Grocery Sales Director
MacGregor Black are partnering with a large UK chilled and frozen food operation on the search for a Grocery Sales Director.
This Grocery Sales Director position will oversee a broad portfolio of premium own-label products, driving commercial strategy, deepening major retail partnerships, and shaping long-term growth within a highly competitive category. Experience managing and developing major grocery accounts is of particular interest, with the expectation of strengthening this relationship through insight-led negotiation, category understanding and a firm grasp of retailer ways of working.
Key Responsibilities:
* Lead the commercial strategy for chilled and frozen own-label ranges, ensuring sustainable growth across all major retail partners. Delivering joint business plans and driving performance through data-driven decision making.
* Oversee the end-to-end commercial cycle, from forecasting and pricing to promotional planning, margin optimisation and contract negotiation.
* Collaborate closely with operations, supply chain, NPD and technical to ensure delivery against retailer expectations on quality, service level and innovation.
* Identify growth opportunities across categories, bringing forward insight-led recommendations that unlock value for both the business and retail partners.
* Provide leadership to the commercial team, setting clear direction, coaching high performers and encouraging a culture of accountability and collaboration.
* Represent the business externally when engaging with retail partners, industry bodies and key stakeholders, championing the brand’s capability and market position.
What We're Looking For:
* Proven track record as a senior commercial leader within chilled food, ideally with both own-label and premium product experience.
* Strong commercial relationship with Tesco, with demonstrable success managing complex JBP negotiations and retailer-specific commercial models.
* Deep understanding of chilled and frozen manufacturing, category dynamics, margin structures and supply chain challenges.
* Confident working with commercial data, financial forecasts and performance metrics to drive strategic decision making.
* Strong leadership capability, able to motivate cross-functional teams and build trusted retailer partnerships.
* Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence at senior level and represent the business with credibility.
For more information, please contact Jon McNeish.