Head of Trade Marketing

Advocate Group; Leeds; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Advocate Group is partnering with a fast-growing drinks business to hire a Head of Trade Marketing. You will own the trade marketing strategy, work closely with sales and customers, and shape brand, retail, D2C and events across the business.

This hands-on leadership role offers the opportunity to lead and develop marketing talent, introduce KPI‑driven ROI, and influence broader business strategy as part of the leadership team.

Qualifications

• Strong trade or customer marketing experience.
• Commercial mindset and close understanding of sales.
• Broad marketing experience across brand and activation.
• Experience leading and developing a team.
• Hands-on approach and willingness to get into the detail.
• Ability to build structure and capability in a growing business.

Responsibilities

• Build and own the trade marketing strategy across key B2B channels.
• Partner closely with sales to win customers, strengthen relationships and drive rate of sale.
• Develop customer and channel activation plans, sales tools and trade communications.
• Support key customer pitches, launches and commercial opportunities.
• Shape the wider marketing strategy and priorities across brand, retail, D2C and events.
• Lead and develop an established marketing team, creating accountability and ownership.
• Introduce clearer KPIs, measurement and ROI across marketing.
• Influence the wider business as part of the Senior Leadership Team.

Skills

Trade marketing

Customer marketing

Brand & activation

Team leadership

Hands-on approach

Structure & capability

Job description

Head of Trade Marketing | High-Growth Drinks Business

What if your next trade marketing role gave you the opportunity to build the capability, work closely with sales and shape the wider marketing strategy for an ambitious, growing drinks business?

The Advocate Group are partnering with a fast-growing, independently owned drinks business on the hire of a Head of Trade Marketing.

The business has grown significantly in recent years, with a strong sales operation, established customer base and ambitious plans for further growth across the UK.

Now, they want to strengthen their marketing capability, bringing greater structure, commercial focus and leadership across the function.

This is a hands‑on leadership role. You’ll own the overall marketing strategy and work closely with sales and customers, while also shaping brand, retail, D2C, events and creative activity across the business.

The opportunity

You’ll have the scope to:

• Build and own the trade marketing strategy across key B2B channels
• Partner closely with sales to win customers, strengthen relationships and drive rate of sale
• Develop customer and channel activation plans, sales tools and trade communications
• Support key customer pitches, launches and commercial opportunities
• Shape the wider marketing strategy and priorities across brand, retail, D2C and events
• Lead and develop an established marketing team, creating greater accountability and ownership
• Introduce clearer KPIs, measurement and ROI across marketing
• Influence the wider business as part of the Senior Leadership Team

There is genuine scope to shape how marketing operates, with strong senior leadership support and the opportunity to evolve the team and resource as the business continues to grow.

Who are we looking for?

We’re deliberately keeping the background broad.

You could come from drinks, food or another FMCG environment. Direct category experience isn’t essential; what matters is your ability to connect marketing with customers and commercial performance.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Strong trade or customer marketing experience
• A genuinely commercial mindset and close understanding of sales
• Broad marketing experience across brand and activation
• Experience leading and developing a team
• A hands‑on approach and willingness to get into the detail
• The ability to build structure and capability in a growing business

This will suit someone who enjoys building, improving and having a genuine influence; someone who wants to work closely with sales, get close to the detail and help shape how the wider marketing function develops.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age.