Commercial Director

Vertical Supply Group; Bristol; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading industrial equipment firm in the UK is seeking a Commercial Director responsible for driving revenue growth and operational excellence. The role involves developing strategies, leading sales teams, enhancing customer service, and managing financial performance. Candidates should have over 10 years of experience in commercial leadership, particularly in safety equipment or related sectors, along with strong B2B and B2C sales expertise. Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits are offered.

Benefits

Competitive compensation

Performance-based incentives

Comprehensive benefits

Collaborative leadership team

Qualifications

• 10+ years of leadership experience in commercial roles.
• Proven success in managing sales and customer service teams.
• Strong understanding of pricing strategy and customer engagement.
• Exceptional communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute commercial strategy to drive growth.
• Build and mentor high-performing sales teams.
• Optimize customer service structure for efficiency.
• Manage budgets, forecasts, and P&L performance.

Skills

Commercial leadership

B2B and B2C sales experience

Team building and mentoring

Customer service excellence

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field (MBA preferred)

Job description

Role Overview

The Commercial Director will play a pivotal role in driving revenue growth, customer satisfaction, and operational excellence across the VSG UK sales organisation, incorporating Safety Lifting Gear (SLG) and Honey Brothers (HB).

This strategic leadership position is responsible for developing and executing the commercial strategy, building and scaling high‑performing sales and customer service teams, and ensuring cohesive collaboration between field sales, operations, and marketing.

The successful candidate will be a results‑driven, people‑focused leader with strong experience in B2B and B2C sales environments, ideally within industrial equipment, manufacturing, or safety‑related sectors.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Strategy & Growth

• Develop and execute a commercial strategy to drive growth across Safety Lifting Gear and Honey Brothers in alignment with VSG’s global objectives.
• Identify new market opportunities, customer segments, and product expansion areas.
• Establish KPIs and metrics to measure sales performance, customer satisfaction, and profitability.
• Work collaboratively with Marketing, Operations, and Finance to ensure strategic alignment and execution.

Sales Leadership

• Build, lead, and mentor high-performing sales teams — including inside sales, field representatives, and key account managers.
• Create structure, accountability, and clarity across field and internal sales roles.
• Implement effective territory management, sales pipelines, and performance tracking systems.
• Strengthen relationships with key customers, distributors, and partners to drive growth and retention.
• Lead strategic pricing discussions and oversee discount and margin management policies.

Customer Service & Experience

• Redesign and optimize customer service structure to ensure responsiveness, professionalism, and efficiency across channels.
• Foster a customer‑first culture where service excellence drives competitive advantage.
• Establish service metrics (response times, resolution rates, satisfaction scores) and monitor performance against targets.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain and Operations to ensure customer commitments are met on time and in full.

People Leadership & Culture

• Build a cohesive commercial team culture across SLG and HB — fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Coach, mentor, and develop emerging leaders within the sales and service functions.
• Partner with HR to align organizational structure, talent development, and incentive programs to commercial objectives.
• Champion VSG’s values of Integrity, Safety, Strong Character, and One Global Team.

Financial & Operational Oversight

• Manage sales budgets, forecasts, and P&L performance for SLG and HB commercial operations.
• Ensure data‑driven decision‑making through accurate reporting and analytics.
• Support integration initiatives and system alignment across both brands under VSG.
• Report progress, challenges, and strategic insights to the Group Managing Director and global leadership team.

Qualifications & Experience

• 10+ years of progressive commercial leadership experience, ideally within industrial distribution, manufacturing, safety equipment, or related sectors.
• Proven track record in building and scaling sales and customer service teams.
• Experience managing field sales operations and introducing sales structures, metrics, and accountability frameworks.
• Strong understanding of B2B and B2C sales channels, pricing strategy, and customer engagement best practices.
• Exceptional communication, leadership, and people management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work cross‑functionally with supply chain, operations, and marketing teams.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Commerce, or related field (MBA or equivalent experience preferred).

What We Offer

• A key leadership position within a growing international organization.
• The opportunity to influence strategy and culture across two established and respected brands.
• Competitive compensation, performance‑based incentives, and comprehensive benefits.
• A collaborative, forward‑thinking leadership team committed to continuous improvement and innovation.