Area Manager

Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including consumer, industrial, institutional, food and beverage, and pool and spa water markets. Owned by Platinum Equity, the company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids, functional additives, and cleaners and disinfectants, as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact, and create cleaner and safer environments.

Area Manager – Central UK (Commercial Leadership & Customer Growth)

Location: Central UK (Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle and surrounding region)

Employment Type: Full-time

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Area Manager to lead our commercial operations across the Central UK region. This role is critical to driving revenue growth, strengthening customer relationships, and ensuring high-quality service delivery across a diverse and high-value customer base.

If you are a commercially focused leader who excels at developing teams, shaping strategy, and building strong customer partnerships, this is an opportunity to make a significant impact.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic and Commercial Leadership

• Lead the commercial strategy for the Central UK area in alignment with UK&I business objectives
• Deliver revenue, margin, and growth targets across the area’s customer portfolio
• Develop strategic sales plans to expand customer relationships and strengthen market presence
• Analyse performance data, market trends, and customer insights to guide commercial decisions
• Ensure delivery of KPI targets, including service-level commitments and customer engagement metrics

Team Leadership and Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Account Managers and field-based personnel
• Manage recruitment, onboarding, objective setting, and performance reviews
• Strengthen team capability through coaching, training, and structured development
• Conduct regular sales meetings, performance reviews, and development conversations

Customer and Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers across the Central UK region
• Negotiate contracts, pricing agreements, and service-level commitments
• Represent the voice of the customer internally to influence product, service, and operational decisions
• Collaborate closely with sales leadership, marketing, supply chain, finance, and other internal teams

Operational Excellence

• Use Salesforce, Workday, and internal systems to monitor performance and forecast accurately
• Ensure consistent execution of account plans and high customer satisfaction
• Stay informed on industry trends and competitor activity to identify new opportunities
• Drive alignment across cross-functional teams to support customer needs and strategic initiatives

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Proven experience leading commercial teams and consistently achieving targets
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, coach, and develop account managers
• Hands-on experience as an Area Manager, Account Manager, or senior commercial role
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence at all levels
• Strategic thinker with strong problem-solving abilities and a results-driven mindset
• High proficiency in sales metrics, forecasting, and data analysis
• Demonstrated ability to design and execute effective sales strategies
• Strong organisational and time-management skills
• Solid understanding of industry trends, customer dynamics, and competitive landscape
• Experience in water treatment or hygiene solutions is a strong advantage

Ready to Make an Impact? We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of background or experience. At Solenis, we believe in the power of diverse perspectives and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace.

We understand that candidates will not meet every single desired qualification. If your experience looks a little different from what we’ve identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we’d love to learn more about you.