Senior Business Manager - Retail

We are devoted to perfecting our products to make sure the great British public gets the best night’s sleep ever. John Cotton UK is one of the most established names in UK textiles — a category leader in sustainable sleep innovation. We are the UK’s leading supplier of mattress components and one of Europe’s largest pillow and duvet manufacturers.

A proud family business founded in 1916, We’ve spent over 100 years innovating in fibre technology, including recycled and repurposed materials; cleverly pioneering fibre technology from our Head Office in Mirfield. Our commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability runs through everything we do — with a strong focus on customer satisfaction and future growth.

Our culture is underpinned by our Core Values:

✔️ Delight Customers ✔️ Excel in Quality ✔️ Rigorous Integrity

✔️ Integrated Teamwork ✔️ Ambitiously Innovative ✔️ Passionate About Sustainability

We’re now looking for a commercially driven Senior Business Manager – Retail to lead growth and account development across key UK retail partners.

The Opportunity

As the Senior Business Manager- Retail, you will take full ownership of one of your leading Retail Customers, with responsibility for strategy, sales performance, relationship development, and long-term growth. You’ll work cross-functionally to lead customer plans, coordinate internal delivery, and drive innovation through seasonal and promotional NPD.

This is a high-impact commercial role with full P&L responsibility, excellent visibility, and the chance to make a measurable difference in a values-led, forward-thinking business.

The Role Will Focus On:

• Managing and growing national retail accounts with full commercial responsibility
• Developing and implementing tailored growth strategies by customer
• Leading customer communication across buying, merchandising, and technical functions
• Delivering account profitability through costing and profit analysis by product range
• Leading seasonal NPD and Branded promotional launches in line with internal critical paths
• Conducting market and gap analysis to support customer category development
• Building internal alignment across supply chain, production, NPD, marketing, and finance
• Managing forecasting accuracy with support from internal planning functions
• Providing structured performance feedback to senior customer stakeholders
• Leveraging wider group resources to support efficiency and sales growth

Key Drivers

✅ Deliver strategic account growth and long-term commercial value

✅ Own full P&L responsibility across multiple retail partnerships

✅ Coordinate cross-functional delivery across internal teams

✅ Lead critical path and range management for launches and discontinuations

✅ Use market data to shape promotional, pricing, and NPD strategies

✅ Be a key voice in shaping future product initiatives by account

Why Join?

✔️ Trusted UK heritage – Over 100 years of quality, innovation, and operational excellence

✔️ Lead with impact – Full account ownership and visibility within the senior leadership team

✔️ Grow in a values-led culture – Collaboration, innovation, and sustainability at the core

✔️ High-impact role – A rare opportunity to shape strategy and drive real growth

✔️ Future-facing business – Strong investment in products, people, and long-term partnerships

Candidate Requirements

We’re seeking a confident, strategic commercial leader with a proven record of delivering in the UK retail environment.

✅ Strong National Account Management or Key Account experience in Consumer Goods or FMCG

✅ Full P&L ownership and commercial performance delivery

✅ Excellent relationship-building skills across buying, merchandising, and tech teams

✅ Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage internal delivery

✅ Analytical mindset with strong forecasting, costing, and pricing skills

✅ Experience launching and managing seasonal NPD (ideal)

✅ Positive, proactive, and naturally collaborative

📩 Ready to shape the future of UK retail in a heritage business with fresh ambition?

Apply now or get in touch for a confidential conversation.

Please note:

We have chosen to work exclusively with PT Executive and 1 other PSL Recruiter; therefore, we kindly ask that other recruiters respect our decision and do not contact us in relation to this role. Thank You.