National Sales Manager | Food Manufacturing Industry
Sales/Account Mng
Johannesburg – Gauteng – South Africa
National Sales Manager | Food Manufacturing Industry
Location: Alberton, Gauteng
Industry: Food Manufacturing
Salary: Up to R115,000 CTC per month
Travel: Extensive national travel
Start Date: Ideally December 2026
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced National Sales Manager to join an established food manufacturing company based in Alberton.
This is an opportunity to take over an existing customer portfolio, grow the business nationally and lead a small sales support team.
You’ll be working with food products where technical knowledge matters. Understanding product quality, food safety requirements and customer specifications will be just as important as your ability to build relationships and generate sales.
The current Sales Manager is retiring, and the company would ideally like someone to join in December to allow for a proper handover.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage and grow an established national customer portfolio.
- Identify and secure new business opportunities within the food manufacturing sector.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective customers.
- Travel extensively across South Africa to meet customers and identify growth opportunities.
- Lead and support a small team of approximately 3–4 employees.
- Oversee sales administration and ensure efficient sales operations.
- Understand and communicate product specifications, quality standards and customer-specific product grades.
- Work closely with internal quality and operational teams to ensure customer requirements are met.
- Participate in quality-related processes and customer audits where required.
- Ensure customer requirements relating to food safety and product quality are understood and addressed.
- Monitor sales performance, prepare reports and provide regular updates to management.
- Develop and implement strategies to achieve sales targets and expand market share.
What We’re Looking For
Qualifications and Experience
- A degree or diploma in Food Science, Food Technology or a related field is preferred.
- Candidates with a relevant diploma and substantial experience in the food industry will be considered.
- Proven sales management experience within the food manufacturing industry.
- Strong key account management and new business development experience.
- Experience managing a small sales or sales administration team.
- A solid understanding of food manufacturing processes and customer requirements.
Technical Knowledge
You don’t need to be a Quality Manager, but you must understand the technical and quality requirements associated with selling food products.
This includes:
- Food safety principles and requirements.
- Quality standards applicable to food manufacturing.
- Customer-specific product grades and specifications.
- Quality assurance processes and customer audits.
- The importance of meeting customer and regulatory requirements.
Experience working alongside quality assurance teams or being involved in customer audits would be particularly valuable.
Personal Attributes
- Strong relationship-building and negotiation skills.
- Commercially minded, with the ability to identify growth opportunities.
- Comfortable discussing technical product requirements with customers.
- Able to work independently and manage a national customer portfolio.
- Good leadership, planning and organisational skills.
- Willing and able to travel extensively throughout South Africa.
- Valid driver’s licence.
Why Consider This Opportunity?
You’ll be joining an established food manufacturing business with an existing customer base and the opportunity to grow its national presence.
Rather than starting from scratch, you’ll take over an established portfolio and have the opportunity to learn from the outgoing Sales Manager before they retire.
It’s a role for someone who enjoys the commercial side of the food industry, understands the technical requirements behind the products they sell and wants to make a meaningful contribution to business growth.
Interested?
If you have a background in food manufacturing sales, understand food quality and safety requirements, and enjoy building lasting customer relationships, we’d love to hear from you.