Sales Manager Southern Europe

We exist to create positive change for people and the planet. Join us and make a difference too!

Role Purpose

The System Certification & Training Sales manager, Southern Europe, is responsible for driving revenue growth, retention, and high‑quality sales execution across BSI’s System Certification and Training portfolio in Southern Europe. This role directly supports the Head of Sales, South Europe and META by executing the regional assurance sales strategy, embedding a high‑performing, data‑driven sales culture, and ensuring alignment with BSI’s divisional priorities of standardisation, simplification, digitisation, and growth. The role leads a geographically dispersed team to deliver consultative, client‑centric solutions across core, enterprise, and strategic accounts, ensuring BSI remains the supplier of choice within the assurance and certification market.

A member of the South Europe and META Commercial Leadership team collaborating and contributing to the leadership of the business and delivery of its strategy.

Key Responsibilities

1. Market & Industry Expertise

• Maintain a strong understanding of System Certification services, ISO standards, management system audits, sustainability and supply‑chain assurance offerings.
• Provide insights into the competitive landscape, emerging client needs, and market trends to inform the regional sales strategy.
• Equip the team to articulate BSI’s value proposition effectively across diverse Southern European markets.

2. Sales Strategy & Planning

• Working with the Head of Sales – South Europe and META to develop and execute a comprehensive regional sales strategy aligned with global and EMEA objectives.
• Translate the regional assurance strategy into clear sales plans, priorities, and measurable targets for the business development team.
• Prioritise sectors, regions, and accounts with the highest growth potential to ensure optimal resource allocation.
• Support divisional initiatives that reinforce standardisation, simplification, digitisation, and operational consistency across the sales organisation.
• Key Account Management; targeting and developing the right Global / Local and regional clients

3. Team Leadership & Development

• Possess a high level of EQ, create an environment where individual contributors work as a team towards the team’s success
• Lead, coach, and develop a high‑performing team with clear KPIs, behavioural expectations, and accountability measures.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, best‑practice sharing, and data‑driven decision making.
• Conduct structured performance reviews, sales coaching, onboarding, and capability development interventions.

4. Sales Execution & Operational Excellence

• Ensure consistent adoption of BSI’s consultative sales approach and sales methodology.
• Drive disciplined use of Salesforce for forecasting, pipeline management, activity reporting, and opportunity quality.
• Ensure proposals, quotations, and presentations meet accreditation, regulatory, and brand standards.
• Partner with Sales Operations to optimise reporting accuracy and sales performance analytics.

5. Revenue Growth, Retention & Client Experience

• Deliver revenue targets across System Certification and Training services through new business development and expansion of existing accounts.
• Collaborate with Client Managers and Global Key Account teams to maximise cross‑portfolio penetration and account growth.
• Reduce cancellations by strengthening sales hand‑off processes and ensuring high‑quality client engagement through Operations and Technical teams.

6. Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Marketing to align campaigns, generate high‑quality leads, and develop sector‑specific propositions.
• Collaborate with Operations, Technical and Service Delivery teams to ensure accurate scoping and seamless client delivery.
• Represent System Certification and Training in regional working groups, cross‑regional assurance initiatives, and service development discussions.

7. Governance, Compliance & Ethical Business

• Ensure all sales activities adhere to accreditation requirements, regulatory standards, and BSI policies.
• Role‑model ethical, transparent, and client‑focused behaviours across the sales team.
• Maintain accurate, timely reporting and forecasting to senior leadership.

Qualifications & Experience

Experience

• Minimum 10 years’ B2B sales experience, including at least 5 years in a leadership or management role, preferably within assurance, certification, sustainability assurance, or professional services.
• Solid experience in managing clients and teams across Southern Europe.
• Strong track record of exceeding revenue targets and developing high‑performing sales teams.
• Experience managing geographically dispersed teams and working cross‑functionally.
• Experience in building and developing a Key Account team

Skills

• Strong leadership, coaching, and team‑development capability.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Strategic, analytical thinker and problem-solving capability, able to use data and lead metrics to inform decisions.
• Highly proficient in Salesforce and sales analytics tools.
• Strong time management, organisation, and ability to manage competing priorities

Knowledge

• Deep understanding of System Certification, ISO standards, and the wider assurance and regulatory landscape.
• Strong commercial awareness with the ability to position solutions effectively in competitive markets.

Languages

• Fluency in English, Italian, Spanish and French (optional).

Travel Requirements

• Regional travel required (typically quarterly), with occasional additional visits for key client or team activities.

VP1

About Us

BSI is a business improvement and standards company and for over a century BSI has been recognized for having a positive impact on organizations and society, building trust and enhancing lives.

Today BSI partners with more than 77,500 clients in 195 countries and engages with a 15,000 strong global community of experts, industry and consumer groups, organizations and governments.
Utilizing its extensive expertise in key industry sectors - including automotive, aerospace, built environment, food and retail, and healthcare - BSI delivers on its purpose by helping its clients fulfil theirs.
Living by our core values of Client-Centricity, Agility, and Collaboration, BSI provides organizations with the confidence to grow by partnering with them to tackle society’s critical issues – from climate change to building trust in digital transformation and everything in between - to accelerate progress towards a better society and a sustainable world.

BSI is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.