COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR

The Role – Commercial Director  An established and fast-growing service-led organisation operating within the UK food and fresh produce sector is seeking a strategic Commercial Director to join its executive leadership team. With annual revenues exceeding £100m and a significant multi-site footprint across Kent, this business partners with major customers to deliver high-quality, value-added service solutions in a fast-paced, operationally complex environment. This is a pivotal senior role reporting directly to the MD.The Opportunity As Commercial Director, you will be accountable for the end-to-end commercial service provision cycle across a diverse customer base. You will drive strategic growth, protect and enhance margin, and strengthen senior-level customer relationships whilst leading cross-functional collaboration across Operations, Supply Chain and Customer Service. This role requires a customer-first mindset combined with strong commercial governance, financial rigour and the ability to deliver scalable, profitable service models.Key Responsibilities Develop and execute the commercial strategy aligned with business growth objectives Own full customer lifecycle management: onboarding, service delivery, reviews, renewals and expansion Lead cross-functional collaboration to deliver commercially viable, customer-centric service solutions Build senior-level customer partnerships focused on long-term value creation Drive margin protection and revenue growth through pricing strategy and performance management Lead RFI/RFP responses with robust commercial analysis and delivery plans Oversee KPIs including service performance, quality metrics, SLAs and profitability per account Manage commercial budgets, forecasting and margin improvement initiatives Champion process standardisation, digital enablement and data-led decision making Drive continuous improvement and change programmes across multi-site operations About You You will be a proven senior commercial leader with: 10+ years’ commercial experience, with at least 5 years at senior leadership level Background in food production, fresh produce, manufacturing, packaging or FMCG Strong track record of revenue growth and margin improvement within service-based environments Experience managing complex, multi-site customer portfolios Advanced commercial acumen including pricing, risk management and contract governance Proven ability to influence at executive and board level Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making capability Experience leading cross-functional teams within operationally intensive environments Postgraduate business qualifications (MBA or equivalent) are advantageous but not essential.Personal Profile Customer-centric and relationship-driven Strategic thinker with operational credibility Influential and collaborative leadership style High integrity, resilience and strong change leadership capability Commercially astute with strong financial oversight What’s On Offer Six-Figure Executive Package + Up to 30% Bonus + Car Allowance + Benefits Private medical, pension and wellbeing support Opportunity to shape and scale a high-growth, people-focused business If you are an experienced Commercial Director or Head of Commercial seeking a senior leadership opportunity within a dynamic, growth-focused food environment, we would welcome a confidential discussion.