Location: Preston

Employment: Full-time

Industry: Industrial Textiles / Technical Fabrics / Distribution

About the role:

We are looking for an experienced and commercially driven Business Development Manager/Product Manager – Industrial Textiles to join our growing team.

This is a sales-led role focused on growing revenue, developing new customers and markets, and strengthening relationships with existing customers across the industrial textile sector.

You will be responsible for identifying new business opportunities, managing key customer relationships, developing sales pipelines and working closely with customers to understand their applications and material requirements.

The role will also have a product management component, working alongside our existing product management team to support the development, positioning, sourcing and growth of industrial textile products.

This is an ideal opportunity for someone who understands technical textiles and has the commercial drive to turn that knowledge into sales growth.

Key responsibilities:

Business Development & Sales

- Develop and execute sales strategies to grow the industrial textiles category.
- Identify and develop new customers, applications and market opportunities.
- Build strong relationships with manufacturers, fabricators, distributors and other industry stakeholders.
- Manage and grow an existing customer portfolio while actively prospecting for new business.
- Conduct regular customer visits and develop strong relationships with key decision-makers.
- Identify opportunities to introduce new products and increase share of wallet with existing customers.
- Prepare and manage sales pipelines, forecasts and activity plans.




- Work closely with customers to identify problems and recommend appropriate material solutions.
- Negotiate pricing and commercial opportunities within agreed parameters.
- Monitor market activity, competitors and emerging opportunities.
- Attend industry trade shows, exhibitions and customer events.
- Work with the wider sales team to identify cross-selling and new-market opportunities.

Product Management Working alongside the existing product management team, you will also have responsibility for supporting the commercial development of selected industrial textile products.

This will include

- Supporting the selection and introduction of new products.
- Identifying gaps and opportunities within the existing product range.
- Working with suppliers to develop products and improve product offering.
- Providing market feedback to suppliers and the internal product team.
- Supporting product positioning, pricing and go-to-market strategies.
- Working with marketing on product launches, sales tools and promotional activity.
- Monitoring product performance, margins and sales growth.
- Helping manage the product lifecycle and identify opportunities to improve or rationalise the range.
- Providing technical and application knowledge to the sales team.

What we’re looking for: We are looking for someone who is commercially hungry,



customer focused and comfortable selling technical products.

You will ideally have

- Proven B2B sales or business development experience.
- Experience within industrial textiles, technical textiles, fabrics, materials or a related industry.
- A strong understanding of manufacturing and industrial applications.
- A proven ability to develop recent business and grow existing accounts.
- Excellent relationship-building and communication skills.
- Strong commercial awareness and negotiation skills.
- The ability to understand technical products and translate their benefits into customer solutions.
- Strong organisational and CRM skills.
- A proactive approach and the ability to work autonomously.
- A willingness to travel regularly to customers and industry events.

Experience in product management would be advantageous, but strong sales and business development capability is the priority.

What success looks like:

In this role, success will be measured primarily through sales and commercial growth.

You will be expected to:

- Grow revenue and gross profit within the industrial textiles category.
- Win new customers and applications.
- Increase sales with existing customers.
- Build a strong and measurable sales pipeline.
- Develop strategic customer relationships.
- Identify and commercialise new market opportunities.
- Help grow and improve the industrial textile product range.
- Provide meaningful market intelligence to the wider business.

Why join us?

- This is an opportunity to play a key role in growing an established industrial textiles business while having genuine influence over where the product category goes next.

📌 Business Development/Product Manager – Industrial Textiles (Melbourne)
🏢 THE SHANN GROUP
📍 Melbourne