Head of Sales - Professional Beauty

Head of Sales 

Location: Dubai, UAE

Industry: Professional Beauty & Hair Care Distribution

Department: Commercial / Sales

Reporting To: Business Director (Primary), CEO (Secondary)

Role Overview

A leading distributor in the professional beauty and hair care industry is seeking a commercially driven Sales Manager to lead and transform its sales function across the UAE and GCC markets.

This role is not a traditional hold-and-grow position. It is a transformation mandate focused on building structure, improving commercial planning, strengthening distributor management, and scaling sustainable growth across multiple channels including salon professional, retail, and e-commerce.

The successful candidate will combine strategic commercial leadership with strong emotional intelligence, team leadership, and operational discipline.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Strategy & Growth

• Develop and execute the company's sales strategy across brands, channels, and territories.
• Drive sustainable revenue growth and market expansion across the UAE and GCC.
• Build and optimize route-to-market strategies to maximize market penetration and operational efficiency.
• Identify new business opportunities, whitespace markets, and growth segments.
• Establish structured commercial planning rhythms, forecasting processes, and performance tracking mechanisms.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and customer behavior to adapt commercial strategies proactively.

Distributor & GCC Market Management

• Manage and strengthen distributor relationships across GCC markets, particularly KSA.
• Lead distributor performance reviews, planning cycles, and commercial alignment.
• Ensure effective execution of brand strategies and sales initiatives within distributor networks.
• Support regional expansion initiatives and commercial scaling plans.

Team Leadership & Performance Management

• Lead, coach, and develop a multi-channel sales team across salon professional, retail, and e-commerce channels.
• Build a high-performance culture centered around accountability, ownership, and collaboration.
• Implement structured sales planning, territory management, and client segmentation frameworks.
• Set KPIs and performance expectations while providing continuous coaching and development.
• Foster strong communication and team engagement during periods of organizational transformation.

Client Relationship Management

• Maintain and strengthen strategic relationships with key accounts and major clients.
• Ensure a service-first mindset across the commercial function.
• Oversee commercial negotiations, pricing discussions, and partnership development.
• Support client retention and long-term business growth initiatives.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, and Education teams to ensure aligned execution.
• Lead forecasting and demand planning discussions with internal stakeholders.
• Ensure commercial activities are coordinated with operational and brand priorities.

Requirements

Experience & Background

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of sales experience, including recent experience in a senior commercial leadership or Head of Function role.
• Background within Beauty, Hair Care, Professional Salon, Personal Care, or adjacent FMCG industries.
• Proven experience managing distributor networks across the GCC, ideally including KSA.
• Strong exposure to multi-channel sales environments including salon professional, retail, and e-commerce.
• Experience leading sales transformation, restructuring, or operating model improvements.
• Strong understanding of forecasting, commercial planning, and performance management frameworks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Arabic language skills are highly preferred.
• GCC salon professional market experience is a strong advantage.
• MBA or equivalent commercial qualification is a plus.
• Experience working within transforming or scaling businesses is preferred.

Key Competencies

• Strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking.
• High emotional intelligence and relationship management capability.
• Calm, influential leadership style with strong coaching ability.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to lead change while maintaining team engagement and morale.
• Analytical, structured, and data-driven approach to sales management.
• Strong cultural understanding of UAE and KSA business environments.