Head of Retail

Head of Retail – Branded Food Home Based | £80,000–£95,000 + Car Allowance + Bonus I'm working with an established, privately owned food manufacturer looking to appoint a Head of Retail to drive the next stage of its Retail growth. The business has a successful branded food range across the chilled and frozen categories, established retail customers, a strong NPD pipeline and significant investment behind its manufacturing operation. The immediate focus is UK Retail, with ambitious plans to significantly grow the brand's presence across the major grocery multiples. The role will also take responsibility for developing the existing Irish Retail business, with wider European Retail forming part of the longer term growth plans. There's a huge amount of scope for development with this role. The business already has the products, manufacturing capability, investment and existing retail sales in place, but there is a significant opportunity to grow the Retail side of the business. You'll have the autonomy to shape the strategy, decide where the biggest opportunities sit and develop the customer base across the UK, Ireland and, longer term, Europe. As Retail grows, there will also be the opportunity to build a team around you and develop the role further. Working directly with the owners and leadership team, the role will include:

• Leading the Retail growth strategy, initially focused on the UK market.
• Opening new customers across the UK grocery multiples and developing opportunities with discounters and wider Retail.
• Growing existing customers through new listings, increased distribution and NPD.
• Working closely with NPD to develop the right products and propositions for individual retailers.
• Leading customer negotiations across pricing, margin, promotions and commercial terms.
• Using category insight and retailer knowledge to identify gaps and build strong commercial propositions.
• Developing the existing Irish Retail business and, longer term, opportunities across Germany and wider Europe.
• Shaping the Retail function and building the team as the channel grows. I'm looking for somebody with a strong background in branded convenience food and a proven track record of developing business with the UK major retailers. You could currently be operating at Senior National Account Manager, Sales Controller, Account controller, Head of Retail or a similar senior commercial level, dealing directly with the retailers. The level is less important than what you've actually delivered. I'm particularly interested in people who can demonstrate new retailer wins and listings they have personally secured, with strong buyer relationships and clear examples of turning a branded proposition into meaningful revenue. Package: £80,000–£95,000 basic salary + car allowance + bonus. Home based, with travel to customers and the manufacturing site as required. For further information, please apply or contact me directly - lauren.pettifor@achievesearch.com