Your first seller in Italy
Italian buyers want to meet someone local who speaks their language and knows their industry. For many Nordic companies the first Italian hire is therefore a seller. What needs care: the commission plan, the car and the travel.
Usual CCNL
Commerce and services (Terziario). Senior sales leaders can be hired as quadro or under the executives' agreement.
Roles
Account executives, key account managers, business development, country manager, presales and solution engineers, customer success.
Where
Milan for most B2B buyers and head offices. Rome for public sector, energy and telecoms. Bologna, Turin and the Veneto for industrial customers.
Salary bands
| Role | Base salary | Variable |
|---|---|---|
| Account executive | [€ range to verify] | [% of base] |
| Key account manager | [€ range to verify] | [% of base] |
| Country manager | [€ range to verify] | [% of base] |
Points to settle
- Commission is salary. It carries contributions and counts for the TFR. Budget it that way.
- A written plan. Targets, payout dates and what happens on exit, all in writing. Vague plans end in disputes.
- Company car. Normal for field sales. Private use is taxed as a benefit at a flat share, often cheaper than a raise. We handle leasing, fuel cards and tolls.
- Travel. Daily allowances and reimbursed expenses have tax-free limits; we process them in the payslip.
- Productivity bonus. A qualifying company plan lets up to €5,000 a year be taxed at just 1%. [confirm 2026 income limit]
- Employee, not agent. Italy also has commercial agents with their own contract type. If the person sells only for you and under your direction, employment is the safer set-up.
- Signing contracts. A seller who regularly concludes contracts in your name can create a taxable presence for your company in Italy. Agree with us how authority to sign is handled.
Cost example
An account executive on [€ base] plus commission: the employer cost moves with each month's payout. The calculator shows the base; add commission as extra gross pay.