COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR – Manufacturing SME (sub £15m)
Liverpool area - HYBRID - 1-3 days on site
Salary: c£90k
We are seeking a Commercial Director to shape and deliver the UK commercial strategy for a well-established manufacturing business in the packaging sector.
This is not a traditional sales leadership role. While the position includes responsibility for leading the internal sales team, the remit is broader.
The successful candidate will play a central role in the overall leadership of the business, ensuring that commercial strategy is fully aligned with operational capability, customer delivery, and long-term profitability.
We are particularly interested in individuals who have developed their career within a manufacturing, technical, or operational environment and later moved into commercial leadership. Candidates whose experience is solely within pure sales environments are unlikely to have the breadth this role requires.
Key Responsibilities
* Define and deliver the UK commercial strategy, aligned to the wider business objectives
* Lead and develop the internal sales team, driving performance and accountability
* Own pricing strategy and margin management, working closely with Finance
* Translate market insights and customer trends into commercial opportunities
* Ensure strong alignment between commercial commitments and operational capability
* Work closely with Operations, Engineering and Customer Service to deliver excellent customer outcomes
* Challenge the Operations and Technical team to innovate new products and innovations to unlock additional sales
* Provide clear commercial insight and reporting to the senior leadership team
What We’re Looking For
* A commercial leader ideally with experience within the packaging sector or similar
* Experience leading sales teams and delivering commercial growth strategies
* Strong understanding of pricing, margin management and commercial performance
* A track record of working effectively across commercial, operational and technical teams
* Strong commercial judgement, leadership presence and stakeholder management skills
* A data-led approach to performance, insight and decision making
The Person
This role requires someone who can operate as a true commercial leader within a manufacturing SME — not just drive revenue, but ensure the business delivers sustainably and profitably.
You’ll combine strategic thinking with practical operational understanding, bringing the leadership presence needed to strengthen both the commercial function and the wider business.