*

I don't like Senior Management. To me, this is 'la DG' + a handful of other directors who do not figure on the DG. So it is too broad.
In most French companies, la DG equates to the legal body le directoire which I find translates very neatly and accurately as the Management Board. (as distinct from the full Board, which will comprise external as well as exec. members).
Headquarters or Head Office refers to a place rather than a body and is far too vague for jobell's text.

1. an executive staff in charge of a program, bureau, department, or major subdivision <astronautics directorate> <four main directorates deal with the various aspects of local government -- Brian Chapman> <a 4-man aircraft directorate created to speed up production> according to Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionnary.
2. - management
-administrative and technical organization
- public administration
synonyms:
general management
top management board
branch,
according to Grand dictionnaire terminologique

This requires some background explanation:

To me, the job description definitely refers to the *person* the sales manager will report to. Suggest sales policy to "direction générale", implement policy decided by "direction générale", etc. It is crystal clear that we are talking about whoever the candidate will report to, in the company's management org chart.

In that case, would one ask, why does the French use "direction générale" instead of "directeur général" ?

In a French "société anonyme", general management can be assumed either directly by the chairman of the board, in which case he will be called "Président Directeur Général" (aka PDG), i.e. Chairman and CEO, or by someone else, who will report to the Chairman and the board, and who will be called "directeur général". In turn, this "directeur général" may also appoint one or several "directeur(s) général(aux) délégué(s)", i.e. deputy managing director(s).

My understanding is therefore that by using "direction générale", the author of the ad meant "whoever assumes general management" at the company.

Now, my firts suggestion above may be too specific, "general management" could be just as vague as the French wording, however I am not sure whether it will make enough sense to the reader... so my suggestion would be to name the exact management duty we are referring to, whoever assumes it.

Anyway, definitely not "headquarters" or "the management board".

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Note added at 9 hrs (2006-10-17 15:07:03 GMT)
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Ok, I just talked to the lawyer next door (that's one of the good things about working in a law firm !), and I was wrong about one thing: a one-board SA with a PDG assuming general management can also appoint one or several "directeur général délégué", i.e. deputy managing directors.

So the SA we are talking about can be one-board or two-board (i.e., either with a "conseil d'administration" or with a "directoire" and a "conseil de surveillance"), and "la direction générale" will refer to whoever assumes general management at any given time: the PDG, the DG (if any), or the deputy DG (if any).

"Direction générale" refers to specific powers within the company, and involves (among other things) being the legal representative of the company. If the company is sued for any reason, the civil or criminal liability (if any) will be assumed by whoever acted as general manager at the time of the prejudice.

In view of that, "general management" is definitely the best choice, so Francis Marc has got the better answer above.

(although definitely not "headquarters).