Head of Independent Sales

Independent Channel Controller South‑East UK (Office‑based, minimum 4 days/week) Are you a commercially sharp, people‑first leader who genuinely loves the hobby and games world? This is a rare opportunity to take ownership of the UK's largest specialist retail channel for a consumer goods manufacturer — spanning ~2,000 independent stores and buying groups — and shape how a major brand shows up across the hobby ecosystem. This role isn't about corporate jargon or mass‑retail playbooks. It's about understanding the culture of hobby retail, supporting a diverse and passionate team, and being the senior face of the channel at retailer days, trade shows, and community‑driven events. The role You'll lead the full Hobby & Independent channel, reporting directly into the senior leadership team. What you'll be responsible for

• Leading and developing an office‑based inside‑sales team serving ~2,000 independent retailers
• Acting as the senior representative of the channel at industry events (UK Games Expo, Toymaster, retailer days, etc.)
• Driving commercial performance through strong account management principles rather than cold selling
• Managing change, improving processes, and helping the team adapt to new ways of working
• Providing gravitas, stability, and emotional intelligence in a team with mixed capability and neurodiversity
• Challenging senior leadership constructively and operating with confidence at exec level What you'll bring
• Deep, authentic knowledge of the hobby/games market
• Strong people leadership experience, ideally through organisational change
• The ability to communicate with both senior stakeholders and independent store owners in a way that resonates
• Commercial maturity and the confidence to hold your own with direct, high‑expectation leaders
• A genuine passion for the product and the community