International Sales Director

Coopers Fire is seeking a commercially strong, strategically aligned International Sales Director to reshape, rebuild and grow our export business.

Following a recent decline in export revenue, this role is central to delivering our next phase of international growth. The successful candidate will implement our proven UK specification-led sales model globally, strengthen distributor performance, and build a high-performing international team.

This is not a role for someone looking to reinvent the strategy. Our UK approach works. The opportunity is to execute it internationally with discipline, professionalism, and energy.

• Rebuild export revenue toward and beyond historic levels

• Recruit two Export Specification Sales Managers

• Appoint new distributors in Scandinavia, Central Europe and selected Southeast Asian markets

• Improve service levels and professional standards across the international distributor network

• Strengthen forecasting accuracy and commercial visibility to support manufacturing and engineering

• Responsible for delivering international revenue and margin targets

• Drive revenue growth, margin improvement, and commercial discipline

• Control export pricing strategy and distributor commercial terms (in alignment with the Managing Director)

• Roll out Coopers Fire’s UK specification model internationally

• Ensure distributors protect and convert UK-originated global specifications

• Develop in-country specification capability to prevent competitive substitution at detailed design stage

• Drive CPD-led architect engagement and passive fire education internationally

• Recruit, appoint and, where necessary, replace distributors

• Establish clear KPIs, performance expectations and behavioural standards

• Build closer, more professional relationships with distributor principals

• Ensure distributors operate with integrity and alignment to Coopers Fire’s standards

• Conduct regular in-market visits to strengthen relationships and accountability

• Lead UK-based Export Sales Managers

• Recruit and manage overseas Specification Sales Managers in key territories

• Build a structured, process-driven export function

• Drive accountability, clarity and performance across the team

• Deliver structured export forecasting to support manufacturing planning

• Feed market intelligence into engineering to influence product development

• Provide commercially grounded input into R&D investment decisions

• Contribute actively to broader company strategy as a member of the Senior Management Team

• Significant experience in passive fire protection or construction product sales

• Proven success managing international distributor networks

• Strong understanding of specification-led selling (architects, consultants, major projects)

• Experience leading multi-territory sales teams

• Commercially astute

• Process-oriented and disciplined in forecasting and reporting

• Comfortable working closely with manufacturing and engineering functions

• Strategically aligned and able to execute an established playbook

• Collaborative and able to work closely with the Managing Director

• Commercially serious, personally grounded

• Energetic and motivated by growth challenges

• Prepared to challenge constructively, but not disruptively

• Enjoys building strong, long-term professional relationships

This role is UK Head Office based and requires regular international travel to support distributors, recruit partners, and develop in-market specification capability.

This is a pivotal leadership role at Coopers Fire. The International Sales Director will directly influence revenue growth, global brand positioning, distributor professionalism, and long-term international expansion.

The right individual will help establish a stronger, more disciplined, and more strategically aligned global presence for Coopers Fire.