Sales Trainee

About the Role

The 2027 Consumer Sales Trainee Development Program offers a career opportunity at Smurfit Westrock, a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging. This program is designed to build commercial readiness and accelerate career growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Participate in a structured development program designed to build commercial readiness and accelerate career growth.
• Gain exposure to key business functions through cross-functional learning experiences across Manufacturing, Commercial Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service.
• Receive support and coaching from managers, mentors, and peer buddies throughout the program.
• Gain a strong working knowledge of the complete folding carton, insert & label manufacturing and sales process and unique capabilities across Consumer Sales.
• Foster strong and effective plant, sales, and customer relationships.
• Demonstrate a thorough, proactive problem-solving and service mindset.
• Understand how Smurfit Westrock onboards new business, resolves quality issues, and services customers from design development to manufacturing to distribution.
• Gain exposure to the breadth of capabilities across Smurfit Westrock.
• Work with the marketing, design, and pricing teams to understand the industry, end markets, consumer behaviors and needs, market segments, geographies, customers & competitors to develop an effective prospecting plan for profitable growth.
• Observe sales presentations and receive coaching on customer-oriented selling tools and presentations.
• Understand and be able to communicate Smurfit Westrock key value differentiators and how they contribute to revenue.
• Develop under a sales mentor to better understand the day-to-day responsibilities of a sales representative.
• Support sales activities to help achieve sales goals and foster excellent customer relationships.
• Attend Smurfit Westrock sponsored sales trainings and meetings.
• Partner with Design, Estimating, and Pricing teams to understand how Smurfit Westrock creates value for customers.
• Participate in prospecting and business development activities to support new business growth.
• Develop a strong end-to-end understanding of Smurfit Westrock's value propositions and key competitive differentiators.
• Build the technical, commercial, and relationship management skills needed for long-term success in a customer-facing sales role.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• CRM
• Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint)

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an accredited program in packaging, graphic communication, or business-related field.
• Demonstrate leadership capabilities that reflect core values of safety, integrity, loyalty, and respect.
• Drive results and willingness to continue to search for customer solutions in a complex, challenging sales environment.
• Ability to build robust market intelligence to identify key industry challenges and deliver targeted, impactful solutions.
• Strong ability to solve multi-dimensional problems and make clear, concise, and viable recommendations.
• Ability to proactively and effectively develop and execute creative approaches to identifying new business opportunities.
• Excellent time management skills and ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills – excellent presentation and active listening skills; highly collaborative style and comfort working with all levels.
• Highly self-motivated with a proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, target-driven environment that rewards a hunter mindset.
• Skilled at cultivating strong relationships with internal teams and external partners to deliver best-in-class service and support.
• Natural curiosity and commitment to learning; ability to self-pace learning within a manufacturing environment.
• Intercultural awareness.
• Must be willing to relocate for training program and for permanent role based on business needs.
• Candidates are required to undergo a drug screening after receiving a conditional job offer, but before starting employment.