercial leader in the country and a key contributor to the overall business strategy.

What you will do

The Sales Director Italy is responsible for defining and executing the national sales strategy to deliver sustainable, profitable growth across all channels in the Italian market.

The role has full accountability for net sales performance, customer management, commercial execution and team leadership, ensuring strong alignment with Marketing, Finance, HR and Operations.

The Sales Director works in close partnership with the Commercial Excellence Director, who acts as a strategic enabler and governance function for Point-of-Sale execution, Revenue Growth Management (RGM) and Category Management.

The position represents the senior commercial leader in the country and a key contributor to the overall business strategy.

Key Responsibilities
1. Sales Strategy & Business Planning

• Define and implement the national sales strategy for the company's portfolio in line with local and global business priorities.
• Translate corporate, brand and category strategies into actionable commercial plans by channel and customer.
• Lead the annual commercial planning cycle, including:
• Budget definition
• Sales forecast (volume, value and mix)
• Target setting and phasing
• Ensure balanced growth across top line, margin and profitability, in collaboration with Finance and Commercial Excellence.
• Actively contribute to the country leadership team, providing a strong commercial perspective to strategic decisions.

2. Customer & Channel Management

• Own and lead relationships with Key Accounts, buying groups, distributors and concessionari.
• Lead senior-level negotiations, Joint Business Plans and long-term partnership agreements.
• Define and approve pricing architecture, promotional strategy and trade terms in close collaboration with Finance and under RGM guidelines.
• Drive channel strategies across:
• Modern Trade
• Traditional Trade
• Specialized channel
• Distributors
• E-commerce
• Other emerging channels
• Ensure consistency and discipline in commercial policies, customer conditions and contractual compliance.

3. Commercial Execution & Commercial Excellence Interface

• Partner with the Commercial Excellence Director to:
• Implement Revenue Growth Management principles (price-pack architecture, promo effectiveness, mix optimization).
• Leverage Category Management insights to support customer selling stories and shelving strategies.
• Ensure strong adoption of tools, processes and KPIs defined by Commercial Excellence within the Sales organization.
• Act as business owner of execution outcomes, ensuring sales teams deliver against agreed standards.

4. Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, coach and develop the national Sales organization, including:
• Chains and Buying groups managers
• Vet Affairs manager
• Key National Account Managers
• Area / Regional Sales Managers
• Field Sales Teams
• Define clear objectives, priorities and performance expectations aligned with company strategy.
• Partner with HR to manage:
• Performance evaluation and incentive schemes
• Talent development and capability building
• Succession planning and organizational design
• Foster a high-performance culture based on accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Foster and leverage Vet Science as a key growth driver through the whole sales organization

5. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Marketing on:
• Product launches and innovation rollouts
• Brand activation plans
• Media & Activation alignment at Point of Sale
• Collaborate with Operations to:
• Ensure accurate demand forecasting
• Optimize service levels and customer satisfaction
• Align supply chain priorities with commercial needs
• Partner with Finance to:
• Monitor margins, profitability and trade spend
• Review commercial performance and corrective actions
• Ensure seamless collaboration across all country functions to deliver business objectives.

6. Performance Monitoring & Market Intelligence

• Track and analyse sales performance, market share, numeric and weighted distribution, and customer profitability.
• Monitor market trends, consumer behaviours and competitive dynamics.
• Lead regular business reviews with customers and internal stakeholders.
• Prepare and present performance updates, risks and action plans to the General Manager and senior leadership.

What we are looking for

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics or similar. MBA or postgraduate degree is a strong plus.

• Languages: Native-level Italian and professional fluency in English (for corporate reporting).

• Experience: Minimum 10 years of commercial experience in FMCG – OTC and proven track record in leading national sales organizations. Experience working in matrix and cross-functional environments.

• Market Expertise: Strong knowledge of the Italian retail landscape and distribution channels.

• Key Competencies

• Strategic leadership with strong execution focus.

• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills at senior level.
• Strong analytical mindset with data-driven decision making.
• Ability to lead complex organizations and drive change.
• Results-oriented, resilient and hands-on leadership style.
• Entrepreneur spirit, high call to action

What Success Looks Like

• Sustainable growth in sales, market share and profitability.
• Strong customer partnerships and improved channel economics.
• High engagement, capability and performance of the Sales organization.
• Effective collaboration with Commercial Excellence and other functions.

Whatweoffer

• Hybrid working model
• Flexible working hours
• Ticket Restaurants
• Amazon product discount
• Free Parking
• Affinity University platform: Professional development opportunities for employees at different stages of their careers, acknowledging diverse career paths.
• Celebrations & Fun

If you don't meet all the requirements, don't worry. We value diverse backgrounds and encourage you to apply anyway. Your application will be thoughtfully reviewed

We cultivate an inclusive culture that celebrates diversity. We firmly believe that embracing a variety of perspectives is integral to both our company's success and the strength of our team. That's why we are committed to providing equal opportunities for all.

Our Company

Affinity Petcare is more than an international petfood company. For more than 60 years, we have been dedicated to nourishing healthy bonds between dogs, cats, and people to make the world a better place.

We are very proud of our innovative brands which include: Ultima, Advance, Brekkies, Nature's Variety, Nature's Menu, Natural Trainer, Libra, and more. Currently, we have over 1,200 professionals working for this purpose from Barcelona, Paris, Milan, and London, as well as 4 production sites through which we supply the 70+ countries where our brands have a presence.

So, what are you waiting for? Join our team to leave your footprint

Want to know more about us?

Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest updates and job opportunities. You can also follow us on Instagram @affinitycareers to find out more about life at Affinity and hear stories from our team.

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