Sales and Business Development Manager, Hardie Grant Gift (HGG)

Hardie Grant Gift (HGG) is a dynamic book wholesale business to the gift trade and a division of Hardie Grant Publishing, a leading, Australian-owned and independent book publisher. HGG represents leading international and local publishers to offer a curated and expansive range of books, stationery, puzzles, games and lifestyle products to non-bookstore customers and gift retailers across Australia.

We are seeking a commercially driven sales manager with a hands-on, collaborative approach and a passion for leading engaged teams in this exceptional position.

About the role

The Sales & Business Development Manager is a hands-on leadership role responsible for driving strategic growth across Hardie Grant Gift. Working closely with the Head of Business Development, you will lead new business development, strengthen key accounts and deliver sustained revenue growth, while ensuring strong alignment across sales, product, logistics and marketing functions.

Leading a team of Area Managers and external sales agents, you will play a central role in shaping sales strategy, building meaningful customer partnerships and expanding HGG’s presence across the gift and retail landscape.

Key responsibilities

- Develop and execute sales strategies to drive channel growth and new business acquisition

- Build and maintain a strong sales pipeline, identifying and converting new customer opportunities

- Manage and grow key national accounts through effective relationship management and commercial negotiation

- Lead customer presentations, range reviews and partnership discussions

- Lead, support and motivate the HGG sales team to deliver against revenue targets

- Contribute to broader sales strategy and planning across the trade sales team

- Monitor market trends and competitor activity to inform commercial decision-making

- Ensure strong coordination across sales operations, including forecasting, reporting and account execution

- Work closely with internal teams to deliver seamless end-to-end customer and product outcomes

- Use sales data and reporting to track performance, identify opportunities and guide strategy

- Oversee digital sales touchpoints, including website content and performance.

About You

With a strong track record of delivering growth in revenue and market share, building strong customer relationships, identifying new opportunities and leading teams to deliver results, you are comfortable operating both strategically and rolling your sleeves up alongside the team.

Ideally, you will have:

- Proven experience in sales leadership, business development, or key account management (within publishing, gift, retail, consumer products or a related industry - highly preferable)

- A strong understanding of retail or wholesale sales environments

- Strong commercial negotiation and relationship management skills with key buyers or retail partners

- Experience leading and motivating sales teams, including field-based or distributed teams.

- Confidence using sales reporting and CRM/data systems to analyse performance and guide strategy

- A collaborative approach and a proactive mindset.

This is a full-time, permanent opportunity to join our passionate and creative team, based in our state-of-the-art Melbourne (Collingwood) office. The salary range for this position is between $105,000 - $115,000 per annum plus superannuation.

Employment perks and benefits:

Hardie Grant offers flexible work hours, bonus leave, and opportunities to keep learning and growing. Our benefits and policies reflect our commitment and passion to diversity, inclusion and giving back to our people and the community, including things like:

- Bonus leave days

- Additional menstrual and menopausal leave

- A Reconciliation Australia endorsed RAP

- A paid volunteer day each year to give back

- Paid blood donation leave

- Extensive L&D programs

- Free counselling, for professional or personal matters

- 3 months parental leave at full-pay on top of statutory parental leave - Fertility treatment and gender transition leave if required.

At Hardie Grant we live our values: Do the Right Thing, Work Together, Best in Class, Nothing is Fixed, and Make an Impact. We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply, including people who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and people with a disability.

Candidates will be progressed as applications are received, rather than after the advertisement closure date. If you wish to be considered, please submit your application as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you!