Head of Sales - Italy

We’re looking for an exceptional Head of Sales to lead ZURU EDGE's consumer goods business in Italy.

YOUR ROLE

• Set the commercial agenda: Define and execute the Italy commercial strategy to disrupt category incumbents, win share, and deliver against ZURU's growth ambitions.
• Own the P&L: Drive top-line growth, optimise trade investment, and expand margin - fuelling reinvestment in innovation and consumer experience.
• Build strategic customer partnerships: negotiate and deliver Joint Business Plans that create mutual value with retail partners and unlock long-term growth.
• Champion the customer internally: translate market and shopper insights into commercial direction, ensuring the customer and consumer sit at the heart of every account decision.
• Win the trade strategy: identify and secure distribution across priority accounts, then drive best-in-class 4P execution to maximise performance in every door.

Execute with excellence: maximise availability, visibility, and awareness of ZURU brands in-store and online through best-in-class distribution, feature, display, and activation across our biggest bets.

Partner closely with our China sales support team on customer administration.

• Partner with Marketing: Co‑develop campaigns, launches, and promotional activity that drive brand awareness, demand, and sell‑through.
• Lead the culture: As ZURU scales, protect the entrepreneurial, challenger spirit that makes us win - putting people first and bringing the team with you.
• HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

Develop the commercial strategy for all markets, then leverage to build strategic relationships with retailers/distributors ensuring delivery of market share & profitability growth across all EDGE verticals.

You will lead the EDGE team to ensure ZURU is capturing or over‑indexing its Share of Shelf vs competitors, working closely with commercial, marketing & supply teams to achieve distribution goals and maximise performance at shelf.

You will be able to work and deliver results while working as part of a cross‑functional team across different time zones.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Full ownership of the Italy P&L - driving net revenue, optimising trade investment, and managing product mix to deliver financial commitments.
• Define the Italy commercial strategy and secure cross‑functional alignment on the tools, products, investment, and support required to win in market.
• Own and develop top‑to‑top relationships with key retail and distributor partners, building long‑term strategic alignment that delivers against shared commercial and financial goals.
• Drive and leverage the cross‑functional teams (Marketing, Supply, Finance, China sales support) to over‑deliver against sales, P&L, and supply KPIs.
• Continuously raise the bar on commercial processes, ways of working, driving performance, discipline, and efficiency.
• Build a high‑performance, entrepreneurial team culture – one that thrives on disruption and growth, resolves issues at pace, builds strong internal and external relationships, and develops capability across the business.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Proven track record of at least 6+ years in senior sales or commercial leadership roles within the consumer goods industry preferably confectionery, and experience operating in a fast‑moving, entrepreneurial environment.
• Major retailer and distributor experience within the respective regions required.
• Strong commercial & business acumen, strategic thinking and problem‑solving capability.
• Strong communication & influencing skills, with the ability to translate messages across a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Must have strong leadership capability including the ability to influence and motivate cross‑functional teams, while holding stakeholders accountable to deliver on business objectives.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Fluency in English and Italian are a must.
• Please note: this is a full‑time position based in Milan.
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