Area Sales Manager - France - Musical Instruments

Job Title: Area Sales Manager – France (Brass Instruments – Trumpet & Trombone)

Location: France (Field-Based, covering the entire French territory)

Salary: €55,000 – €58,000 base + Car Allowance + Performance Bonus + Benefits

Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent (Monday–Friday)

About the Company

Our client is a globally respected manufacturer and distributor of premium band and orchestral instruments, with a heritage stretching back well over a century. Headquartered in the United States and part of a larger international musical instruments group, the company produces and distributes a full range of brass, woodwind, percussion, and string instruments across a portfolio of well-established, trusted brand names — as well as acting as a distributor for other leading international manufacturers.

With annual revenues in the hundreds of millions and a workforce of several hundred to over a thousand employees globally, the business combines the scale and stability of an established manufacturer with the craftsmanship and product knowledge that has made its brands a benchmark for quality among professional and amateur musicians alike. The company maintains a strong presence in music education through dedicated training institutes, and continues to invest in its European operations as a key area of growth.

We have been retained to lead the search for an Area Sales Manager to represent the business across France — a pivotal hire as the company continues to expand its footprint in this key European market.

Role Overview

This is a field-based, territory-wide role covering the whole of France. The successful candidate will take full ownership of developing and growing the company's dealer network — balancing the careful stewardship of existing relationships with the proactive identification and onboarding of new retail and distribution partners.

Acting as the primary link between European headquarters and the French dealer community, the Area Sales Manager will drive sales performance, share deep product expertise, and ensure a first-class experience for dealers and their customers at every stage of the relationship. This is an opportunity to represent one of the most respected names in the brass and woodwind industry, with genuine autonomy over how the territory is developed and grown.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and grow the French dealer network, managing and expanding existing accounts while identifying, approaching, and onboarding new dealer partners.
• Conduct regular in-person visits to retailers and dealers across France to understand their needs, support their commercial growth, and drive sell-through of the product range.
• Support the full sales journey from pre-sale consultation through to post-sale service, ensuring dealers and end customers receive an exceptional experience throughout.
• Gather market intelligence and dealer feedback and feed this back to the product development and marketing teams to help shape future strategy.
• Design and deliver sales and product training sessions for dealer staff, building their confidence and expertise across the product range.
• Collaborate closely with the wider European Sales team, contributing to a joined-up regional strategy.
• Provide strategic input on short-, mid-, and long-term commercial initiatives for the French market.
• Represent the company at key trade events and exhibitions across Europe as required.
• Maintain accurate, up-to‑date records of dealer interactions, pipeline activity, and account performance within the company's CRM system.

Candidate Profile

• Musicianship is essential: candidates should be brass players themselves, either at a professional level or as a highly capable, advanced amateur on trumpet or trombone. This is a non‑negotiable requirement for the role.
• Native or near‑native French speaker strongly preferred. Outstanding non‑French candidates with fluent, business‑level French and strong English will also be considered.
• Sales experience is preferred but does not need to be specific to musical instruments — experience within the brass, woodwind, or wider musical instrument industry would be a distinct advantage, though product‑specific knowledge can be trained.
• A confident, credible relationship‑builder who is equally comfortable engaging independent retailers and larger established distributors.
• A persuasive, self‑motivated, and commercially driven professional with a genuine passion for music alongside strong sales instincts.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills, with the gravitas to represent a premium, globally recognised brand.
• Comfortable working independently in the field while remaining a collaborative, team‑oriented contributor to the wider European sales function.
• Fully computer literate, including confident use of the MS Office suite.
• Holds a valid European driving licence and is willing and able to travel extensively across France, with occasional travel elsewhere in Europe for trade events and training.

What's on Offer

• Competitive base salary of €55,000–€58,000 per annum.
• Car allowance, performance‑related bonus, and a wider benefits package.
• Full-time, permanent employment on a Monday‑to‑Friday basis.
• Comprehensive product and systems training provided from the outset.
• The opportunity to represent an internationally respected brand and take genuine ownership of a key European territory.
• A preferred start date of early 2026, with the recruitment process beginning immediately.