At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead pricing strategies and provide commercial insights to drive growth for strategic accounts.
- Company: Join DS Smith, a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, 25 days holiday, and hybrid working options.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to positive change and sustainability.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic role that shapes the future of sustainable packaging.
- Qualifications: A-Level education or equivalent with strong analytical and commercial skills.
The predicted salary is between 49500 - 60500 £ per year.
We are seeking a commercially focused and analytically driven Commercial Partner – Strategic Accounts to join the UK Retail Cluster. This role acts as the commercial co-pilot to Strategic Account Managers, providing pricing expertise, commercial insights, demand planning support, and value creation initiatives that drive profitable growth across a portfolio of strategic customers.
The successful candidate will combine strong commercial acumen, financial analysis capabilities, and stakeholder management skills to influence decision-making and maximise volume, revenue, and margin performance.
Key responsibilities
- Strategic Pricing & Commercial Management
- Lead all pricing activities across a portfolio of strategic accounts, including churn, innovation, tenders, and commercial excellence initiatives.
- Develop and maintain a deep understanding of market dynamics, customer trends, and pricing strategies.
- Partner closely with Strategic Account Managers to optimise pricing, margin, and volume opportunities.
- Support tender submissions and value-selling opportunities, collaborating with Finance and Sales teams.
- Calculate and review paper and non-paper indexations and implement price changes across relevant systems.
- Commercial Insight & Performance Analysis
- Utilise Power BI, Navigator, sales databases, and business systems to generate meaningful customer and account insights.
- Analyse key drivers of revenue, volume, and profitability performance.
- Provide recommendations that influence strategic decision-making and action planning.
- Deliver data-led commercial insights to support account growth and profitability.
- Value Creation & Commercial Excellence
- Identify and evaluate profit enhancement and commercial excellence opportunities across the customer portfolio.
- Work collaboratively with Sales, Design, Operations, Finance, and Site teams to implement initiatives.
- Quantify commercial opportunities and build business cases to support decision-making.
- Promote and share best practice across accounts and the wider commercial function.
- Demand Planning & Forecasting
- Support strategic demand planning activities across a rolling 24-month horizon.
- Review and challenge forecasts to ensure alignment between commercial expectations and financial plans.
- Identify and communicate risks and opportunities impacting account performance.
- Stakeholder Partnership
- Act as a trusted business partner to Strategic Account Managers.
- Build strong relationships with both financial and non-financial stakeholders across multiple sites.
- Support wider business development and tender opportunities where relevant.
- Share commercial insights and best practices with the wider finance and commercial teams.
What We're Looking For
- A-Level education or equivalent.
- Commercial or finance-related experience.
- Strong analytical and numerical capability.
- Ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
Knowledge & Skills
- Strong commercial and financial acumen with experience in pricing, profitability, and margin management.
- Advanced Excel and Power BI skills, with excellent analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
- Commercially focused and results driven, able to translate data into actionable insights.
- Skilled at building relationships, influencing stakeholders, and constructively challenging to drive business performance.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to engage both financial and non-financial audiences.
- Proactive, collaborative, highly organised, and able to manage multiple priorities effectively.
Experience
- Experience in Commercial Finance, Commercial Analysis, Pricing, Revenue Management, FP&A or a similar commercial role.
- Strong track record of partnering with Sales, Commercial and Finance teams.
- Experience in manufacturing, FMCG, retail or multi-site environments is advantageous.
- Exposure to pricing, forecasting, tenders and performance management.
Benefits
- Competitive salary
- 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays
- Pension, life assurance and income protection
- Employee Assistance Program
- Digital GP and Health Checks
- Retail and leisure discounts
- Cycle to work scheme
Location: Hybrid Role – working across various locations in the business.
About us: We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!
Fair recruitment at DS Smith: To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed. Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.
Supply Chain Optimisation Lead - High Performance in Hinckley employer: DS Smith
DS Smith is an excellent employer, offering a supportive work culture that prioritises safety and employee well-being in the vibrant location of Livingston, Scotland. With opportunities for personal growth and development, alongside competitive benefits such as 25 days holiday and a pension scheme, employees can thrive in a dynamic environment while contributing to meaningful production processes.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Supply Chain Optimisation Lead - High Performance in Hinckley
✨Join Supply Chain Meetups
Get yourself out there by attending supply chain meetups and industry events. It's a great way to meet fellow professionals, learn about trends, and maybe even hear about job openings before they’re posted online.
✨Show Off Your Skills on LinkedIn
Don’t just sit back and wait for opportunities! Post insights or articles on LinkedIn about supply chain challenges or solutions you’re passionate about. This not only showcases your expertise but can catch the eye of recruiters looking for someone like you.
✨Engage with Supply Chain Communities
Dive into online communities related to supply chain operations like forums or groups on Reddit and LinkedIn. Engaging in discussions can help you network, get advice, and you might even stumble upon some hidden job opportunities.
✨Apply through Our Website
When you spot a position at DS Smith, make sure to apply through our website directly. It's often the quickest way to get your application in front of the right people and show that you’re genuinely interested in the role of Supply Chain Optimisation Lead - High Performance.
We think you need these skills to ace Supply Chain Optimisation Lead - High Performance in Hinckley
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Supply Chain Savvy:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in supply chain operations. Whether it’s managing logistics or coordinating with suppliers, we want to see examples of how you've navigated the complexities of the supply chain. Concrete achievements, like reducing costs or improving delivery times, will definitely catch our eye!
Quantify Your Impact:When listing your previous roles on your CV, go for numbers! Mention percentages or actual figures where possible—like how much you've improved efficiency or reduced waste. It's all about showing us the tangible impact you've made in your past positions in supply chain operations.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:In your cover letter, don’t just regurgitate your CV. Instead, connect your experiences specifically to the role at DS Smith. Share why you're passionate about supply chain operations and how this full-time role aligns with your career goals—I mean, who wouldn’t want to hear that!
Research and Reflect:Before you apply, take some time to research DS Smith and its supply chain operations. Reflect on how your skills and experiences can fit into their operations. Being able to discuss their challenges and how you can contribute to solving them in your application will really make you stand out!
How to prepare for a job interview at DS Smith
✨Know Your Basics in Supply Chain Management
Make sure you've got a solid grasp of key supply chain concepts like demand forecasting, inventory management, and logistics. We could be quizzed on these during technical rounds, so brush up on any software tools commonly used in the industry like SAP or Oracle. This knowledge will help us show we can hit the ground running!
✨Show Off Your Analytical Skills
Prepare to discuss real-world scenarios where you've used data analysis to solve supply chain challenges. If you've got experience with tools like Excel or Tableau, get ready to talk about how you've used these to optimise processes or improve efficiencies. Employers love seeing that we can turn data into actionable insights!
✨Highlight Your Teamwork and Project Management Skills
In a full-time role, collaboration is key. Think of examples where you've worked on cross-functional teams or managed projects. Sharing how you navigated challenges while working with diverse groups will show that we can thrive in a dynamic environment like at DS Smith.
✨Research Specific Challenges Faced by DS Smith
Look into any unique supply chain challenges DS Smith might be facing, whether it's sustainability, supplier relationships, or global disruptions. Being prepared to discuss these topics shows that we're not only informed but also genuinely interested in how we can contribute to their success. That’s a big plus in any interview!
