Location: Hybrid, UK-wide travel
Role Type: Senior commercial/category leadership
Role Summary
This role leads growth of the Material Handling Equipment division, focused on forklifts, pallet trucks, reach trucks, and associated warehouse handling solutions. The Department Head will build market presence, create supplier/manufacturer partnerships, and drive adoption across logistics, warehousing, construction, and industrial customer segments.
Required Sector Experience (Essential)
Candidates must have experience in:
* Forklifts (diesel, electric, LPG), reach trucks, pallet trucks, and warehouse handling equipment.
* Working with OEMs, dealers, importers, or industrial equipment distributors.
* Understanding technical specifications (lifting capacities, mast types, battery technology, maintenance considerations).
* Selling into warehousing, construction sites, industrial plants, or distribution centres.
* Experience in material-handling leasing, aftersales, or equipment refurbishment is advantageous.
Key Responsibilities
* Proactively hunt for new customer accounts across warehousing, logistics, and construction.
* Build supplier relationships with forklift manufacturers, distributors, and equipment importers.
* Negotiate commercial terms, pricing models, warranties, and support packages.
* Assess product suitability, specification requirements, and customer performance expectations.
* Conduct on-site visits, equipment demonstrations, and technical evaluations.
* Gather market insights on pricing trends, supply constraints, and emerging technologies (e.g., lithium-ion equipment).
* Support product onboarding with accurate technical data, compliance certs, and product imagery.
Attributes & Skills
* Strong technical and commercial background in material handling equipment.
* Confident hunter with proven success generating significant new business.
* Skilled negotiator who can influence at OEM, dealer, and end-user level.
* Highly proactive, field-focused, and confident leading a category’s growth strategy.
* Data-aware, commercially disciplined, and aligned with margin-focused performance.
Sound interesting? Apply today.