Country Manager UK
Medical Cannabis Industry
United Kingdom
Fully Remote with expected travel across the UK.
To be considered, you must have experience in one of the following: FMCG, CPG, Consumer products, Consumer Healthcare, Medical Cannabis, Food&Drink, Alcohol, Tobacco,+ alongside a strong sales, business development, and commercial background.
Company Overview
Our client is one of the largest and most well-known Medical Cannabis producers & distributors in Europe. They were first established in 2006 and have over 1,000 employees worldwide, with over 120 in Germany. They are one of the better-known players in the EU cannabis space and were among the first to build a stable supply chain in Germany and the UK for cannabis medicines. They also truly have one of the strongest reputations for high-quality & also consistent cannabis-based medications.
The company is part of a larger publicly listed group located in Canada and is considered a household name in the global cannabis industry. They have been selling medical cannabis in Europe for over 7 years and continue to play a major role in shaping the regulated cannabis market across the region. As the market continues to expand, they are now looking to hire a UK Country Manager who will lead their commercial growth across the UK and Ireland markets.
Role Overview
Our client is looking for a UK Country Manager who is a strong commercial leader to take ownership of the UK and Ireland market and drive the next phase of growth. This role will act as the senior commercial lead for the UK and will be responsible for developing the company’s commercial strategy, building relationships across the market, and driving revenue growth through new partnerships and market expansion.
One important thing to highlight is that this person will initially be the only commercial representative for the company on the ground in the UK. Because of this, the role requires someone who is highly hands-on and execution focused. While the wider European leadership team will support with overall strategy, the company is looking for someone who can operate with a strong commercial mindset and deliver results locally.
The successful candidate will need to be comfortable spending significant time in the market meeting wholesalers, clinics, prescribers and key industry stakeholders. This is very much a hunter style role, suited to someone who enjoys building markets, identifying opportunities and aggressively pursuing revenue growth.
Over time, as the UK market continues to expand, this person will also play a key role in building and leading the local team, helping to establish a stronger commercial presence in the region and supporting the company’s wider European expansion plans.
This is a classic “first country leader” type role within a well-established global business. While our client is already one of the leading medical cannabis brands in the UK, having entered the market in 2019, they are now looking to strengthen their commercial presence locally by hiring a dedicated Country Manager.
The person in this role will initially operate as the company’s primary commercial lead on the ground, working directly with wholesalers, clinics, prescribers, and key industry partners to drive growth and secure the company’s position in the market.
The focus in the early stages will be on execution, building relationships, and delivering strong commercial results. Over time, as the market continues to grow, the successful candidate will then play a key role in building and leading a larger commercial team to support the company’s long-term expansion in the UK. You will report to the Senior VP of Europe, who is based in Germany.
If you work best with a large team already in place beneath you, this may not be the right role. However, if you are a results-focused commercial hands-on leader who enjoys driving growth personally, negotiating and closing deals yourself, visiting customers, and building your own team over time, this could be a great opportunity.
Key Responsibilities
Commercial Leadership and Market Expansion
• Develop and implement the commercial strategy for the UK and Ireland market, ensuring clear plans are in place to drive sustainable revenue growth and expand market presence.
• Identify new opportunities to grow the business and support the continued development of the company’s commercial footprint across the region.
• Drive market expansion through new partnerships, commercial initiatives and effective execution of the company’s growth strategy.
Sales and Business Development
• Take ownership of sales performance across the region and lead business development initiatives that support ambitious commercial targets.
• Identify new routes to market and build partnerships with wholesalers, distributors and other key commercial partners.
• Consistently exceed sales targets through strong planning, commercial discipline and effective execution.
Customer and Stakeholder Engagement
• Build and maintain strong relationships with healthcare professionals, wholesalers and key industry stakeholders across the UK and Ireland.
• Act as the primary ambassador for the company within the region and represent the business at industry events, meetings and commercial discussions.
• Support the growth of medical cannabis adoption through strong engagement with the broader healthcare ecosystem.
Contract Negotiation and Commercial Excellence
• Negotiate commercial agreements with wholesalers and partners, ensuring contracts deliver strong long term value for both parties.
• Apply strong commercial judgement when structuring pricing, margins and partnership agreements to support sustainable business growth.
Medical Cannabis Market Development
• Champion the responsible use and benefits of medical cannabis across the UK and Ireland markets.
• Collaborate with regulatory bodies and industry associations where required to support the continued development of the medical cannabis ecosystem.
Internal Collaboration
• Work closely with the wider European leadership team and global colleagues to ensure alignment with the company’s overall strategy.
• Operate effectively within a global organisation, partnering with internal teams across multiple functions and geographies to deliver market objectives.
Team Leadership
• As the market continues to grow, recruit and lead a small high performing commercial team in the UK.
• Create a culture focused on growth, compliance and customer centricity, ensuring the team supports the company’s long term objectives in the region.
Must Haves
• Proven experience in senior commercial leadership roles within either Medical Cannabis OR experiance in FMCG / CPG / Consumer Goods / Consumer products / Consumer Healthcare.
• Strong background in sales and business development, ideally within the UK and Ireland markets.
• Experience growing markets and consistently exceeding sales targets.
• Strong commercial negotiation experience and the ability to structure complex agreements.
• Deep understanding of regulated markets and the ability to navigate complex regulatory environments.
• Excellent relationship building and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working within a global organisation and collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
• 7-10+ years or more experience across sales, business development, key account management or similar commercial roles with increasing responsibility.
Bonus Points for:
* Experience in public trading companies or Matrix organisations
* Experience in companies that are globally well-known names, but are less than 1,000 employees
* Experience being the 1st employee for a new business unit within an established business
* Experiance working in a scale-up + Public/Matrix company
Location and Travel
• The role is based in the United Kingdom and is fully remote.
• Regular travel will be required across the UK and Ireland to meet customers, partners and key stakeholders. (A large portion is based near London/Birmingham/Midlands area)
• International travel may also be required to collaborate with the wider European leadership team.
Compensation & Benefits
* Competitive salary package, including performance Bonus
* Full UK employment contract with all legal employee benefits.
* Fully Remote working environment
* Private Healthcare Contribution
* Car allowance
* International travel opportunities
If this role does sound interesting, and you would like more information, then please apply through this site or email a copy of your CV to .
PS. For roles like this, we typically receive a high volume of applications, many of which aren’t directly relevant. If your experience closely matches the requirements above, I’d strongly encourage you to apply and also reach out via email or LinkedIn to ensure your application is seen.