Sales Manager Italy

OUTGROWN YOUR OWN BACKYARD? COME PLAY IN OURS. 

At Columbia Sportswear, we’re as passionate about the outdoors as you are. And while our gear is available worldwide, we’re proud to be based in the Pacific Northwest, where natural wonders are our playground. 

Every product we make and every task we undertake is inspired by the famous words of our founder Gert Boyle: “It’s perfect. Now make it better.” As pioneers of relentless improvement, we are constantly evolving 

Discover a world of diversity within our team of 700+ across 13 European countries, united by the common goal of elevating Columbia to the pinnacle of outdoor brands in Europe. Our omnichannel approach seamlessly integrates Columbia and Sorel brands' engaging in-store and online experiences. 

Nestled at the heart of the Alps in Geneva, Switzerland, our European headquarters hosts the Executive Committee, go-to-market functions, and Planning and Logistics teams. In Schiltigheim, near Strasbourg, our shared services center thrives with over 100 professionals managing Finance and Operations/Customer Service. Our distribution center in Cambrai ensures swift delivery to customers, while our 35+ Columbia stores adorn major European outlet centers. Finally, the Sales and Trade Marketing teams are displayed in 3 regions across Europe, close to their customers and markets. 

We believe the outdoors is ours to protect and strive to keep our planet healthy. We believe in empowering people to experience the outdoors to the fullest. 

And we believe in you. 

ABOUT THE POSITION 

We're looking for the next person to own the commercial development of our brands in Italy. 

As Sales Manager Italy, you will lead the full commercial picture across both Columbia and Sorel: a network of agents and field accounts spread across the country, a junior Key Account Representative reporting directly to you, strategic regional accounts, and a newly launched Partner Store project with openings planned this year. 

This is a role with a clear commercial core combined with a people leadership dimension and a growing retail development scope that will evolve as our store network expands. 

You'll also be part of a broader region, reporting to the Regional Sales Director and working in close partnership with the Country Manager for Spain, giving you exposure and collaboration beyond the Italian market. 

The role is based at our Montebelluna showroom (Veneto), with regular travel across Italy. 

HOW YOU’LL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE 

Lead and manage the agent network 

• Own the full agent and field account network across Italy — set targets, drive commercial strategy, and manage performance throughout the season 

• Maintain direct relationships with strategic regional accounts who expect a dialogue with the brand, not just with agents 

• Coordinate credit management between agents, clients, and internal teams 

Supervise and develop the Key Account team 

• Manage a junior Key Account Representative: provide direction, coaching, and strategic oversight 

• Own top-to-top relationships and business plan commitments with key accounts 

Drive the Partner Store project 

• Take full ownership of Columbia's Partner Store rollout in Italy, with new openings planned this year 

• Build and manage relationships with retail partners: development roadmap, KPI tracking, and performance management 

• Coordinate with internal teams (retail, marketing, operations) to ensure consistent execution 

Deliver commercial results 

• Own revenue and margin targets for Italy across both brands 

• Maintain pipeline quality and forecast accuracy 

• Translate regional commercial strategy into concrete local action plans 

YOU ARE 

• A hands-on leader — you set the direction and you make things happen on the ground 

• Highly accountable: you take full ownership of your scope, your team, and your results 

• Resilient and results-oriented: you stay focused under pressure and know how to prioritize in a complex environment 

• A strong communicator — equally effective with agents in the field, key account buyers, and senior stakeholders 

• Pragmatic: you make decisions with the information available and adapt to a market that is still evolving 

YOU HAVE 

• Proven experience in a Sales Manager or equivalent role in Italy, with direct responsibility for managing agents 

• A solid knowledge of the Italian distribution landscape across outdoor, sporting goods, and/or adjacent sectors 

• The ability to handle commercial complexity: multi-brand scope, credit management, forecasting, and seasonal planning 

• Experience managing or closely supervising a sales team member: a nice-to-have 

• Retail or Partner Store exposure is a meaningful plus, particularly given our upcoming openings 

• Full professional proficiency in Italian and English (working language with regional and HQ teams) 

• Based in or able to commute to the Montebelluna/Treviso area — presence at the showroom is expected 

PERKS & BENEFITS 

🎁 Significant discounts on Columbia and Sorel products 

🍝 Lunch vouchers 

📚 Unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning 

📖 A monthly Learning Hour for training, discovery and learning 

👩‍🏫 Unlock your potential: access to in-house training courses (feedback, leadership, Insights®...) 

🌈DEI initiatives to exchange and strengthen our involvement around these themes 

ABOUT THE CULTURE 

• At Columbia Sportswear, we value an inclusive and open culture that emphasizes the absence of barriers between team members. We are committed to fostering a sense of belonging by encouraging personal connections at all levels, which creates a cohesive and supportive work environment. 

• Team members serve as ambassadors for our brand, finding motivation in being part of an organization dedicated to activities they are passionate about. This dedication reflects our commitment to building a team that takes pride in our products and values. 

• We offer the opportunity to work for a US-based company within a multicultural environment, where your job has an impact across different countries. 

• Our "Always Be Learning" culture of continuous learning enables our employees to identify and develop skills that will enable them to continue to grow within the company. 

• "Unlock Your Potential" is the spirit that characterizes our vision of employees' development: to offer them opportunities to grow, in their job, in their team or even to change jobs completely. We grow our people to grow our business. 

To learn more about us and our culture, visit our page on Welcome To The Jungle: https://bit.ly/49bl1i5 

ABOUT THE HIRING PROCESS 

1️⃣ Ready to unlock your potential at Columbia Sportswear Company? Apply now to help us connect active people with their passion! The hiring team will review your application in the following weeks. 

2️⃣ If your application is selected: a 30-45mn introductory interview with our Talent Acquisition Team to talk about yourself, your motivations and the role 

3️⃣ Interview with the hiring manager (online or in-person interview) 

4️⃣ Case study presentation at our Montebelluna showroom with the hiring team 

5️⃣ Your unique strengths align perfectly with our team: we are thrilled to extend you an offer!