Sales/Commercial Director - MD

Location: Hampshire / South East England

Our client is a market-leading UK business within the industrial manufacturing and distribution sector, supplying high-quality, safety-focused products through a strong national network of distribution partners. With a dynamic, ambitious culture and a customer-first mindset, the company has enjoyed exceptional growth, scaling more than tenfold in recent years.

The next phase of growth requires a dedicated sales-led Managing Director to bring sharper structure, discipline, and execution to the commercial strategy, while maintaining the entrepreneurial drive that underpins success to date.

The Opportunity

This is a newly created, high-impact leadership role. The Managing Director will take full ownership of the UK business, leading commercial operations with a primary focus on building and scaling a high-performing sales organisation, defining new market opportunities, and aligning marketing and product development with long-term growth ambitions.

This position is particularly well suited to a Sales or Commercial Director from the manufacturing, engineering, or distribution sectors, who is ready to take on their first full Managing Director role and drive measurable business scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Full P&L ownership and day-to-day leadership of the UK business (~£multi-million turnover).
• Define and implement a sales growth strategy that expands into new market sectors.
• Partner with marketing to strengthen lead generation, brand development, and segment focus.
• Drive new product development initiatives to meet emerging customer and sector needs.
• Introduce systems for forecasting, reporting, and sales enablement to support sustainable growth.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and development to maximise team capability.

Candidate Profile

• A commercially minded sales leader with strong B2B experience in manufacturing, industrial, engineering, or distribution sectors.
• Likely operating today as a Sales Director, Commercial Director, or Business Unit Leader, now seeking a step-up into a first-time Managing Director position.
• Proven success in strategic account growth, complex procurement environments, and sales team leadership.
• Energetic, hands-on leadership style with the ability to build loyalty and engagement across teams.
• Skilled at balancing entrepreneurial drive with structured processes, systems, and governance.
• Low-ego, approachable, and aligned with values of hunger, humility, and people-smart.

This role offers a unique opportunity for an ambitious commercial leader to shape and scale a high-growth UK business.

Contact Kate@austinmatley.com