Head Of Sales

Head of Sales, UK & Ireland | In-store bakery goods | Career-defining opportunity

Flexible UK location | c£75,000 plus great bonus potential plus car allowance (6-figure package)

Do you have the experience and ambition to lead the UK & Ireland expansion for one of Europe’s top suppliers of premium bakery and pastry products?

bfpeople is retained by a €500m European food group to appoint a commercially minded sales manager who will launch and grow the business in the UK&I in-store bakery market. This is a rare opportunity to build a business from the ground up, backed by a group with a strong track record of quality, innovation, and success across Europe.

About the Company

The company supplies a wide range of breads, viennoiserie, and pastries to major retailers and foodservice operators across Europe. Known for its quality, flexibility, and product innovation, it is now looking to establish a serious UK and Ireland presence, initially through supplying supermarket in-store bakeries and own-label frozen products.

It already has a small UK footprint, with positive early feedback on locally tested products. Now it's time to scale.

The Role

As the first UK-based Salesperson you will:

• Lead market entry and business development in the UK & Ireland
• Secure orders with major grocery retailers
• Develop and execute a go-to-market strategy with clear growth goals
• Collaborate with NPD and production teams to tailor offerings for local consumers
• Build strategic relationships with key buyers and lead commercial negotiations
• Manage tenders, JBPs, and promotional plans to support successful launches

This is a hands-on, entrepreneurial role with long-term strategic impact. Your brief is to establish a credible, competitive presence in the UK market within five years.

About You

You are:

• Well-connected in UK grocery retail, especially with in-store bakery buyers
• Experienced in opening doors and driving new business in bakery, pastry, or closely related food ingredients
• Adept at managing the full sales cycle from strategy to execution and from product development to promotion
• Commercially sharp, with a strong grasp of own-label product development, pricing structures, and promotional frameworks
• A confident negotiator who can secure and manage major accounts
• Comfortable working autonomously and cross-functionally, reporting to a European Commercial Director

This is not an account management role. We’re looking for someone who can build, lead, and deliver.

What’s on Offer

• A flexible salary package with a bespoke performance-related bonus
• Car allowance
• A pivotal career-defining opportunity with the backing of a market-leading European group

Location is flexible within the UK, but you must be within easy reach of the major customers and an airport for regular travel to Europe.