At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the growth of a science-led food wellness brand in the UK and Europe.
- Company: Join a high-growth, innovative food wellness brand with ambitious plans.
- Benefits: Influence product strategy, competitive salary, and career development opportunities.
- Other info: Exciting opportunity for entrepreneurial spirits ready to drive significant growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in health and wellness while scaling a challenger brand.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in FMCG, proven track record in retail strategy and team leadership.
The predicted salary is between 85500 - 104500 £ per year.
First Point Group is recruiting for a
Retail Director to join a high-growth,, science-led, food wellness brand at a pivitol stage of growth.
With national retail opportunities developing, increased production capacity coming online and international demand emerging, the business is looking for a senior commercial leader to take ownership of its next phase of UK growth and future European expansion via retail.
This is a build-and-scale leadership role for someone who has already helped take a challenger food, snacking or FMCG brand from early commercial traction into meaningful national retail distribution.
This is an exciting opportunity for someone that shares the Founder's passion in health / wellness with a proven history of defining and executing the retail strategy to successfully launch and scale into UK retail accounts.
***** Please note – visa sponsorship is not available, so candidates must live in the UK with valid rights to work.
The Opportunity
The business is at an important stage of its growth and is looking for someone who wants genuine influence over product, commercial strategy and brand development as it scales.
The business is backed by experienced investors and has ambitious plans for the UK market.
This is a broad leadership opportunity with considerably more influence than a traditional commercial role, particularly for someone who enjoys building and scaling challenger brands within FMCG.
Key Responsibilities
- Take full commercial ownership of the UK FMCG business, including
P&L, retail revenue, wholesale, commercial strategy and operational performance .
- Build and execute the strategy for winning and scaling national retail listings across major UK grocery, premium, online, health, convenience and travel channels.
- Personally lead senior retailer and buyer relationships, range reviews, category presentations, commercial negotiations and Joint Business Plans.
- Develop a structured retail pipeline covering target accounts, buyer engagement, range-review windows, opportunities, launches and retained listings.
- Drive rate of sale following launch through distribution, placement, promotional activity, retail media, shopper activation and effective account management.
- Own annual commercial planning and optimise revenue mix, gross margin, pricing, trade spend, cost-to-serve and working capital.
- Build and manage wholesale and distribution partnerships that expand profitable market coverage.
- Work closely with Brand and Marketing to align consumer activity, retail launches, shopper marketing and product positioning.
- Partner with supply chain and manufacturing teams on forecasting, S&OP, production planning, stock availability, service levels and OTIF performance.
- Support the ramp-up of increased production capacity and ensure operational readiness for significant new retail listings.
- Build, hire, coach and develop the commercial and operational team required to support the company's next stage of growth.
- Provide commercial performance reporting and strategic insight to the Founder, senior leadership team and board.
- Once the UK business is established at scale, develop and lead the strategy for expansion into selected European markets.
Experience Required
- 8+ years' experience within
FMCG/CPG , ideally food, snacking, functional food, free-from, health & wellness or adjacent consumer categories.
- Proven experience in a senior
Commercial, Sales, General Management or Country Leadership position.
- Demonstrable experience helping build and scale a challenger FMCG brand within the UK.
- Personally secured significant listings with major UK retailers and understands the process from buyer engagement and range review through to negotiation, launch and retained distribution.
- Strong existing relationships within relevant UK retail buying teams would be highly advantageous.
- Experience across major grocery, premium, online, health, convenience and/or travel retail channels.
- Strong understanding of category management, pricing, promotions, retailer economics and Joint Business Planning (JBP) .
- Genuine P&L accountability with a strong understanding of revenue, gross margin, COGS, trade spend and operating profitability.
- Commercially analytical and comfortable using category, shopper and performance data to drive decisions.
- Understanding of forecasting,
S&OP, manufacturing/co-manufacturing, stock management and OTIF/service levels .
- Experience building or developing commercial teams within a high-growth environment.
- Entrepreneurial and comfortable operating within a fast-moving challenger-brand or scale-up environment.
- Experience expanding a UK FMCG brand into European markets would be highly advantageous.
- Highly Desirable
- Experience within healthier snacking, functional food, nutrition, wellness or better-for-you FMCG categories.
- Experience scaling a challenger brand from early-stage distribution into major UK retailers.
- Experience securing and expanding listings across major UK grocery and retail accounts.
- Experience working within founder-led, entrepreneurial or venture-backed consumer businesses.
What are the measurements of success?
- New UK retail listings secured and retained.
- Rate of sale and performance of products following launch.
- Strength and conversion of the retailer/buyer pipeline.
- Revenue growth and gross/operating margin improvement.
- Forecast accuracy, stock availability, OTIF and operational performance.
- Development of a scalable commercial and operations team.
- Creation and execution of a credible European expansion strategy
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Retail Director employer: First Point Group
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StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Retail Director
✨Get Your Retail Game On
Start by getting to know the local retail scene. Make a list of stores that align with your vibe and visit them. You'll be surprised at how many job openings come from chatting with staff or managers in-store. Plus, showing that you have a genuine interest in their brand can make you stand out when applying for that full-time role!
✨Join Retail Networks and Forums
Tap into retail-specific communities and forums, whether online or in-person. Platforms like Retail Week or local retail meetups can provide invaluable insights and connections. You never know who might drop a tip about an upcoming job at companies like First Point Group, so don’t miss out on building those relationships!
✨Be Ready for Busy Season Opportunities
Keep your eyes peeled for seasonal hiring windows, especially in the run-up to major shopping periods. Retailers often look for full-time staff to carry through busy times and may even keep you on after the season. Stay proactive by regularly checking in with your favourite retailers about their hiring plans.
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail’s all about customer interactions, so make sure you showcase any relevant experience in your conversations and interviews. Share specific examples of your customer service skills and how they’ve led to positive outcomes. This is your moment to shine when applying to roles at places like First Point Group!
We think you need these skills to ace Retail Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Customer Service Skills:In retail, customer service is key! Make sure your CV highlights any experience where you've dealt with customers, whether it’s resolving issues or enhancing the shopping experience. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to handle difficult situations with ease.
Tailor Your CV for Retail:When applying for a full-time role like this one at First Point Group, customise your CV to reflect retail-specific buzzwords. Include any relevant skills such as inventory management or visual merchandising, and if you have experience with POS systems, shout about it! This will show you’re serious about joining the retail team.
Craft a Genuine Cover Letter:Don’t just repeat your CV in your cover letter! Use it as a chance to explain why you're excited about the opportunity at First Point Group and how your values align with their brand. Mention specific aspects of the company that resonate with you and let your enthusiasm shine through!
Highlight Your Adaptability:In retail, things can get busy and unpredictable, so demonstrate how adaptable and flexible you are. Share examples of times you've had to adjust your approach on the fly or take on new responsibilities. This will show First Point Group that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at First Point Group
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail is all about providing an exceptional customer experience, so be ready to discuss your past customer service stories. We should have examples on hand of how we've handled difficult situations or gone above and beyond to meet a customer's needs. These anecdotes will bring your application to life!
✨Familiarity with Point of Sale Systems
Many retail roles require us to work with Point of Sale (POS) systems, so it's a good idea to brush up on any relevant software you’ve used before. If you’re familiar with systems like Shopify or Square, don’t forget to mention this during the interview. Highlighting technical proficiency can set us apart from other candidates!
✨Understand Product Knowledge
Be prepared to discuss the products that the store sells and how we can contribute to their sales. Showing enthusiasm for the products and a willingness to learn can impress interviewers. We should research popular items or trends in the industry before the interview, so we can speak confidently about them.
✨Be Ready for Role-Playing Scenarios
Many retail interviews include role-playing scenarios where we might have to deal with a difficult customer or upsell a product. Practising these scenarios with a friend or family member can help us feel more comfortable. The key here is to showcase our problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure!
