Sales Area Manager South Europe F/HSaint-Gobain

Saint-Gobain est présent dans 70 pays avec plus de 170 000 collaborateurs. Le Groupe mobilise les savoir-faire de ses sociétés et propose une offre de solutions pour des bâtiments confortables, plus économes en énergie et plus agréables à vivre au quotidien. Il positionne également ses matériaux de haute performance sur les marchés industriels et de consommation tels que l'automobile, l'aéronautique, la santé ou l'énergie.

The Sales Area Manager South Europe is responsible for developing, managing and growing direct customer relationships in France, Spain and Italy. The position covers approximately 30 direct customers, including selected key accounts, with an annual sales turnover responsibility of approximately EUR 5 million. The role ensures sustainable sales growth, customer satisfaction, margin discipline and reliable market coverage through regular customer visits, structured opportunity management, technical-commercial support and close cooperation with Customer Service, Technical Service, Marketing, Operations and the Sales & Marketing Director. The position is based in the South Europe region and requires regular travel across France, Spain and Italy.

Main responsibilities / competencies

• Manage and develop the assigned South Europe sales area, covering France, Spain and Italy.
• Take responsibility for a portfolio of approximately 30 direct customers and 30 prospects, including selected key accounts, with an annual turnover responsibility of approximately EUR 5 million.
• Deliver the agreed sales budget, volume targets, margin objectives and customer development plans for the territory.
• Build, maintain and strengthen long-term relationships with direct customers, key decision makers and relevant influencers in the glass processing value chain.
• Identify customer needs, technical requirements and commercial opportunities, and convert them into concrete sales actions and CRM opportunities.
• Drive new business development in France, Spain and Italy through prospecting, customer visits, quotation follow-up and opportunity conversion.
• Prepare and negotiate customer conditions within the defined authorisation matrix, ensuring compliance with the applicable business rules and profitability targets.
• Monitor customer performance, turnover development, product mix, pricing evolution, profitability and payment behaviour; define corrective actions when required.
• Coordinate internally with Customer Service & Administration, Technical Service, Marketing, Operations, Quality and the Sales & Marketing Director to provide consistent customer support.
• Support product launches, technical-commercial arguments and customer training initiatives in the assigned territory.
• Maintain accurate customer data, visit reports, opportunity status and market information in the CRM system.
• Collect and report market intelligence, competitor activities, project opportunities and customer feedback from the South Europe territory.
• Review overdue payments monthly and agree recovery actions with Customer Service & Administration and the Sales & Marketing Director.
• Plan and execute regular travel across France, Spain and Italy to ensure active market presence and customer proximity.
• Participate in relevant customer events, trade fairs, sales meetings, trainings and internal business reviews.

Position environment
Network with glass processors, insulating glass manufacturers, facade consultants, architectural firms, technicians, associations and customers in France, Spain and Italy.
Sales Managers and Key Account Managers in other regions

• Marketing Manager (operational marketing)
• Customer Service + Administration (customer support, order processing, reminders)
• Quality team (complaint handling)
• Operations (capacity planning exchange)
• Saint-Gobain Business Units and local market organisations in France, Spain and Italy
• Technical Service (technical customer service, support and training)
• Sales & Marketing Director

Qualifications

• Industry knowledge: Good knowledge of the glass processing industry, insulating glass units and the main drivers of customer value in the French, Spanish and Italian markets.
• Sales experience: Proven B2B field sales experience, including direct customer management, quotation follow-up, customer visits and commercial negotiations.
• Account management skills: Ability to manage a portfolio of direct customers and key accounts, set customer priorities and execute structured customer development plans.
• Commercial acumen: Ability to manage turnover, margin, pricing, product mix and payment-related risks in a disciplined way.
• Communication skills: Clear and professional communication with customers and internal stakeholders, including the ability to explain technical-commercial arguments in a simple and convincing way.
• Analytical skills: Ability to analyse CRM data, customer performance, sales trends and market information to define actions and priorities.
• Travel and territory management: Ability to plan regular travel efficiently across France, Spain and Italy while maintaining high customer proximity and disciplined follow-up.
• Negotiation skills: Experience in negotiating commercial conditions within a defined authorisation framework and in line with profitability objectives.
• Strategic thinking: Ability to translate the overall commercial strategy into concrete territory actions and customer plans for South Europe.
• Technological competence: Ability to use CRM systems and sales tools effectively, including Microsoft Dynamics, PowerBI, Caluwin and Office 365.
• Self-motivation and goal orientation: Able to work autonomously, stay close to customers and consistently pursue agreed objectives.
• Teamwork: Work constructively with Sales, Customer Service, Technical Service, Marketing, Operations and Quality to support customer needs and business growth.
• Language skills: Three languages are required: Business English plus two additional languages among French, Spanish and Italian to ensure effective customer coverage across South Europe.

Communication

• Telephone and written coordination with customers
• Regular customer visits in France, Spain and Italy
• Participation in sales meetings and business reviews
• Customer events and trade fair participation

Scope of responsibility / key figures

• Assigned territory: France, Spain and Italy (South Europe)
• Customer portfolio: approximately 30 direct customers, including selected key accounts
• Sales turnover responsibility: approximately EUR 5 million per year
• Business focus: direct customer management, growth, profitability, opportunity conversion and customer satisfaction
• Travel requirement: regular travel across the assigned territory

Authorities

• Product consulting
• Negotiation of conditions in accordance with the specified decision-making framework of the Business Unit authorisation matrix
• Customer visit planning and opportunity prioritisation for the assigned territory
• IT: Microsoft Dynamics, PowerBI, Caluwin, Office 365