Sales Director in Leeds

The Business

Our client is a leading force in the private label chilled food sector, operating across several core product categories where they already command significant market share with the UK’s major grocery retailers. Recently, they have also entered a new product area that is experiencing exceptional double-digit growth and is considered one of the most exciting areas of the market today.

Their three-year strategic ambition is to master the elusive balance of delivering outstanding quality alongside unbeatable value in their core ranges, while simultaneously pioneering new areas of food development that will create entirely new revenue streams. This next phase of growth is underpinned by substantial investment in both cutting-edge product development and advanced commercial and category solutions.

A critical differentiator for them is the calibre of their Commercial Leadership Team. This is where you could have a transformative impact.

The Role

As Sales Director, you will take full charge of managing and building the total Customer base which carries an RSV exceeding £150 million. You will work cross-functionally and collaboratively, both inside the organisation and externally with key retail partners, to drive a powerful growth agenda that directly shapes and maximises the EBIT performance of the UK business.

Your remit will include owning and driving a change agenda, embedding fresh ways of working and creating a step-change in how the business operates and partners with its customers. Your vision will extend well beyond the immediate horizon. In the short term, you will set ambitious goals two years out, while simultaneously shaping a strategic blueprint looking five years ahead. This will provide an intellectual and commercial stretch unlike anything you have encountered in your career to date.

Working closely with the UK Managing Director, the Head of Category, and your fellow senior leadership colleagues, your plans will form the commercial and category compass by which the business sets its future direction.

Core Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the strategic vision for the total chilled portfolio, securing the buy-in of key stakeholders including the Group Executive, the wider employee base, and the board.
• Inspire, lead, and elevate a first-class Commercial Team, delivering exceptional service levels and creating clear competitive separation within the major retailer channel.
• Actively contribute at board level, shaping the broader strategic agenda, driving operational effectiveness, and maximising profitability across the business.
• Provide a compelling vision to key customers and suppliers, building deep strategic partnerships that protect and grow existing business while securing new wins.
• Refine and implement the business strategy, ensuring it unlocks sustainable category growth and delivers on stretching sales, volume, and profit objectives. The board has set an expectation to achieve approximately 40 percent growth over the next four to five years.
• Develop and execute a commercial strategy that positions the UK business as a modern, innovative private label powerhouse, building substantial equity and future-proofing market leadership.
• Identify and define growth categories and consumer need states, then lead the origination and delivery of innovation that fully capitalises on these opportunities.
• Coach, develop, and empower a high-performing commercial and support team, fostering an entrepreneurial spirit and embedding a dynamic performance culture across the organisation.

Why Apply

• Operate as Sales Director at the helm of one of the most strategically critical divisions in the business, directly shaping future growth and profitability.
• Own a multi-million-pound Retail Business Unit, delivering the vision and performance that sets the benchmark for the entire organisation.
• Work alongside a high-calibre Executive Board, influencing major investment decisions, innovation agendas, and long-range strategic priorities.
• Be part of a business with substantial resources and clear ambition, committed to building long-term category leadership and brand equity in private label.
• Stretch yourself intellectually and commercially, with both near-term and long-horizon goals that will challenge and accelerate your development.
• Build a platform for significant career advancement, with a clear pathway to broader commercial board roles or future GM and MD opportunities.

Candidate Requirements

You will already be operating in a senior commercial or sales leadership role within chilled food, ideally at Sales Director or Head of Sales level. However, the client is open to outstanding individuals who are currently at Business Unit Director level, provided you are clearly outperforming your peer group and ready to embrace the most significant challenge of your career to date.

You will combine a genuine passion for food with exceptional relationship-building skills, enabling you to operate as a trusted partner to both customers and internal stakeholders.

You will bring strategic vision, commercial depth, and the leadership capability required to thrive in one of the most critical roles on the Executive Board.