Controller - Grocery

Britvic; Hemel Hempstead; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A major beverage company based in Hemel Hempstead is seeking a Controller for grocery accounts to lead strategic partnerships and manage financial performance. The successful candidate will inspire a multifunctional team, develop growth strategies, and ensure alignment with grocery customer objectives. You will be an influential leader with a strong background in FMCG, emphasizing accountability, results orientation, and dynamic team development. Competitive salary along with extensive benefits are offered.

Benefits

Monthly product allowance

Private Medical options

Life Assurance

Company bonus scheme

Access to 24/7 GP services

Enhanced pension contribution

High street discounts

Qualifications

• Proven ability to foster an inclusive and high-performing team.
• Track record of excellent performance in FMCG.
• Ability to set clear objectives and high standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead external relationships with grocery customers.
• Develop and deliver robust commercial terms.
• Build account and customer growth strategies.

Skills

Building trust and influence

Strong leadership

Relationship management

Financial risk management

Results orientation

Job description

Job Title: Controller – Grocery

Location: Hemel Hempstead – Hybrid

Job Length: Permanent

Working Hours: Monday – Friday (37.5 hours)

Competitive Salary with extensive benefits:

• Monthly product allowance – alcoholic & non-alcoholic options available
• Private Medical options
• Life Assurance
• Company bonus scheme
• Access to 24/7 GP services
• Enhanced pension contribution
• Access to a range of high street discounts

Carlsberg Britvic is the largest multi‑beverage supplier in the UK and is home to some of the most iconic and popular beers & soft drinks, including Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, 1664, Poretti and Brooklyn to ale favourites such as Hobgoblin and Wainwright. For soft drinks, Carlsberg Britvic’s brands include J2O, Robinsons, Tango and London Essence along with the licence rights to the Pepsi portfolio in the UK including Pepsi MAX, 7UP, Lipton Iced Tea and Rockstar Energy.

With a strong national footprint, the Carlsberg Britvic business includes 5 production facilities and 16 logistics depot’s servicing customers up and down the UK. As these two historical businesses have come together, the one common goal remains, and that is ensuring our people succeed.

About the role

This role has ownership for the external relationship with a leading Grocery customer for Carlsberg Britvic Soft Drinks portfolio. Responsible for leading and inspiring X‑functional team to achieve financial targets and deliver industry leading customer partnerships. Required to lead the business internally amongst peers and central teams, bringing the voice of the customer in and role modelling best practice in a high‑profile Controller role in Carlsberg Britvic UK business.

This role sits within our Off Trade Sales, reporting into the Grocery Account Director.

Responsible for 3 direct reports, 2 indirect reports and 9 x multi‑functional selling team reports.

Role Responsibilities

• Passionate about growing the business through our brands using a range of consumer, shopper and category‑based insights to develop compelling category and commercial growth strategies.
• Develop & deliver robust commercial terms with our grocery customer on aligning business strategies and designing investment structures that optimise the P&L and accelerate growth behind the agreed JBP big rocks between Carlsberg Britvic and our grocery customer.
• Build an account plan and customer growth strategy for the next 1‑3 years that aligns to Carlsberg Britvic and our grocery customers priorities and positions our portfolio for volume and share growth across grocery channels including grocery Express & .com
• Work closely with Brand Teams, Category Management & Shopper Marketing to identify business growth opportunities and drive through to execution across all our grocery customers channels.
• Support team with business building strategies and tactics to win, including bottom‑up promotional programmes, maximising distribution and landing key innovation to deliver volume & profit objectives.
• Position Carlsberg Britvic as the partner of choice for our grocery customer across softs trading teams. Ensure plans are aligned to grocerys strategic goals and customer‑centric to unlock new missions and consumption occasions.
• Build a robust and reliable Sales & Operational Plan (S&OP forecast) and own ongoing performance management through the account manager team.
• Work closely with Account Director to develop and foster a future‑fit culture and ways of working across newly integrated drinks team.

Experience and Key Attributes

• Ability to build trust and influence from a leadership position with strong persuasive skills.
• Strong people leader with a proven ability to foster an inclusive and high performing team. Ability to set clear objectives for team, working to exceptionally high standards and leading by example. Coaching and supporting throughout.
• Track record of excellent performance over some years in FMCG manufacturer and/or retailer.
• Experience of developing trusted relationships across functions to enable plans that deliver for both Carlsberg Britvic and our grocery partner.
• Exceptional understanding and experience of managing financial risk and opportunity. Applying judgement and trade offs with incomplete information.
• Possess the tenacity to have the tough conversations that make things happen. Comfortable with holding tension and ability to demonstrate assertiveness in key situations.
• Understanding of all significant processes that underpin from planning through to invoice receipt.
• Obsession about growing brands and channels, providing high service levels to customers.
• High levels of accountability for plans, action, delivery and outcome. Able to develop accountability down the structure and enable teams to drive their part of the business without unnecessary interference.
• Results oriented with a passion for driving initiatives to completion and delivering on all commitments.

Application Process

We read applications continuously, and vacancies may be filled anytime, so please apply as early as possible.

We look forward to receiving your application.

Our commitment to diversity equity & inclusion

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences - including those of different races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, abilities, religions, and socioeconomic statuses. We actively seek to create a safe and inclusive environment for all of our colleagues, where diverse perspectives are welcomed, and inclusive practices are embedded in everything we do.

We are happy to support accessibility needs, to ensure a fair and equitable experience for all candidates, so please do let us know if you require any adjustments during the recruitment process.