Commercial Manager - Car (FMCG / Retail)

A leading Foodservice, Retail and SME wholesaler has been rapidly expanding and is seeking an experienced Commercial Manager to lead their team. This is a fantastic opportunity for an FMCG/Retail experienced individual to join a company that offers continuous progression opportunities. This role offers hybrid working.

Salary
Highly competitive + 10% bonus + Car

The primary responsibility of this role is to translate the trading and marketing plans in to a clear, KPI focused, execution plan across our independent store network. Working closely with the trading and marketing teams the individual will align on what good looks like for our stores and develop tangible plans for implementation as well as tracking performance against these plans.

-Function Management

· Contribute to the implementation of the overall business strategy

· Identify and implement improvement projects identified with the Retail Sales Director

· Provide support for Group wide initiatives and support implementation across independent retail stores

· Ensure that management practices remain true to the organisational values

· Work cross-functionally to assist in delivery of all departmental plans and budgets in line with agreed objectives and fostering inter-departmental co-operation

-Growing the Business

· Develop and deliver annual sales budget in conjunction with the Sales team and Retail Sales director, ensuring appropriate supporting business plans are developed and delivered for all independent retail stores

· Develop key sales driving initiatives and translate into actionable initiatives

· Identify and prepare business cases for opportunities to grow sales across our independent retail stores, e.g. store reformatting, introduction of concessions, introduction of new services

· Support the Retail Sales team retention strategy and internal business case paper development process

· Support the preparation of business cases for acquisitions and new stores

-Customer (Internal & External) Relationships

· Develop strong working relationships with our Trading and Marketing teams to ensure that the best execution plans are created and implemented in our independent retail stores.

· Develop strong working relationships with our CO Commercial team to steal with pride key initiatives/processes that can be adopted from Company Owned and implemented in our independent retail stores.

· Develop and maintain strong partnership with our SVC Sales team and the Retail Accounts team to ensure that our business retention strategy is as effective as possible.

· Develop strong working relationship with Finance and IT to support the development of appropriate reporting processes that support the tracking/implementation of our sales strategy

-Drive Sales Performance

· Working with the Retail Sales director set strategic direction for maintaining predominant retailing position by implementing the sales strategy and cascading it to relevant colleagues through individual action plans.

· Working with the Trading and Marketing team develop a What Good Looks Like toolkit for execution across independent retail stores

· Set clear KPI targets that support the delivery of the annual sales plan and implement tracking and reporting processes as appropriate

· Identify and exploit new commercial opportunities working with the Retail sales director.

The Ideal Candidate

· 5 years+ of progressive experience in a Senior Commercial Sales or Business Development role within a fast-paced, large and complex business environment

· Proven experience in the retail or FMCG sector including a track record of driving sales and delivering exceptional business results

· Proven people management and leadership experience

· Track record of establishing, developing and maintaining strong customer relationships

· Ability to build and sustain relationships that deliver results and build trust with a variety of internal and external stakeholders and partners

· Business savvy with excellent judgement, ability to determine the right strategic approach, make decisions at pace and adapt course quickly when required

· Excellent interpersonal, communication and management skills with the ability to interact and influence effectively at all levels across the division and business and to get things done

· Strong commercial acumen, highly data rational and numbers orientated

· Excellent flexibility and adaptability within management style

· Tenacity and innovation to exploit commercial opportunities

·Third level degree or other relevant experience