Head of Sales - Food / FMCG Sector

Salary: £60,000 + 20% Bonus + Car Allowance
Location: UK

The Opportunity

We are looking for a commercially driven Head of Sales to lead and shape the commercial strategy of a growing and ambitious food business.

This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for driving revenue growth, margin performance and market expansion across multiple channels including foodservice, wholesale and retail. The successful candidate will lead sales, marketing and telesales functions, ensuring a joined-up commercial strategy that delivers long-term growth.

The business is entering an exciting stage of development, and this role offers the opportunity to professionalise the commercial function, scale revenue and influence company-wide strategy while preserving the agility and culture of a fast-growing organisation.

If you are a strategic commercial leader who is equally comfortable setting the direction and rolling up your sleeves to deliver results, this role offers genuine impact and progression.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Strategy

* Develop and execute the overall commercial strategy aligned to business growth objectives

* Deliver sustainable revenue growth, improved margins and expanded market share

* Identify new opportunities across retail, foodservice and wholesale channels

* Lead pricing strategy, promotional planning and margin management
Monitor market trends and competitor activity to inform strategic decisions

* Sales Leadership

* Lead and develop the field sales and key account teams

* Build and manage strategic relationships with major customers and buying groups

* Support the sales team in negotiating high-value contracts and trading agreements

* Drive performance against key commercial KPIs including revenue, margin and customer retention

* Introduce structured sales processes, forecasting and pipeline discipline

Marketing & Brand Alignment

* Work with senior leadership to shape and deliver the brand strategy

* Align marketing activity with commercial growth plans

* Oversee product positioning, launches and innovation pipelines

* Lead trade marketing, digital marketing and campaign planning

* Manage marketing budgets and track campaign ROI

Customer Growth & Retention

* Oversee telesales operations to maximise inbound and outbound opportunities

* Implement structured CRM and customer engagement strategies

* Develop programmes that drive customer loyalty, retention and repeat business

* Increase average order value and customer lifetime value

Leadership & Culture

* Build and lead a high-performance commercial team

* Coach and develop managers and emerging commercial talent

* Introduce clear KPIs, accountability frameworks and performance reviews

* Act as a values-led leader within the wider business

Financial & Operational Alignment

* Own commercial forecasting and budgeting processes

* Ensure sales strategy aligns with production, supply chain and operational capacity

* Work closely with operations to ensure demand planning and commercial activity remain aligned

What We're Looking For

Essential

Senior commercial leadership experience within food or FMCG

Proven track record of delivering revenue growth and margin improvement

Strong key account management and negotiation experience

Experience managing multi-channel sales (foodservice, wholesale or retail)

Strong financial and analytical capability

Significant people leadership experience

Desirable

Experience scaling a growing SME or developing commercial functions

Knowledge of both private label and branded food markets

Established relationships within the foodservice sector

Package & Benefits

Salary: £60,000

Bonus: Up to 20% paid quarterly

Car allowance

Annual pay reviews

33 days holiday including bank holidays

Group personal pension plan

Retail discount membership

Health care cash plan

Additional benefits linked to service and commitment

Working Pattern

Monday to Friday - 40 hours per week

Flexible working approach required to support commercial activities

Extensive UK travel with occasional overnight stays

If you are a commercially focused sales leader looking to shape the growth strategy of a developing food business, we would love to hear from you