Introduction
An opportunity for the truly adventurous, as Sales Director for the UK you’ll scale this PE backed organic pet food brand and build for a successful future sale. Our client is both ambitious and bold and this represents a brilliant time to join an exciting and growing premium category, backed with good levels of investment that will support a compelling brand story.
The Role
The UK Sales Director will be part of the Senior Management Team and responsible for developing relationships and ultimately successful distribution at pace, coupled with strong activation plans in order to drive ROS that will meet ambitious company and customer targets. Crucial to this will be the need to be genuinely hands on and operational, as well as strategically capable. There will also be a key requirement to build a team as the distribution begins to build, ensuring relevant resources are provided in the right areas at the right time, in order to brilliantly execute customer strategies and JBP’s.
Areas of focus will include:
LEAD UK SALES AGENDA:
- Devise and execute sales strategy across all appropriate channels and customers
- Build appropriate team / resource as UK business scales
MANAGE PORTFOLIO OF STRATEGIC CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS:
- Set and agree channel / customer strategies
- Nurture and grow customer relationships, in tandem with driving new business to meet all brand and business KPI’s including brand distribution, in-store display & visibility, volume, revenue & profit.
- Leverage the success to date and category trends etc., bringing it to life in an engaging and inspiring manner
DEVELOP LONG TERM STRATEGY:
- Develop 3 year + commercial strategy
- Devise compelling JBP’s that are appropriately developed to cover both push and pull programmes
- Incorporate relevant promotional programmes and strategies to drive and maximise sales and profit mix across portfolio / SKUs
BIGGER PICTURE LEADERSHIP:
- Positively contributes as a leader of the business beyond functional remit by leading and conducting regular review meetings with the CEO and SLT, with on-going business updates and communication as appropriate
The successful candidate will have a clear and open mandate to truly own and drive the Sales agenda. They MUST therefore be capable and comfortable with a hybrid and flexible approach, by being strategically strong as well as being immersed, genuinely “hands on” and in the detail. Working in an environment that lacks the structure of big business should excite rather than feel daunting! The commercials are ambitious and this role is for someone equally ambitious and who is excited by the opportunity of sharing in that success and creating a lasting legacy.
You must be able to demonstrate
Strong values and a sense of ambition and hunger are central to the success of the brands in the UK. Integral to these are the ability to be authentic, an approach that builds a genuine sense of trust and openness, acting with integrity at all times. The successful individual will be highly capable, experienced and possess a demonstrable track record of growing and / or scaling consumer brands within the UK grocery retail landscape. Exposure to and understanding of the Specialist Pet channel would be advantageous. You must have previous experience and a “schooling” within a blue-chip FMCG branded goods organisation, but just as critically, you will ideally have a challenger and entrepreneurial mind set and the hunger to “explode” a commercial opportunity. You will have a natural thirst and desire to take ownership and have autonomy as well as be able work at pace and without large infrastructure, process or frameworks. You will also need a natural gravitas and strong influencing / relationship building capability.
Operating under Private Equity ownership, the successful candidate should have the capability and attitude to thrive in an ambitious growth culture, where the drive for results and commercial success is at the forefront of the day to day agenda. Therefore, prior exposure, appreciation and experience of different ownership structures would align well.
In order to be considered, the successful applicant will be able to satisfy the criteria below:
- Proven Sales leadership experience at Head of or Director level
- A career in blue chip FMCG, gained from the sizeable food, drink or categories and ideally with particular understanding / experience selling and executing commercial plans with the “big four” supermarkets
- Experience of building and scaling brands in an SME environment highly desirable
- Track record of New Business development
- Proven experience of building successful teams
- Brand centric and commercial – proven ability at marrying brand building with the bottom line
- An appreciation for the role of pets in the life of humans!
Interested applicants should apply below or email andyyoung@bpesearch.com with an up to date CV, package details and Ref: AYRH29405 in the subject line.
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