Role Summary: The Commercial Director will be a senior strategic partner to the MD and executive team, accountable for the end-to-end service provision cycle for our customer base. This role requires a customer-first mindset, strong commercial acumen, and the ability to design and lead initiatives that optimise service delivery, customer satisfaction, revenue growth, and profitability. You will be a proactive leader who champions cross-functional collaboration, governance, and data-driven decision making to maximise value for customers and the business.
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Main Responsibilities:
• Execute the commercial strategy for service provision to customers aligned with overall business goals and growth targets.
• Own customer account management through the full lifecycle including onboarding, service delivery, performance reviews, renewals, and expansions, ensuring high levels of satisfaction and retention.
• Lead cross-functional teams within operations Supply Chain, and Customer service. Deliver service solutions that meet customer needs and deliver margin protection.
• Build and maintain strategic customer relationships at senior levels; identify opportunities for value creation and long-term partnerships.
• Drive service delivery excellence through process standardisation, performance metrics, continuous improvement, and automation in processes where appropriate.
• Develop compelling value propositions and proposals respond to requests for information (RFIs/RFPs) with rigorous commercial analysis and practical delivery plans.
• Monitor competitor activity, and customer feedback to support and inform the finance team regarding pricing, service design, and product development.
• Oversee the management of KPIs for service delivery, including on-time performance, quality metrics, customer satisfaction, and profitability per account.
• Drive customer-centric initiatives including service, escalation processes, and proactive communication strategies to maintain trust and loyalty.
• Manage the Commercial budget, forecast revenue, margin, from service-related activities. Lead digital enablement for commercial activities to improve data integrity and decision making.
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Qualifications and Skills:
• Chartered membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is not required for this role; instead, demonstrate senior commercial leadership qualifications and experience. If applicable, postgraduate business or management qualifications (e.g., MBA, MSc in a relevant field) are highly desirable.
• Alternatively, a master’s degree in business administration, Commercial Management, Supply Chain, or a related field from a recognized UK university, complemented by substantial experience in commercial leadership.
• Demonstrable track record as a Commercial Director, Head of Commercial, or senior commercial leader with a strong emphasis on service provision to customers and relationship management.
• Extensive experience in designing and delivering customer-centric service models, pricing strategies, and contract governance in a manufacturing, packaging, or FMCG context.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams to deliver integrated service solutions that balance customer value with business profitability.
• Strong understanding of UK market dynamics, regulatory requirements, impacting customer service delivery.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills; comfortable advising the MD and executive team and influencing at a senior level.
• Analytical and data-driven, with ability to translate customer insights into actionable strategies and financial impact.
• Change management and project management capabilities; able to drive complex initiatives with measurable results.
• Resilience, strategic thinking, and a collaborative leadership style. _________________________________________________________________________
Experience:
• Minimum 10+ years in commercial roles, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership capacity.
• Experience in manufacturing, packaging, or food production sectors preferred.
• Proven track record of growing revenue from service provision, improving customer satisfaction, and delivering value-based solutions.
• Experience managing budgets, pricing risk, and profitability in multi-site or diverse account environments.
Personal Attributes
• Customer-focused mindset with a passion for building lasting partnerships.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to balance customer needs with operational discipline.
• Influential leader who can build trust across sites, functions, and external partners. • Collaborative and inclusive in approach; comfortable operating in a matrix organisation.
• Results-oriented, with high integrity, resilience, and a proactive problem-solver.
Key Deliverables:
• Customer satisfaction, and retention metrics.
• On-time delivery, service quality, and compliance with service level agreements (SLAs).
• Gross margin and profitability per account beating budget
• Execution of cross-functional initiatives on time and within budget. • Successful delivery of change initiatives with positive outcomes and minimal disruption to operations.
• Strong talent pipelines and leadership development uptake.
Remuneration and Benefits
• Competitive salary aligned with market benchmarks and experience.
• Discretionary bonus pay linked to people metrics and business performance.
• Comprehensive benefits package (pension, private medical, employee assistance, wellbeing programs), car allowance where applicable.