Position type: Full time, Permanent

Hours: 37.5 per week, Monday - Friday, 09:00 - 17:30

Benefits: Competitive salary + bonus, private health care + car allowance 

Location: Based at any Zertus UK manufacturing site, with hybrid working and regular travel to all sites and a wide range of customers 

Driving the Commercial Agenda

• Leading the commercial strategy across all channels, including co-manufacturing, export, and multiple retail.
• Developing growth strategies for both private label and branded products.
• Building and nurturing strategic relationships with key customers such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Mars.

Strategic Growth

• Identifying new opportunities for growth across channels, categories, and portfolios in line with our commercial vision.
• Collaborating closely with Marketing and NPD teams to create compelling customer propositions.
• Leading and negotiating major tenders with private label customers.

Commercial Team Leadership

• Inspiring and guiding a high-performing, inclusive team culture.
• Mentoring and developing individuals to build a cohesive and empowered team.
• Driving a culture of ambition, accountability, and pace to exceed performance targets.
• Managing team performance to deliver consistent, measurable results.

Financial and Operational Delivery

• Owning full P&L responsibility for the Sales Team function.
• Ensuring forecast accuracy to support effective planning and operational excellence.
• Driving reductions in obsolescence and waste.
• Managing financial forecasts and providing clear visibility of projections.
• Leading the development and agreement of annual sales and margin budgets.

Business Improvement

• Championing initiatives that simplify processes and enhance efficiency across the business.
• Embedding a continuous improvement mindset within the sales team.

Experience

• Extensive experience working with UK retailers across major multiples, wholesale, food service, convenience, and export.
• Proven background in managing co-manufacturing partnerships.
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing commercial channel strategies to drive profitable growth.
• Experience in both private label and branded product environments.
• FMCG food sector experience.
• Track record of managing accurate forecasting and reducing obsolescence.
• Evidence of driving profitable brand growth.

Competency Requirements

• Strategic thinker with a strong commercial mindset and the ability to deliver growth across multiple channels.
• Exceptionally well-connected, with the ability to build and maintain relationships at all levels.
• Inspirational leader who fosters a high-performance culture and motivates teams to exceed expectations.
• Results-oriented, with a focus on continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Highly resilient with he ability to remain focused and effective under pressure.

Skills

• Strong financial skills and acumen for P&L management, budgeting and forecasting.
• Excellent negotiation skills.
• Curious and analytical with the ability to identify and capitalise on new business opportunities.
• Skilled in stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration, particularly with Marketing and NPD teams.

Qualifications

• Relevant degree or equivalent professional experience in business, sales, or a related field.
• Additional leadership or commercial qualifications, particularly those endorsed by UK retail customers, are advantageous.

• Competitive base salary
• Annual bonus of up to 15% potential 
• Annual car allowance of £7,220 per annum 
• Private medical single, couple or family membership
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• 4% employer pension contributions and Life Assurance at 4x basic salary
• Health Care Cash Plan via Paycare (includes dental, optical, therapy, counselling)
• Access to Paycare Perks for high street and retailer discounts
• Holiday Purchase Scheme – buy up to one extra week per year
• Cycle to Work Scheme and Electric Car Scheme (salary sacrifice, subject to criteria)
• Family-friendly policies, including enhanced maternity/paternity leave
• Annual calendar of engagement and wellbeing activities
• Opportunity to support your local community with one paid volunteering/fundraising day per year
• Access to staff shop discounts
• Monthly employee recognition awards
• Refer a Friend recruitment rewards
• Ongoing training and development opportunities
• Support from GroceryAid

Zertus UK&I develops companies and brands that make delicious snacks, chocolates or seasonal specialities. Innovation is at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on providing market leading service to our strategic partners and consumers. With a broad portfolio of processes, assets and capabilities we offer products that span many categories from nuts and salty snacks to premium hand decorated chocolates and everything in between. We are also incredibly proud to have created and grown the UK's biggest Free-From Chocolate brand with unrivalled technical capabilities and fantastic tasting products that delight consumers. Zertus UK&I collectively comprises of Humdinger Ltd, Kinnerton Confectionery and Lir Chocolates which operate across the UK and Ireland from 6 production facilities, alongside an innovation centre and warehousing facilities. Our manufacturing Locations: Heckington, Sherburn-in-Elmet, Fakenham, Bromborough, Navan (Ireland). We have a hot-desking office space in Hull (East Yorkshire) and also in Camden, London. 

Please let us know if you require any special arrangements or adjustments to be made for your interview by speaking with the Talent Acquisition team at application stage. The provision of this information is likely to include special category data and is therefore covered by data protection laws. We ask for this information so that we are fully aware of any adjustments needed and we will use the information provided to inform our decisions about making those changes.