Sales Manager Wine

Customer:

Our client is a globally established leader in the labels, packaging, and printing sector, serving major international brands across consumer and industrial markets. The group maintains an extensive international footprint and is recognized for its strong commitment to innovation, sustainability, and long-term customer partnerships.

As part of its ongoing strategic expansion, the organization is significantly strengthening its presence within the Wine label market. North-East Italy is a strategically important Wine-producing region where the Group currently has very limited penetration, and this newly created role is central to building that market from the ground up.

About position:

The Sales Manager Wine role is a senior commercial position with full responsibility for new business development within the Wine label market, primarily supporting the San Giuliano and Bolzano production sites. This is a greenfield mandate rather than the maintenance of an existing portfolio, with the successful candidate building the Wine business largely from scratch.

The role requires a highly autonomous, entrepreneurial hunter, described by the client as "100% hunter", capable of independently identifying prospective Wine producers, opening doors, and converting new accounts. The candidate will be expected to spend significant time in the market and directly with customers, translating an existing understanding of the Wine sector into rapid commercial traction.

Working closely with senior commercial leadership, this role offers high visibility within the organization and the opportunity to shape the Group's development within one of Europe's most important Wine markets.

Reporting:

• This role will report directly to the VP MNC Sales Wine, Spirits & Beverage, with close involvement from the CSO at the later stages of the process.

Employment type:

• Full-time role

Key Responsibilities:

New Business Development & Market Expansion:

• Lead and manage the identification and acquisition of new Wine customers across North-East Italy, with a primary focus on new-logo acquisition.
• Build a sustainable pipeline of qualified commercial opportunities, targeting Wine producers such as those in Barolo, Barbaresco, and the surrounding Wine districts.
• Drive market expansion by proactively leveraging an existing network within the Wine sector, winning business directly from competitors.

Customer & Stakeholder Management:

• Utilize existing relationships within the Wine industry to gain rapid access to producers and build credibility.
• Spend significant time in the field, visiting prospects and customers to understand their labelling requirements, premium positioning, and purchasing environment.
• Introduce the Group and its capabilities to Wine producers and customers where the Group currently has little or no presence.

Commercial & Operational Integration:

• Work highly independently, without relying on an inherited customer portfolio or an established local market position.
• Collaborate with the San Giuliano and Bolzano production sites to ensure suitable technical and commercial solutions for Wine-label customers.
• Balance competitiveness with profitability while building the new business base.

Forecasting, Reporting & Strategy:

• Ensure pipeline visibility through disciplined forecasting, opportunity tracking, and regular reporting.
• Provide regular market and competitive intelligence gathered directly from the territory.
• Operate with autonomy while maintaining strong alignment with the VP MNC Sales Wine, Spirits & Beverage, providing clear updates on priorities, progress, and risks.

Requirements:

• Proven new-business hunter with a strong track record of personally winning new customers, ideally within the self-adhesive labels industry.
• Strong background in self-adhesive labels, ideally with direct commercial exposure to the Wine market – the critical requirement is direct and demonstrable relationships with Wine producers and decision-makers.
• Minimum approximately 4+ years of relevant experience, with genuine commercial exposure to the Wine market and a demonstrable network within priority Wine districts, such as Barolo, Barbaresco, and surrounding North-East Italy Wine territories.
• Proven track record in new business development and independently opening previously unpenetrated accounts.
• Strong knowledge of North-East Italy and its relevant Wine-producing territories and purchasing structures.
• Willingness to spend substantial time travelling and visiting prospects and customers across the territory.

Personal Attributes:

• Highly autonomous and self-driven with a relentless drive to build the market from scratch and a "hunter" mentality.
• Well-connected and credible within the Wine sector, with a strong personal network that can materially shorten the time to results.
• Self-motivated and entrepreneurial, comfortable building a market rather than simply managing one.
• Pragmatic and resilient, comfortable operating without an inherited customer portfolio.
• Highly active in the field, regularly travelling throughout the territory to meet prospects and customers.
• Credible within Wine, understanding premium positioning, label aesthetics, and the purchasing environment of Wine producers.

Benefits:

• Very competitive and negotiable compensation package
• High-impact, high-autonomy mandate with full responsibility for building the Group's Wine business in North-East Italy.
• Opportunity to build and define the organization's Wine presence, backed by the resources of an international group and the San Giuliano and Bolzano manufacturing capabilities.
• Direct reporting line to senior commercial leadership, with visibility to the CSO.
• Potential for further career development and progression within the global organization.