Regional Sales Manager

People are at the core of CPM’s business proposition. As a key regional leader within the soft drinks industry, the Regional Sales Manager will place retail at the forefront of delivery across the wider multi-channel business, while shaping a supportive, high-performance culture across multiple field teams. The role requires a winning attitude, strong commercial focus, and a digital mindset.

The focus of this role is to lead Sales Merchandisers, Territory Managers, and Business Development Executives, with retail at the forefront of the asks across the multi-channel business, including out-of-home and grocery. Through clear direction, practical support, coaching, and effective resource planning, the Regional Sales Manager will enable each team to achieve its client Key Result Areas, sales targets, and commercial and operational objectives.

Working Pattern: This is a hybrid role combining office-based planning, analysis, collaboration, and client engagement with visible leadership and coaching in the field. The expected working pattern is two days per week in the office and three days per week in the field, subject to change depending on business and client needs.

 
Primary Responsibilities:

Regional Team Management and Development:

• Lead, retain, and motivate high-quality, geographically dispersed teams across the region.
• Manage team structures, vacancies, holidays, and sickness to maintain effective coverage, with retail prioritised within the wider multi-channel business, including out-of-home and grocery.
• Build team capability through structured coaching, regular field accompaniment, performance reviews, Personal Development Plans, training, and succession planning.
• Conduct and record regular one-to-one development meetings with team members, documenting agreed objectives, actions, support needs, and progress.
• Create a supportive and accountable environment, removing barriers and giving managers and colleagues the tools, feedback, and direction needed to achieve their objectives.

Regional Sales and Business Development:

• Own and deliver regional sales targets for distribution, availability, compliance, and business development, placing retail at the forefront across all assigned channels.
• Develop and implement regional business plans with the Client Service Manager, translating client priorities into clear team objectives and measurable sales targets, with retail leading the asks across the multi-channel business.
• Share best practice across teams and identify growth opportunities and more effective ways of working. 

Regional Operational Efficiency:

• Ensure all teams complete accurate, timely, and comprehensive visit reports, with retail activity prioritised and supported by reporting across out-of-home, grocery, and business development activity.
• Optimise regional call files, territories, schedules, and journey plans to maximise coverage, productivity, and return on investment.
• Monitor team capacity, execution standards, data quality, and resource deployment, taking prompt corrective action where required.

Communication, Insight and Stakeholder Management:

• Provide regular regional performance updates, field insights, risks, and opportunities to the Client Service Manager and relevant client stakeholders.
• Communicate agreed sales targets, KPIs, priorities, and standards to all teams, ensuring consistent understanding, updates, and capability development across the multi-channel business.

Client, Quality and Policy Management:

• Ensure client and CPM policies, quality standards, promotional priorities, and ways of working are implemented consistently across every team and channel.
• Maintain strong client relationships and continuously improve regional training, governance, and execution processes.

Required Experience & Competencies:

Qualifications:

• Full, clean driving licence and flexibility to travel throughout the assigned region.
• Strong field sales experience within soft drinks, FMCG, grocery, out-of-home, retail, merchandising, or a closely related sector.
• Proven track record of delivering regional sales results and operational excellence through multiple teams.
• Substantial people-management experience, ideally leading managers or geographically dispersed field teams.

Skills:

• Strong leadership and coaching skills, with the ability to adapt development support to the needs of different teams and individuals.
• Ability to prioritise and excel in a fast-paced, multi-channel environment.
• Proficient in the Microsoft 365 suite of tools, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, and Teams.
• Confident analysing data, identifying trends and opportunities, producing clear reports, and translating insights into practical actions.
• Strong commercial acumen and sound decision-making.
• Ability to work independently, make sound decisions, and manage competing regional priorities.
• Strong planning, problem-solving, stakeholder-management, and change-leadership skills.

Person Specifications:

• Passion for developing people and enabling teams to fulfil their potential.
• Visible, adaptable, and accountable leadership style with the confidence to challenge constructively.
• Customer-focused and commercially minded, with a continuous-improvement approach.

Role KPIs and Measures of Success:

• Deliver agreed regional coverage and journey-plan compliance, placing retail at the forefront across the multi-channel business, including out-of-home, grocery, merchandising, and business development teams.
• Complete planned coaching, field accompaniments, performance reviews, and recorded one-to-one development meetings.
• Maintain high standards of visit completion, reporting accuracy, quality, compliance, and client execution.
• Deliver regional sales targets and associated distribution, availability, promotional, and business development KPIs, with retail at the forefront of delivery across the multi-channel business.
• Improve colleague capability and retention while driving sustainable growth for CPM and the client.