General Manager

Osborne Recruitment; Dublin; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Osborne Recruitment is seeking an accomplished General Manager for a senior FMCG business in Dublin. You will lead the business, owning performance across commercial, operations and people, and drive profitable growth in a dynamic market.

The role demands hands-on leadership, strong commercial acumen and the ability to build a high-performing team across functions to deliver strategic objectives and sustainable expansion.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in food/FMCG sectors.
• Strong track record of sales growth and margin improvement.
• Experience managing P&L, working capital and cash flow.
• Experience with major grocery retailers in Ireland/UK.
• Ability to translate strategy into actionable plans.

Responsibilities

• Lead the management team with clear objectives and KPIs.
• Drive profitable growth across brands and private-labels.
• Own end-to-end P&L, EBITDA, and cost control.
• Oversee operations, supply chain and customer service.
• Build a high-performing, accountable team.
• Align commercial, marketing, and product development.

Skills

Leadership experience

P&L management

FMCG industry knowledge

Retail relationships

Strategic planning

Job description

General Manager - FMCG - Dublin

Location: Dublin, Ireland
Seniority: Executive Leadership

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an accomplished General Manager to lead a growing food and FMCG business, taking full responsibility for its commercial performance, operational delivery, people and financial results.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership role for an individual who combines strong commercial acumen with financial discipline, operational understanding and the ability to build a high-performing team.

Working closely with Group leadership, the successful candidate will take ownership of the business’s overall performance and lead the delivery of its growth strategy. The focus will be on driving profitable growth, strengthening customer and supplier relationships, improving operational efficiency and ensuring the business delivers against its financial and strategic objectives.

The successful candidate will have the scope to make a meaningful impact, build a high-performing team and help deliver the next phase of sustainable growth.

Key Responsibilities

Business Leadership & People

• Lead the wider business and management team, establishing clear objectives, KPIs and accountability.


• Build a high-performance culture focused on commercial results, collaboration and continuous improvement.


• Develop leadership capability and ensure effective day-to-day management across all functions.


• Take ownership of overall business performance, operating with autonomy and sound commercial judgement.

Commercial Strategy & Growth

• Lead the execution of the company’s sales and commercial growth strategy.


• Drive profitable growth across branded and private-label product portfolios.


• Develop new business opportunities, including international expansion.


• Build and maintain strong relationships with key retail customers, taking responsibility for senior-level customer engagement.


• Align sales, marketing and new product development activities with the business’s commercial priorities.

Procurement & Supplier Management

• Own strategic supplier relationships and lead commercial negotiations.


• Protect and improve gross margins through effective procurement, pricing and supplier management.


• Ensure competitive commercial terms, reliable supply and appropriate capacity to support growth.


• Maintain commercially sustainable economics across all product categories.

Operations & Supply Chain

• Oversee end-to-end supply chain, warehousing, distribution and customer service.


• Drive improvements in forecasting, inventory management, productivity and cost-to-serve.


• Ensure consistent service levels and reliable delivery to customers.


• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, manage costs and strengthen operational performance.

New Product Development, Marketing & Brand

• Lead the delivery of the new product development pipeline across branded and private-label ranges.


• Ensure new products are commercially viable, data-led and aligned with customer and consumer requirements.


• Ensure product launches deliver sustainable value for the business, suppliers and retail customers.


• Oversee marketing priorities, investment and external agency performance, ensuring activity supports profitable growth.

Finance, P&L & Business Performance

• Take full ownership of the business’s P&L, including revenue, gross margin, operating costs and EBITDA.


• Manage working capital, inventory, debtors and cash conversion.


• Establish and maintain robust management reporting, financial controls and performance dashboards.


• Use financial and operational data to identify risks, address underperformance and drive corrective action.


• Ensure timely, accurate financial reporting and maintain a disciplined focus on cash and profitability.

Technical, Quality & Compliance

• Ensure high standards of food safety, technical compliance and product quality.


• Maintain compliance with relevant retailer requirements and applicable standards.


• Ensure technical and quality functions effectively support suppliers, customers and product development.

The Ideal Candidate

• Significant experience within the food, FMCG, grocery or a closely related sector.


• A strong commercial track record, including customer leadership, sales growth and margin improvement.


• Demonstrable understanding of P&L management, gross margin, EBITDA, working capital and cash flow.


• Experience working with major grocery retailers in Ireland and/or the UK.


• The ability to lead across commercial, supply chain, finance, technical and operational functions.


• Strong people leadership skills, with a track record of setting expectations, developing teams and driving accountability.


• Experience translating business strategy into practical plans and measurable results.


• An entrepreneurial, hands-on approach suited to a privately owned and commercially focused business.

The Person

• Able to identify and deliver sustainable, profitable growth.


• Comfortable taking ownership of financial performance, margin, costs and cash.


• Capable of setting direction while remaining close to execution.


• Able to identify opportunities, make informed decisions and act at pace.


• Understands the importance of forecasting, inventory, supply chain and customer service.


• Builds capable teams, establishes accountability and addresses performance issues constructively.


• Focused on delivering results.

Osborne are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.