Commercial Manager - Foodservice

MaxAd Fixed Fee Recruitment; Leeds; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

MaxAd Fixed Fee Recruitment is seeking a commercially driven Commercial Manager based in Leeds to lead the Foodservice channel. This pivotal role involves driving revenue and margin growth by targeting new business opportunities and establishing long-term partnerships across various sectors including pubs and restaurants. The ideal candidate will possess proven experience in Foodservice sales and category management, with a strong focus on negotiation and strategic thinking. This is a high-impact role with significant potential for growth and influence within the company.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in Foodservice sales, category management, or business development.
• Experience in poultry or frozen food categories is highly desirable.
• Commercially astute with strong negotiation and margin management capability.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of the Foodservice channel strategy.
• Identify and win new business opportunities across various sectors.
• Build and nurture long-term client relationships.

Skills

Foodservice sales experience

Category management

Business development

Negotiation skills

Relationship-building

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Job description

Overview

An ambitious and commercially driven Commercial Manager is required to take ownership of a growing and high-potential Foodservice channel within a well-established and fast-moving food business. This is a high-impact, standalone role offering the opportunity to shape and build a channel from the ground up, developing long-term partnerships across pubs, restaurants, hotels and catering groups while driving significant revenue and margin growth. Working closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams, you will combine business development expertise with category insight to position the business as a trusted supply partner across multiple food categories.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of the Foodservice channel strategy, driving revenue and margin growth
• Identify, target and win new business opportunities across pubs, restaurants, hotels and catering groups
• Build and nurture long-term client relationships, acting as a trusted commercial partner
• Manage and develop a robust sales pipeline, delivering against agreed growth targets
• Drive profitable growth across the full product portfolio, including meats and poultry
• Shape the Foodservice category proposition to meet evolving operator needs and market trends
• Collaborate with Commercial, Buying and NPD teams to deliver tailored and private label solutions
• Lead commercial negotiations including pricing, contracts and long-term supply agreements
• Work closely with Supply Chain and Technical teams to ensure service delivery and product quality
• Represent the business at industry events and customer meetings to strengthen market presence
• Provide regular reporting, forecasting and commercial insight to senior leadership

Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in Foodservice sales, category management or business development
• Experience working with poultry or frozen food categories (highly desirable)
• Commercially astute with strong negotiation and margin management capability
• Ability to operate autonomously while influencing cross-functional teams
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate insight into commercial action

This exciting new opportunity would ideally suit a driven and entrepreneurial individual who thrives on building something from the ground up. You\'ll have the autonomy to shape strategy, the backing of an established business and the chance to make a genuine impact on long-term growth.

If you\'re looking for a role where you can take full ownership of a Foodservice channel and drive meaningful commercial success, we\'d love to hear from you. Apply now!