Commercial Manager

Zest Food Jobs; Greater London; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Zest Food Jobs is seeking a Commercial Manager to cover maternity leave for 12 months, managing a portfolio linked to a major UK food brand. The role is based on-site in North London with travel to customer sites.

You will own end-to-end relationship management, from strategic planning to day-to-day account activity, and collaborate across Marketing, Supply Chain and Insights to deliver growth.

Qualifications

• Solid background in commercial or account management.
• Experience in FMCG, food production, or retail.
• Strong budgeting, forecasting and financial planning skills.
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel.

Responsibilities

• Build and own Joint Business Plans.
• Main contact for key customer stakeholders, nurturing partnerships.
• Manage budgets, forecasts, and reporting with accuracy.
• Spot growth opportunities using market data and insights.
• Review promotions and improve ROI.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Supply Chain, Category, Insight, NPD, and Operations.
• Represent the customer's perspective in internal discussions.
• Support junior members of the commercial team.

Skills

Commercial mindset

Account management

Negotiation

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Education

Relevant degree

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

MS Office

Job description

Looking for your next step into major retail accounts? We are working with a well-established name in UK food manufacturing which is looking for a Commercial Manager to cover maternity leave for 12 months, managing a portfolio linked to one of the country's best-known food brands.

This is a great-fit role for someone who enjoys owning customer relationships end-to-end — from strategic planning through to day-to-day account management — and wants exposure to major retail accounts within a well-known FMCG environment.

You'll be based on-site (North London), with travel to customer sites and meetings forming part of the role.

The Role

Reporting into the Senior Commercial Manager, you'll take charge of a dedicated customer portfolio, with accountability for sales performance, margin, and volume targets. Day to day, this will involve:

• Building and owning Joint Business Plans.
• Acting as the main point of contact for key customer stakeholders, nurturing long-term partnerships
• Managing budgets, forecasts, and reporting with a high level of accuracy
• Spotting growth opportunities using market data, customer insight, and commercial analysis
• Reviewing promotional campaigns and recommending improvements to drive better ROI
• Partnering with teams across Marketing, Supply Chain, Category, Insight, NPD, and Operations to deliver joined-up customer solutions
• Representing the customer's perspective in internal discussions and decision-making
• Supporting more junior members of the commercial team

What We're Looking For

• Solid background in commercial or account management roles
• Experience gained in FMCG, food production, or retail sectors
• Confident negotiator with strong influencing skills
• Track record of managing customer accounts and hitting growth targets
• Comfortable with budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning
• Strong communicator, able to manage relationships at all levels
• Proficient in Excel, PowerPoint, and the wider Microsoft Office suite
• Full UK driving licence, with flexibility to travel

Ideally you will have:

• A relevant degree or equivalent professional experience
• Previous exposure to major UK retail customers

This is a great opportunity to join this reputable business, to work on a well-known brand with a top UK retail account. You'll become a key member of a supportive close knit team and will be able to make an immediate, visible impact.