Commercial Director
Senior Commercial Leadership | FMCG / Manufacturing | Hybrid (Remote with Belfast presence)
Read the overview of this opportunity to understand what skills, including and relevant soft skills and software package proficiencies, are required.£70,000 £75,000 + Bonus + Car/Allowance
DerventioUK is recruiting on behalf of a fast-growing UK manufacturer transitioning from contract production into multi-channel brand ownership and distribution. This is a pivotal strategic hire designed to unlock the next phase of growth.
This is not a maintenance role. It is a scale-up opportunity.
The business is targeting revenue growth from circa £3m to £710m over the next 35 years, diversifying into wellness, personal care and contract bottling while strengthening pricing discipline, margin performance and commercial forecasting.
If you are a commercially driven leader who thrives in SME environments and enjoys building structured growth engines, this could be the opportunity to shape a companys next chapter.
The Role Commercial Director
You will take full ownership of the commercial function, with P&L accountability and responsibility for driving sustainable, profitable growth.
Key Objectives (First 612 Months)
Develop a credible 3-year commercial growth strategy
Implement structured account segmentation and pricing architecture
Deliver measurable gross margin improvement
Strengthen UK, Ireland and selected EU pipelines
Embed structured forecasting integrated with operations
This role is central to revenue growth and strategic scaling.
Commercial Responsibilities
You will:
Lead all major pricing negotiations, contracts, rebates and margin structures
Own revenue forecasting and budgeting
Improve gross margin through structured commercial discipline
Optimise account mix and eliminate low-contribution SKUs
Structure volume-based rebate and pricing models
Manage regulatory and excise cost pass-through
Core KPIs
Revenue growth (mid double-digit in early phase)
Gross margin uplift
Forecast accuracy
New account acquisition
Account retention
Working capital impact
Leadership & Team
You will manage a commercial team of 6, including marketing, account management, business development, procurement and systems.
This is a hybrid strategic and hands-on role. You must be capable of high-level planning while personally leading key negotiations.
The culture rewards ownership, data-led decision-making and accountability.
Location: Primarily remote with required presence in Belfast every few weeks.
Sales & Business Development Focus
This role requires strong commercial DNA.
You will accelerate growth across:
Own brand portfolio
Contract manufacturing
Retail distribution
Export markets
Wellness and personal care sectors
Private label / contract bottling
Year one split is roughly 50% account growth and 50% new business development, becoming increasingly strategic over time.
Company Context
Established manufacturer with strong technical and regulatory credibility
Transitioning into brand ownership and expanded distribution
Clear growth runway
Direct board exposure
Genuine strategic influence
Potential long-term equity upside
This is an SME environment agile, ambitious and execution-focused.
Ideal Candidate ProfileEssential Experience
Senior commercial leadership background
Full P&L accountability
Strong negotiation and contract structuring capability
Proven revenue scaling within SME environments
Demonstrable margin improvement track record
Desirable
FMCG / Consumer Goods / Manufacturing
Regulated sectors
Retail distribution exposure
International markets
Skills
CRM discipline
ERP familiarity (Unleashed or similar advantageous)
Advanced Excel and forecasting
Data-driven commercial decision-making
Personal Attributes
Confident decision-maker
Direct communicator
Commercially competitive
Comfortable with ambiguity
High ownership mentality
Package
£70,000 basic salary
Up to £75,000 for exceptional candidates
Performance bonus (1020% linked to revenue and margin)
Potential commission overlay for significant new wins
Company car or allowance
Pension and standard senior benefits
Hybrid working
Career Progression
There is potential progression to full board-level Commercial Director with equity participation for the right individual. xwzovoh
Interview Process
23 stage process
This Role Is Not For
Pure corporate managers lacking SME execution
Individuals without deep negotiation experience
Candidates unable to evidence margin improvement
Apply Now
If you are an experienced Commercial Leader ready to scale revenue, professionalise commercial processes and drive margin growth within an ambitious manufacturing business, we would welcome your application.
For a confidential discussion, please contact DerventioUK and post your CV for consideration
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