Hire sales people in Italy
A local seller who speaks the language and knows the customers is often the first hire a US company makes in Italy. The details that matter are commissions, the car and the travel.
Usual CCNL
Commerce and services (Terziario). Senior sales leaders can be hired as quadro or under the executives agreement.
Typical roles
Account executives, key account managers, business development, country manager, presales and solution engineers, customer success.
Where they are
Milan for most B2B buyers and headquarters. Rome for public sector, energy and telecoms. Bologna, Turin and the Veneto for industrial clients.
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] |
What to know
- Commissions are salary. They carry social contributions and count toward the TFR. Budget for that when you set the plan.
- Write the plan down. Targets, payout dates and what happens on exit should be in a written plan. Vague plans lead to disputes.
- Company car. Common for field sales. A car for business and private use is taxed as a benefit at a flat percentage, often cheaper than a raise. We manage leasing, fuel cards and tolls.
- Travel and expenses. Daily allowances and reimbursed expenses have tax-free limits. We process them in the payslip.
- Productivity bonus. Up to €5,000 a year can be taxed at 1% under a qualifying company plan. [confirm 2026 income limit]
- Employee, not agent. Italy also has commercial agents, a separate contract type with its own rules. If the person works only for you and under your direction, employment is the safer setup.
Cost example
An account executive on [€ base] plus commissions: the total employer cost moves with the payout each month. The calculator shows the base cost. Add commissions as extra gross pay.