Senior Distribution Sales Manager (m/f/d)

Since its inception in 1951 in Tokyo, Japan, Rigaku has been at the forefront of analytical and industrial instrumentation technology. Today, with over 2,000 employees in more than 60 countries and with hundreds of major innovations to its credit, the Rigaku group of companies is a world leader in the fields of general X-ray diffraction, thin film analysis, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, small-angle X-ray scattering, protein and small molecule X-ray crystallography, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray optics, semiconductor metrology, X-ray sources, computed tomography, non-destructive testing, and thermal analysis.
 

• The Senior Distribution Sales Manager (Commercial)/(m/f/d) serves as the strategic and operational leader for Rigaku’s EMEA distributor network. This position owns regional commercial performance, including revenue growth, distributor management, market development, and quota achievement.
• The role provides day-to-day leadership for the entire EMEA distribution team, including:
• Distribution Sales Managers
• The Senior Technical Distribution Manager, who provides technical support
• A key part of this position is maintaining a strong commercial interface with Rigaku headquarters, ensuring alignment on global commercial strategy, pricing, product availability, and market direction.
• Additionally, the role collaborates closely with the Application Lab team, ensuring that customer requirements, application needs, and field insights are shared consistently to support successful sales processes and product positioning.

• Lead the complete EMEA distribution sales organization, including the Senior Technical Distribution Manager.
• Set commercial priorities, define regional strategy, and ensure consistent execution across distributors.
• Own regional revenue performance and achieve defined sales and margin targets.
• Oversee forecasting, pipeline management, and yearly sales planning within the distributor network.

• Manage and develop distributor relationships to ensure effective market coverage and performance.
• Define KPIs, conduct structured quarterly business reviews, and implement corrective actions when needed.
• Support distributor onboarding and commercial capability development.
• Optimize channel setup, territory allocation, and distributor assignments.

• Act as the primary commercial link to Rigaku headquarters, ensuring two-way communication on:
• Pricing strategies and commercial policies
• Product availability, roadmap updates, and supply forecasts
• Market intelligence and competitive insights from the EMEA region
• Align EMEA commercial strategy with global business objectives and corporate guidelines.
• Collaborate with HQ sales, marketing, and leadership teams to support global initiatives.

• Maintain an active working relationship with the Application Lab team, ensuring smooth coordination on:
  • Sample measurements and customer evaluation projects
  • Technical feedback from the field
  • Application trends and emerging requirements
• Coordinate with the Senior Technical Distribution Manager to align technical support with commercial priorities.
• Ensure the distribution team receives timely application-related input to strengthen proposal quality.

• Analyze market trends, competitive developments, and growth opportunities to build actionable commercial strategies.
• Support marketing activities to enhance brand visibility and lead generation.
• Ensure compliance with commercial governance, pricing structures, and discount policies.

• Provide accurate and timely sales forecasts, market reports, and strategic updates.
• Drive CRM discipline and structured account planning within the distribution team.
• Represent the EMEA distribution channel internally in management and strategic discussions.

• Strong commercial leadership with excellent channel management skills.
• Ability to influence, negotiate, and drive commercial execution.
• Excellent communication skills across levels - from distributors to headquarters management.
• Structured and analytical mindset with strong business planning capabilities.
• Ability to lead both commercial and technical team members toward common goals.

• Proven experience in commercial management of distributors and achieving sales targets in a B2B or high-tech environment.
• Strong commercial planning, channel development, and market strategy skills.
• Experience working with international headquarters in a matrix organization.
• Understanding of analytical instrumentation markets is beneficial.
• Comfortable collaborating with application specialists and technical teams.
• Proficiency with CRM software (e.g., Salesforce) and Microsoft Office tools.
• Degree in business, economics, or a related field; scientific or technical understanding is an advantage but not required.
• Willingness to travel approximately 40–50% across Europe and internationally.

• A multinational work environment.
• An attractive compensation package that rewards your expertise and dedication.
• Performance-based bonuses that recognise your hard work and contributions.
• Opportunities for continuous learning and career advancement
• A modern work environment with state-of-the-art office facilities and technology.
• A supportive and inclusive workplace with a focus on teamwork and innovation.