Commercial Manager

DCS Group Ltd; Oxford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading FMCG distributor is seeking a candidate to manage category growth within Wholesale, Convenience, E-commerce, and Health sectors. Responsibilities include developing joint business plans and identifying revenue opportunities. The ideal candidate has experience in driving growth within the FMCG sector, along with strong communication and negotiation skills. DCS Group offers a supportive work environment with benefits like life assurance and a medical cash plan.

Benefits

Annual salary Life Assurance plan

Medical Cash Plan

Cycle to Work Scheme

Holiday Purchase Scheme

Subsidised café including free breakfast

1 additional holiday day for every 2 years of service

Social & charity team events

Qualifications

• Experience with category management in FMCG or Health & Beauty sectors.
• Ability to create and implement joint business plans.
• Understanding of brand strategy and P&L management.

Responsibilities

• Drive category growth within various sectors.
• Develop joint business plans with suppliers.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels.

Skills

Driving category growth

Revenue opportunities identification

Data interpretation and presentation

Strong communication skills

Negotiation skills

Relationship building

Education

Experience in FMCG sector

Job description

Responsibilities

• You will be responsible for owning and developing category growth within the Wholesale, Convenience, E-commerce and Health sectors for the worlds largest Health and Beauty brands.
• Partnering closely with the supplier's strategic team, you'll drive their brand strategy by developing and executing joint business plans.
• Identify and act on revenue generating opportunities for both the supplier.
• Providing channel customers with a tailored category management approach, offering them a range of products and promotions to meet their individual needs.
• Communicating and negotiating at all levels, both internally and externally, developing a clear communication channel between our sales team and all supported customers.
• Growing the DCS brand, representing at DCS meetings, events and seminars, building strong relationships with a variety of networks, including customers and suppliers.
• Increasing cash-flow by managing supplier aged/disputed debt and recovering costs associated with residuals, overstocks and out of date stock. As a family business, we place a great deal of importance on the well‑being and happiness of our staff and the benefits they can enjoy.

Benefits

• Annual salary Life Assurance plan
• Medical Cash Plan
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Holiday Purchase Scheme
• 1 additional day holiday for each 2 years of service
• Subsidised cafe including free breakfast
• Staff Shop - with products from all the brands we work with!
• Social & charity team events

Qualifications

You could have come from a previous Sales, Category development, Brand management, merchandising or similar commercial role from within the FMCG sector with direct experience in some or all of the criteria listed below;

Category Management & Commercial Acumen

• Experience in driving category growth, ideally within FMCG or Health & Beauty.
• Ability to identify revenue opportunities and implement strategic plans.
• Strong understanding of product, pricing, promotions, and placement in diverse channels.
• Experience managing a P&L & investment spend ownership

Channel Expertise

• Knowledge of Wholesale, Convenience, E-commerce, Discounter, Retail and Pharmacy sectors.
• Experience tailoring approaches for different retail environments and customer needs.

Strategic Planning & Execution

• Ability to co‑create and implement joint business plans with suppliers.
• Understanding of brand strategy and how to align it with business goals.

Stakeholder Management & Communication

• Strong communication and negotiation skills at all levels (internal sales teams, suppliers, and B2C customers).
• Proven relationship‑building ability, representing the brand professionally in meetings, events, and seminars.

Analytical & Problem‑Solving Skills

• Experience interpreting and presenting confidently on category data.
• Experience managing and resolving aged/disputed debt, and cost recovery from residual or obsolete stock.
• Financial acumen and attention to detail to monitor cash flow and commercial performance.

Project & Time Management

• Ability to manage multiple initiatives across various channels and stakeholders simultaneously.

About DCS Group

DCS Group is the UK's leading distributor, manufacturer, and exporter of health, beauty, and household brands. We are proud to be the exclusive UK partner for global names such as Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Kenvue, PZ Cussons, and SC Johnson, alongside our own Enliven brand. Our business is growing fast, with exciting developments in food distribution bringing brands like Whitworths and Danone into our portfolio. With over 30 years of continuous growth, we remain a family‑owned business that values people, passion, and performance. We operate from two fantastic sites: a 26‑acre head office and warehouse in Banbury, and a state‑of‑the‑art 100,000 sq. ft manufacturing facility in Redditch. Joining DCS means being part of a dynamic, supportive team, working with some of the world's biggest FMCG brands and helping us build the next big ones too.