Area Sales Manager – Alpine, Protective & Nordic (Central Switzerland)
- Full-time
- Department: B2B - Field Account Hardgoods
Company Description
Amer Sports is a sporting goods company with internationally recognized brands including Salomon, Arc’teryx, Peak Performance, Atomic and Wilson.
“The Mountain Sport Company”, Salomon was born in 1947 in the heart of the French Alps and the birthplace of modern alpinism. Salomon’s commitment to innovative design and passion for mountain sports created a vast range of revolutionary new concepts in bindings, boots, skis and apparel for both Alpine and Nordic skiing and brought innovative solutions to footwear, apparel and equipment for snowboarding, adventure racing, mountaineering, hiking, trail running, and many other sports.
Through performance driven design, Salomon delivers innovation and progression to mountain sports; converting new ideas into action and expanding the limits of possibility. Salomon’s heritage, culture, and commitment are tied together by one simple concept: the world’s leading mountain people creating the world’s leading mountain products. Salomon is responsibly committed towards the outdoor through its sustainability program. Diversity is one of Salomon’s five values, therefore we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.
Salomon is headquartered in Annecy, France.
Job Description
Do you have a passion for winter sports and a strong connection to the retail landscape?
Join Salomon as Area Sales Manager to drive sales performance across Alpine, Nordic, and Protective categories in Central Switzerland (BE, NW, OB, UR, LU, BL, BS, SO, Oberwallis), build strong and lasting partnerships with key retailers, and deliver a premium brand experience in the field.
This is a highly field-based, customer-facing role that combines commercial ownership, technical product expertise, and relationship management in a competitive, performance-oriented environment.
The Area Sales Manager (ASM) drives sales and represents the brand to achieve significant sales targets for Salomon and to deliver an exceptional consumer experience across assigned accounts and omni-channel touchpoints. The ASM builds long-term partnerships with key specialty retailers by developing joint plans that benefit both Salomon and its partners.
Sales & Distribution
Achieve seasonal sales and distribution targets across the defined territory and customer portfolio
Plan, execute, and monitor revenue and growth objectives, ensuring strong commercial performance
Develop and implement a seasonal plan tailored to your territory, aligned with Salomon’s brand strategy and priorities
Present new collections, manage order intake, and drive successful sell-in activities
Identify sales, distribution, and marketing opportunities within your territory and customer base
Customer Management & Relationship Building
Build, maintain, and develop strong, long-term partnerships with retail customers
Act as the primary point of contact for your accounts, ensuring high levels of trust, service, and collaboration
Acquire new customers while developing existing accounts through regular visits and business reviews
Lead the full sales cycle: product presentations, negotiations, offer management, and closing
Product Expertise & Consumer Experience
Deliver expert product presentations across Alpine, Nordic, and Protective categories
Train retail staff (Shop Pro trainings) to ensure a high level of product knowledge and best-in-class consumer experience
Increase and maximize in-store brand visibility through product assortments and seasonal storytelling
Ensure excellent customer service, reliable delivery, and high-quality after-sales support
Market Intelligence & Reporting
Monitor market trends, competitor activities, and customer needs in the winter sports industry
Act as the voice of the market internally, providing insights and recommendations
Prepare and review customer performance reports and share key learnings with internal stakeholders
Events & Brand Activation
Organize and support test days, trade fairs, and winter sports events
Drive consumer engagement and brand visibility within your territory
Cross-functional Collaboration
Work closely with marketing, product, and logistics teams to optimize assortments, promotions, and launches
Collaborate with internal sales teams to share best practices and maximize overall performance
Qualifications
Essential skills & experience
5-10 years of experience in sales, ideally as an Area Sales Manager within the sports or outdoor industry
Strong experience in the winter sports market (Alpine, Nordic, Protective categories preferred)
Proven ability to build and manage B2B relationships and retail partnerships
Strong commercial mindset with excellent negotiation and closing skills
High level of autonomy, organization, and a proactive, hands-on approach
Excellent communication and presentation skills
Strong customer focus and ability to adapt to different stakeholders
Essential Competencies
Customer Focus: You place customer needs at the center of your decisions and actively advocate on their behalf. You act as a trusted advisor, building long-term partnerships and contributing to strategic discussions that enhance the customer’s offering, even when it requires balancing short-term priorities for long-term mutual benefit.
Relationship Building: You build and maintain strong, effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. You demonstrate strong interpersonal awareness, understand others’ motivations, and foster positive interactions, using your ability to connect and collaborate to create mutually beneficial outcomes.
Drive for Results: You are driven to achieve and exceed targets, consistently going beyond expectations. You proactively seek new and more efficient ways of working, challenge existing processes, and continuously improve standard practices to deliver stronger and more sustainable results.
Desired Qualifications
Fluent in German and professional level in English (French or Italian is a plus)
Solid knowledge of IT systems (Microsoft Office) and the ability to quickly learn new tools
Degree in business, sales, or a related field
Additional Information
Field-based role covering Central Switzerland
High level of travel required (~4 days per week)
Regular presence in Cham (Zug) office and showrooms (Aigle) required depending on business cycles
Contract: Permanent, full-time position (100%)