Sales Manager Cleaning Hygiene Jobs in East Rand

Unique Personnel is looking for a Sales Manager to take overall commercial ownership of a cleaning and hygiene portfolio in the East Rand. This is a permanent, senior, hands-on leadership role for a commercially astute sales professional who can combine strong sales management with real technical credibility in food-industry cleaning and hygiene. The salary is negotiable, and applications close on November 27, 2026.

About the company and the work

Unique Personnel is a recruitment agency advertising this vacancy on behalf of its client. The Cleaning and Hygiene division supplies specialised detergents and disinfectants approved for use in food manufacturing facilities, supporting both open and closed plant cleaning applications. The division serves customers across South Africa and the wider markets they serve, and the Sales Manager will lead its sales strategy and drive consistent, profitable growth.

Role details and duties

The Sales Manager will be expected to:

• Develop and execute the divisional sales strategy to achieve revenue, margin, volume and profitability targets.
• Identify and convert new business opportunities, expand into target markets, and grow the customer base and geographic footprint.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, protect existing business, and identify opportunities to increase share of wallet.
• Lead, coach and manage the sales team, setting clear targets and ensuring accountability for sales activity, pipeline development and results.
• Maintain accurate sales forecasts, manage pricing and margins, oversee the sales pipeline, and ensure disciplined CRM and reporting practices.
• Monitor customer needs, market developments, competitor activity and emerging opportunities to inform commercial and product strategy.
• Provide commercial input into new product development and ensure effective market introduction, customer adoption and growth of new and existing products.
• Ensure a high standard of customer service and coordinate the effective resolution of commercial, product and technical customer issues.
• Personally support key accounts, understand operational and hygiene challenges, and work across the business to translate customer needs into practical commercial solutions.
• Travel extensively within South Africa and, where required, outside South Africa, including regular visits to customer sites and industrial food-production environments.

Requirements

Applicants should meet the following requirements, as stated in the original advert:

• Grade 12 and a relevant Bachelor’s Degree, such as Commerce, Food Science, Biotechnology, Microbiology, or a related discipline. A relevant Honours or Master’s qualification will be advantageous.
• Strong senior sales experience, including proven leadership of a technical sales team and a track record of delivering sales revenue and gross profit growth.
• Relevant technical sales experience within the food industry, industrial hygiene, food chemicals, water treatment or related sectors.
• Demonstrated knowledge of food-industry cleaning and hygiene processes, including CIP (Clean In-Place) systems and open plant cleaning applications.
• Practical understanding of detergent and disinfectant applications in food-processing environments, hygiene audits and sanitation assessments.
• Knowledge of HACCP, GMP and/or Food Safety Management Systems.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain strategic customer relationships and convert new business opportunities.
• Valid driver’s licence and willingness to travel extensively to customer sites and food manufacturing facilities.
• Proficiency in CRM systems and Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong consultative and value-selling capability, with the ability to uncover customer needs and translate them into practical cleaning, hygiene and sanitation solutions.
• Sound technical understanding of CIP systems, open plant cleaning, foam cleaning applications, disinfection and hygiene protocols, food safety and contamination control, and chemical dosing and application systems.
• Commercially astute, with strong business-development, negotiation and account-management skills.
• Excellent problem-solving and root-cause-analysis capability.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the credibility to engage production managers, quality managers, hygiene managers, procurement personnel and plant management.
• Ability to interpret sales performance, market trends, competitor activity and customer requirements and convert these into practical growth strategies.
• A visible, hands-on people leader who can coach, motivate and develop Technical Sales Advisors while maintaining clear accountability for performance.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage competing commercial priorities and ensure disciplined field execution.
• Comfortable working independently and collaboratively across functions, with a proactive growth mindset.

Where to find and apply safely

Apply only through the original Careers24 listing, using the Apply button on this page, which links directly to the original advert (Reference 80890). Do not send personal documents or money to anyone claiming to represent this vacancy outside that listing.

Practical tips

Before you apply, make sure your CV shows senior sales leadership of a technical team, measurable revenue and gross profit growth, and specific experience in food-industry cleaning and hygiene, including CIP and open plant cleaning. Mention your knowledge of HACCP, GMP or food safety systems, your CRM experience, and your willingness to travel extensively. Tailor your application to the food manufacturing market rather than general cleaning sales.

How the process works

Applications are submitted through the Careers24 listing for this vacancy. Shortlisted candidates are likely to be assessed on their senior sales track record, technical understanding of cleaning and hygiene systems, and leadership approach. The advert notes that this role requires extensive travel, so be ready to discuss how you manage a field-based team and a geographically spread customer base.

Important information

This post is for information only. It is not a job offer, and it does not guarantee employment. All details, including the negotiable salary and the November 27, 2026 closing date, come from the original Careers24 advert, and applicants should confirm them there before applying.

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