Head of Commercial

Heart of England Society; Coventry; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional co-operative society in Coventry seeks a dynamic Head of Commercial to oversee the strategic direction of their Food and Funeral business divisions. This pivotal role requires experience in food retail, supplier leadership, and operational excellence. With a salary range of £65,000 - £70,000, the chosen candidate will be responsible for driving growth, ensuring high-performance standards, and aligning with the community’s values. Ready for a commercial challenge with meaningful purpose? Apply now!

Qualifications

• Senior commercial leadership experience in food retail, FMCG, convenience or multi-site retail.
• Proven success in delivering commercial growth and managing P&L.
• Strong category management, procurement and negotiation expertise.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver commercial strategies aligned to business growth.
• Drive revenue, margin and profitability targets.
• Build strong supplier relationships across FMCG, local producers and funeral service partners.

Skills

Senior commercial leadership experience in food retail

Proven success in delivering commercial growth

Strong category management expertise

Procurement and negotiation expertise

Strategic thinking

Job description

Overview

Heart of England Co-operative Society is seeking a dynamic Head of Commercial to lead the strategic and commercial direction of our Food and Funeral business divisions. This is a rare opportunity to influence commercial strategy across both fast-paced retail and sensitive, service-led funeral operations, ensuring strong performance while putting members, customers, clients and communities at the heart of every decision.

Salary: £65,000 - £70,000 (dependant on experience). Permanent role based in Coventry (with regional travel).

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will lead the commercial agenda across our Food Retail and Funeral Services divisions—driving growth, category direction, supplier partnerships, pricing strategy, operational excellence and customer proposition development. You’ll champion innovation, identify new opportunities, and ensure the Society delivers exceptional value to members and customers, all while maintaining the highest standards of integrity, compliance and community responsibility.

Why join us? At the Heart of England Co-operative Society, you’ll join a values-driven organisation with a 190-year heritage of putting people and communities first. As Head of Commercial, you will play a central role in shaping the future of both our Food and Funeral divisions, influencing major strategic decisions and driving meaningful commercial impact in two uniquely rewarding sectors. You’ll work within a supportive, collaborative senior leadership team, champion innovation, and help develop propositions that genuinely improve the lives of our members, customers and clients. With strong financial stability, a commitment to ethical trading and a culture that encourages fresh thinking, this is an opportunity to lead with purpose, ambition and long-term vision.

What you’ll be leading on

• Strategic Direction
• Develop and deliver commercial strategies aligned to business growth.
• Identify new market opportunities, innovations and revenue streams.
• Lead long-term category planning, customer proposition development and brand positioning.

• Commercial & Financial Performance
• Own the commercial P&L across Food and Funeral.
• Drive revenue, margin and profitability targets.
• Oversee pricing, promotions, forecasting and risk management.
• Support Funeral Services pricing strategy alongside the Head of Funeral Services.

• Supplier & Partner Leadership
• Build strong supplier relationships across FMCG, local producers and funeral service partners.
• Work within the Federal Retail Trading Services (FRTS) buying group.
• Lead supplier negotiations and ensure compliance, sustainability and ethical sourcing.

• Operational Excellence
• Collaborate with senior leaders to drive efficiency in supply chain, availability and service delivery.
• Support delivery of the Society’s Local@Heart programme and hero missions such as Food-to-Go and Meal for Tonight.
• Guide the development of funeral catalogues and services to meet client needs with dignity and professionalism.

• Customer & Community Focus
• Champion member and client experience across both divisions.
• Monitor trends and competitor activity to shape market-leading propositions.
• Support wellbeing, social value initiatives and the Society’s purpose-led mission.

• Leadership
• Lead and develop high-performing commercial, category and future procurement teams.
• Build a culture of accountability, innovation and customer-centricity.
• Model inclusive, values-driven leadership.

About you

You will bring:

• Senior commercial leadership experience in food retail, FMCG, convenience or multi-site retail.
• Proven success in delivering commercial growth and managing P&L.
• Strong category management, procurement and negotiation expertise.
• Experience working with regulated, sensitive or service-led sectors (funeral sector experience beneficial but not essential).
• Strategic thinking, financial acumen and a customer-first mindset.
• High integrity, emotional intelligence and the ability to lead in complex, people-centred environments.
• Experience in co-operative or community-based organisations is a real advantage.

Ready to shape the future of a values-driven organisation? If you’re motivated by commercial challenge and meaningful purpose, we would love to hear from you. Apply today and help us continue to serve our members, clients and communities with excellence, dignity and heart.

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 24th December 2025; first stage interviews will take place on Wednesday 7th January 2026.