Head of International Sales

Head of International Sales

Are you an inspiring and driven sales professional with international FMCG sales leadership experience? Do you aspire to work for a purposeful, sustainable and fast-paced growing ethical brand where you can lead a high-performing and passionate international sales team?

Based in our Bristol head office with an international remit, the Head of International Sales is a permanent full-time role, with a competitive salary and a bonus, alongside a benefits package designed to nurture your wellbeing and personal development.

About Pukka Herbs

Pukka Herbs create delicious organic herbal teas and incredible health supplements that take people on a journey of discovery to a healthier, happier life, benefiting people, plants and the planet. Pukka Herbs began 15 years ago and is the fastest growing herbal tea company and the 6th fastest growing grocery brand in the UK. Over a million cups of Pukka tea are drunk every day and Pukka’s teas and supplements are sold in over 40 countries across the globe.

We’ve been growing at an incredible pace and have a very exciting 5-year plan. To ensure we achieve our vision several significant leadership appointments have been made in the past 12 months, including key captains in the industry from Mars, Innocent, Pepsi, Warburton’s and Dyson. To support this rapid growth, we are looking for a driven and tenacious Head of International Sales to join our senior team and inspire and lead the team to success.

About the role

Pukka’s uncompromising stance on quality and sustainability makes for difficult choices, hard work and a pace of life that staggers many. Our brand and ethics are beautiful and second to none (which makes it a joy to sell), our growth across the globe is phenomenal (which means we get to celebrate) and our people are great to work with (which makes any day better). 

As Head of International Sales you’ll lead and manage the delivery of Pukka’s strategic plans for sales beyond the UK (excluding USA) to deliver our ambitious plans for global growth. You’ll lead, inspire, develop and coach your team to success on a day-to-day basis using your up to date knowledge and insight of the international food and beverage and herbal supplements marketplace.

Working closely with internal peer colleagues across Marketing, Operations and Finance, you’ll develop international sales plans which are in line with Pukka’s strategy and sustainability goals. You’ll develop effective relationships with partners and customers in overseas markets, maintaining a high level of contact and engagement with distributor partners at senior level as well as developing a network amongst key stakeholders in overseas markets. You’ll manage the smooth delivery of clear and actionable annual strategic plans and be able to identify risks and opportunities.

About You

You’ll ideally be educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant discipline, ideally have a second degree (e.g. MBA), have foreign language expertise (one of French, German, Mandarin, Cantonese) and herbal expertise including herbal supplements. You will have a demonstrable track record of success in commercial leadership gained in the FMCG sector, ideally within food or beverages, and ideally have worked in or with overseas markets where you have managed overseas distributor relationships.

Enthusiastic, pragmatic and resilient, you’ll have experience of leading a multi-level, high performing team and can demonstrate your agility to transition at pace between high-level strategy and day-to-day execution. You’ll be confident to confront and articulate the ‘brutal facts’, and be an engaging and persuasive communicator.

You will have strategic planning skills and have developed and successfully delivered against annual operating plans for revenue, profit and customer satisfaction. An entrepreneurial mindset, with a balance risk taker approach, you’ll have a high level of numeracy and commercial ‘savvy’ and have developed and implemented a long term (5 year) strategy.

To apply

If you’re intrigued and excited by what you’ve read so far, let’s see if you have what it takes to thrive at Pukka and meet our uncompromising requirements! To apply for this role please attach your CV demonstrating why you are a brilliant fit for Pukka and your answers to the four questions below which form an essential part of our application process:

- Who are you?

- How do you relate to others?

- Heart or head?

- Describe your energy