Sales Manager | Waikato

Sales Manager | Waikato

Lead a high-performing sales team, grow key customer relationships, and drive regional success across the Mighty Waikato, from its green pastures and thriving agricultural heartland to the iconic landscapes of Middle-earth.

We are seeking an experienced and commercially focused Sales Manager to lead our Waikato sales team.

Reporting to the General Manager - Waikato, this is a hands-on leadership role responsible for delivering revenue growth, customer retention, new business acquisition, and margin performance while fostering strong customer partnerships and building meaningful whanaungatanga throughout the Waikato market.

About the Role

Operating in a fast-paced, multi-category food distribution environment, you will lead the regional sales function across Foodservice, Butchery, Produce, and other key product categories. You will drive sales performance, develop and coach your team, strengthen customer relationships, and identify new growth opportunities across a diverse customer base including restaurants, cafés, hotels, rest homes, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and foodservice operators.

Success in this role requires strong commercial acumen, a passion for developing people, a customer-first mindset, and the ability to collaborate effectively across the business to deliver exceptional customer outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the Waikato sales team to achieve outstanding commercial results.
• Develop and execute regional sales strategies that deliver sustainable and profitable growth.
• Drive customer retention, new business acquisition, and share-of-wallet growth across the region.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, strategic accounts, and industry stakeholders.
• Identify market opportunities and convert leads into long-term customer partnerships.
• Ensure disciplined pipeline management, forecasting, CRM usage, and sales reporting.
• Maintain strong commercial discipline across pricing, margin management, and customer negotiations.
• Monitor sales performance and implement actions to improve results and productivity.
• Partner closely with Operations, Procurement, Category, Customer Support, Butchery, and Produce teams to deliver customer success.
• Use customer, market, and competitor insights to inform business decisions and growth strategies.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

About You

You are a commercially astute and relationship-driven sales leader who enjoys being close to customers, developing high-performing teams, and delivering meaningful business results.

To succeed in this role, you will bring:

• Proven sales leadership experience within foodservice, FMCG, wholesale, distribution, or a similar B2B environment.
• A strong track record of delivering revenue growth, customer retention, and new business success.
• Experience leading, coaching, and motivating high-performing sales teams.
• Strong commercial acumen with demonstrated success in pricing, margin management, and negotiation.
• Exceptional relationship-building and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience managing key accounts and complex customer relationships.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, with the ability to turn data into action.
• Experience using CRM systems, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office applications.
• A resilient, hands-on, and customer-focused approach.
• A current full New Zealand Driver Licence.

Most importantly, you'll be someone who values whanaungatanga, leads with integrity, and is passionate about creating success for customers, colleagues, and the wider Service Foods business.

Why Join Service Foods?

• Join a successful and growing New Zealand-owned business.
• Lead an established team in one of our most important regions.
• Competitive remuneration package
• Opportunity to influence regional strategy and drive business growth.
• Supportive, collaborative, and values-driven culture.
• Genuine opportunity to make a lasting impact on customers, people, and performance.

Pre-Employment Checks

• Employment reference checks
• Government agency verifications (Ministry of Justice and ACC)
• Alcohol and drug testing conducted by an accredited New Zealand workplace substance testing provider

Applicants must have New Zealand citizenship, residency, or a valid New Zealand work visa.

If you're ready to take the next step in your sales leadership career and help shape the future growth of Service Foods Waikato, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply now and become part of the Service Foods journey.