Stoke-on-Trent
Head of Sales (Sales Director Designate) Specialist Capital Equipment Solutions Business – Midlands The opportunity This is a pivotal opportunity to join a well-established specialist capital equipment rental business at a key inflection point in its growth journey. Following a period of operational stabilisation and internal restructure, the business is now ready to accelerate growth, supported by strong utilisation, a clear five-year plan and the imminent launch of a new, market-leading product. Backed by a long-standing, family-owned investment group, the business is seeking to appoint a Head of Sales to lead the next phase of commercial development. This is a senior, hands-on leadership role reporting directly to the Managing Director, with genuine influence over strategy, structure and execution. The role This is a player-manager position with responsibility for both leading the sales function and personally driving key revenue opportunities. The focus is on new business acquisition, successful launch of a new product, and strengthening sales capability while protecting and growing existing customer relationships. Key elements of the role include: • Ownership and delivery of the overall sales strategy during a critical growth phase, • Leading the commercial launch of a new product, delivering first-year volume targets, • Personally winning new key accounts, particularly within UK food manufacturing and food logistics, • Maintaining close oversight of strategic existing customers, ensuring retention, renewals and expansion, • Developing a stronger hunter-led sales culture alongside effective account management, • Reviewing and evolving the sales operating model, including structure, coverage and incentives, • Operating with commercial autonomy on pricing and deal structures within agreed parameters, • Using CRM to drive pipeline discipline, forecasting accuracy and customer engagement, • Contributing to the longer-term development of a future pharmaceutical-focused solution The role sits on the Senior Leadership Team but is not a statutory board appointment (at this time). The person We are looking for a commercially astute, credible sales leader who enjoys being hands-on and close to the market. You are likely to have: • Senior sales leadership experience (Head of Sales, Sales Director or similar) within specialist capital equipment rental or a technically complex B2B environment, • A strong track record of new business acquisition and key account growth, • Experience selling capital equipment into food manufacturing and/or food logistics or pharmaceutical manufacturing environments, • A background operating in a player-manager role, personally leading major deals, • Confidence in managing pricing, margins and deal structures, • Experience of consultative, solutions-led selling rather than purely transactional models, • A practical, action-oriented leadership style with the gravitas to operate at senior level, • High levels of integrity and discretion in a competitive market Why join? • A business at a genuine growth inflection point, not a turnaround, • Strong backing from a supportive, cash-rich parent group, • A newly launched, innovative product with clear market demand, • Direct access to, and influence with, the Managing Director, • The opportunity to shape the sales strategy, structure and culture, • A down-to-earth, commercially focused environment with short decision lines, • A role that can grow significantly in scope as the business expands with future succession planning opportunities Location: North Midlands HQ. This role will involve regular travel throughout the UK; but candidates should ideally live within a reasonable commuting distance of the North Midlands. Application Process: Apply via LinkedIn or send your CV to
