Commercial Assistant / Executive - Food

Zest; Bilsthorpe CP; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food ingredients company in the United Kingdom is seeking a Commercial Assistant/Executive to provide vital support to the sales team and enhance customer experiences. The ideal candidate will possess commercial acumen and a proactive approach, ideally with a year of sales experience in FMCG. This role offers excellent career development prospects within a dynamic, collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• At least a year of sales experience in FMCG is preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to handle multiple priorities and thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and commercial support to the sales team.
• Act as a primary point of contact for customer queries.
• Support internal forecasting and align commercial plans.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Relationship-building

Analytical skills

Proactive approach

Customer service

Education

University degree

Job description

Are you passionate about food and excited by innovation? We're looking for a Commercial Assistant/Executive to join a successful, growing value added food ingredients company. This company transforms vegetables into bold, exciting ingredients that inspire menus across the food service and manufacturing sectors.

If you're a driven and commercially-savvy professional with a love for food and relationship-building, this could be the perfect opportunity for you. This position is well-suited to someone who enjoys variety, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and is eager to build a strong foundation in commercial operations.

About the role

You will provide vital administrative, analytical, and customer support to ensure the commercial function operates effectively. You will work closely with teams across the organisation to maintain accurate information, share insights, and contribute to delivering an exceptional customer experience.

Day-to-day responsibilities will range from coordinating key commercial processes and preparing clear, insightful reports to assisting with customer presentations and supporting new product launches. As your skills develop, you will have the opportunity to take full ownership of new customer accounts and directly contribute to the company's commercial success.

Key responsibilities

• Providing administrative and commercial support to the sales team, including quotes, orders, forecasts, and contract management.
• Acting as a primary point of contact for customer queries and building strong, professional relationships.
• Supporting internal forecasting and aligning commercial plans with supply chain and NPD teams.
• Assisting with marketing activities, product launches, and the preparation of customer-facing presentations.
• Gathering and sharing market insights to support the Marketing team.
• Generating New Line Forms and working cross-functionally to align forecasts and manage raw material risk for new products.
• Attending internal meetings and supporting the coordination of key information for upcoming customer launches.
• Assisting Account Managers and the NPD team with the creation of presentations and preparation for customer meetings.
• Supporting day-to-day account management, including pricing queries, availability issues, and ad hoc requests.
• Assisting with onsite and offsite customer visits.
• Serving as the administrative point of contact when onboarding new customers.

About you

• Working fully on-site you will be highly motivated, with a proactive, positive approach to work.
• You'll have a love of food coupled with real commercial acumen, creative thinking and the sparkle to succeed.
• This role is for someone who thrives on being busy and a wide variety of work.
• Ideally, you will have at least a year of sales experience in FMCG and will be a graduate.

This role offers excellent prospects for career development within a collaborative environment, with exposure to sales, marketing, supply chain, and NPD. Tailored training and ongoing development will be provided to help you progress.

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