Head of Sales – New Business
CWS Workwear Ireland
CWS Workwear is a leader in the workwear industry, providing Workwear as a Service through customised, durable and protective workwear solutions. Embracing a circular business model, CWS Workwear is committed to creating a more sustainable future, operating across 15 countries with more than 5,300 employees in over 100 locations.
Every day, CWS Workwear serves more than 35,000 customers and supports 1.5 million wearers through innovative and reliable workwear services.
For over 125 years, CWS Workwear has been leading the way in innovative workwear solutions, taking care of everything from garment provision and maintenance to collection, laundering and replacement, allowing customers to focus on their core business while protecting both their employees and the environment.
In Ireland, CWS Workwear is one of the leading providers of workwear rental solutions, serving customers across multiple sectors including pharmaceutical, life sciences, healthcare, manufacturing, food production, logistics and industrial markets. Through a combination of local expertise, operational excellence and sustainable service solutions, CWS Workwear helps Irish businesses maintain compliance, enhance employee safety and strengthen their professional image.
What We Offer
Competitive Salary & Benefits
Company Car
Pension
Health Insurance
Opportunities for career growth and development
Ongoing training and development
A dynamic safety-first workplace
Role Purpose
Reporting directly to the Managing Director and forming part of the Irish Leadership Team, the Head of New Business Sales is responsible for developing and delivering the national new business growth strategy for CWS Workwear Ireland. The role provides strategic leadership to the new business sales function, driving profitable customer acquisition, expanding market share, and ensuring sustainable revenue growth.
Key Responsibilities
Develop and execute the strategic new business sales plan for Ireland, aligned with company growth objectives.
Lead, coach and develop a high-performing team of Business Developers, creating a culture of accountability, engagement and success.
Drive profitable customer acquisition across key sectors and market segments.
Lead strategic customer engagements, complex commercial negotiations and major account acquisition.
Monitor sales performance, forecasting, pipeline health and business development activity to ensure targets are achieved.
Drive adoption and effective use of CRM systems (Salesforce) to ensure pipeline visibility, forecasting accuracy and commercial decision-making.
Deliver continuous improvement of sales methodologies, processes and performance metrics.
Monitor market trends, competitor activities and customer needs to identify growth opportunities and strengthen market positioning.
Represent the sales function within the Irish Leadership Team, contributing to broader business strategy and organisational performance.
Collaborate closely with Operations, Customer Care, Finance and HR to drive profitable growth and organisational performance.
Build a strong talent pipeline through coaching, succession planning and development of future sales leaders.
Promote the value of CWS Workwear's circular service model and sustainability proposition in customer engagements and market development activities.
Experience & Qualifications
Over 5 years proven leadership experience within a B2B new business sales environment.
Strong track record of delivering significant revenue growth and customer acquisition.
Experience leading sales teams and developing high-performing sales professionals.
Strong commercial, financial and strategic acumen.
Demonstrated success managing complex commercial negotiations and long sales cycles.
Experience working with CRM platforms (preferably Salesforce).
Experience in service-based B2B sales environments.
Experience managing geographically dispersed sales teams.
Bachelor's degree in Business, Commercial Management or a related field (preferred).
Candidate ideally located in Dublin (Head Office) or Cork (Plant Site)
Key Competencies
Strategic Leadership
Commercial Acumen
Business Growth & Market Development
Leadership & Team Development
Customer Focus
Influencing & Negotiation
Results Orientation
Change & Performance Management
Technical Ability
Hybrid Working:
This is a hybrid role requiring regular travel throughout Ireland to customer locations, CWS sites and leadership meetings. Flexibility to work remotely combined with a strong field presence is essential for success in the role.