Commercial Director

COREcruitment Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 144,000 - 176,000; Full time

Job summary

COREcruitment Ltd is recruiting a Commercial Director for a leading food production business. The role leads the commercial function, shapes strategy, and drives growth through existing accounts and new markets.

The successful candidate will combine strategic vision with operational execution, influencing at board level and delivering sustainable profitability as the business scales.

Qualifications

• Proven senior commercial leadership in the food production sector.
• Track record of delivering revenue growth and improving profitability.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary commercial teams.
• Strong strategic thinking with ability to translate objectives into plans.
• Influence at board level and across all business areas.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive commercial strategy aligned with growth plans.
• Lead, inspire and develop the commercial function with accountability.
• Identify and secure new business opportunities and markets.
• Drive growth across existing accounts and strategic partnerships.
• Own commercial performance, revenue growth, margins and profitability.
• Collaborate with Operations, Production, Finance, Supply Chain and NPD.
• Lead major customer negotiations and strategic partnerships.
• Introduce robust KPIs and reporting for visibility and decision-making.
• Shape wider business strategy and participate in investment decisions.
• Be a key member of the senior leadership team.

Skills

Senior leadership

Revenue growth

Strategic planning

People leadership

Negotiations

Job description

Commercial Director – Leading Food Production Business – £160K + Benefits

My client is a leading food production business with a brilliant reputation and exciting ambitious growth plans.

They are seeking a Commercial Director to join their team. With the business preparing to embark on a significant period of growth, this is an opportunity to join an established and successful organisation where there is real scope to shape the commercial strategy, drive business performance and play a fundamental role in its next phase of development.

We are looking for an exceptional commercial leader who can combine strategic vision with strong operational execution, bringing the experience, energy and leadership capability to unlock new opportunities, strengthen existing customer relationships and deliver sustainable, profitable growth.

Importantly, this role offers a genuine longer-term career opportunity for someone with aspirations to progress into a broader Managing Director position, taking on increased responsibility for the overall leadership and direction of the business.

Responsibilities Include:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive commercial strategy aligned with the company's ambitious growth plans.
• Lead, inspire and develop the commercial function, building a high-performing team with a strong culture of accountability and performance.
• Identify and secure new business opportunities, opening up new markets, channels and customer relationships.
• Drive growth across existing accounts, maximising customer profitability, retention and long-term strategic partnerships.
• Take ownership of commercial performance, revenue growth, margin improvement and overall profitability.
• Work closely with Operations, Production, Finance, Supply Chain and NPD to ensure commercial ambitions are aligned with business capabilities.
• Lead major customer negotiations, strategic partnerships and high-value commercial agreements.
• Introduce robust commercial processes, KPIs and reporting to improve visibility, performance and decision-making.
• Play a key role in shaping the wider business strategy, contributing to investment decisions, organisational development and future growth opportunities.
• Act as a key member of the senior leadership team, influencing the direction, culture and long-term success of the organisation.

The Ideal Commercial Director Candidate:

• Proven experience in a senior commercial leadership position within the food production sector.
• A demonstrable track record of delivering significant revenue growth, improving margins and building profitable customer relationships.
• Experience leading, developing and motivating multi-disciplinary commercial teams.
• Strong strategic thinking, coupled with the ability to translate business objectives into practical commercial plans.
• A confident and credible leader capable of influencing at board level and building relationships across all areas of a business.
• Experience managing major customers, complex negotiations and strategic commercial partnerships.
• A hands-on, entrepreneurial approach, with the energy and ambition to drive change and challenge existing ways of working.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, with an understanding of P&L responsibility and business performance.