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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a high-growth business unit in the convenience and value retail sector.
- Company: One of Europe's largest private-label food manufacturers with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, executive board exposure, and opportunities for career progression.
- Why this job: Shape the future of UK retail and drive significant commercial growth.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in UK grocery and strong leadership skills.
- Other info: Join a dynamic, agile culture that rewards creativity and accountability.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.
The Business
Our client is one of the largest private-label food manufacturers in Europe, partnering with a broad portfolio of UK grocery retailers across mainstream, value, and convenience sectors. With deep commercial capability in chilled categories and an ambitious innovation pipeline, they are investing heavily in future growth through customer partnerships, operational scale, and long-term category leadership. Their three-year strategic ambition is bold, to lead the industry in delivering unbeatable value, operational excellence, and brand-building through own label. Alongside their existing strengths, they are now elevating their focus on the fast-paced, commercially agile world of value-led and convenience retail, a channel where speed, service, and trusted relationships shape success. Significant group investment and a clear long-range plan are already in place. This role has been created to lead the charge in one of the most strategically important growth areas in UK retail.
The Role
As Business Unit Director – Convenience & Value Retail, you will take full ownership of a high-growth, multi-category business unit. This includes a broad customer base spanning grocery convenience, value-led retail, frozen specialists, and hybrid formats. You will shape the end-to-end commercial strategy, lead a high-performing customer team, and deliver both short-term commercial wins and long-term structural growth. This is a customer-facing and internally transformative role. You will work cross-functionally with peers across supply chain, category, operations, and innovation, embedding new ways of working, sharpening execution, and positioning the business as a partner of choice. This role offers exceptional visibility across the organisation, as well as direct influence with senior customers who play a central role in shaping modern retail and shopper behaviour.
Customer Scope will cover:
- Convenience: Co-op, Nisa, Spar, Costcutter
- Grocery Convenience Formats including Tesco Express, Sainsbury’s Local, and Morrisons Daily
- Value Retail / Hybrid: B&M, Home Bargains, Poundland and Farmfoods.
Key Responsibilities
- Own and lead the total commercial agenda for the UK Convenience and Value Retail business unit
- Develop and execute short, mid, and long-term commercial strategies that drive margin, share, and growth
- Lead key partnerships across Iceland, Lidl, Heron, B&M, and other major customers
- Build and inspire a first-class commercial team across sales, category, and customer management
- Drive change by embedding agile processes, data-led thinking, and faster, sharper execution
- Work cross-functionally to shape and deliver operational excellence across chilled categories
- Create customer-specific plans that balance short-term trading performance with long-range innovation
- Represent the Convenience business unit at board level, influencing investment decisions and shaping the overall strategic direction of the group
- Lead a mix of traded, value-driven products alongside higher-margin innovation and development ranges
- Act as the voice of the customer internally, ensuring exceptional service, responsiveness, and category alignment
Why Apply
- Lead a strategically critical business unit in one of the fastest-growing sectors in UK retail
- Own major customer partnerships across value and convenience channels with multi-million-pound P&L responsibility
- Work directly with the executive board to shape future investment, innovation, and commercial direction
- Join a well-resourced, future-focused group with a clear vision for long-term category leadership
- Be part of a lean, agile, and high-performance culture where pace, creativity, and accountability are rewarded
- Build a platform for further executive progression, from Commercial Director to future GM or MD pathways
Candidate Profile
We are seeking a senior commercial leader with a track record of delivering results in UK grocery, ideally across chilled, short shelf-life, or own-label categories. Experience in convenience or value retail is highly desirable. Proven experience leading large retail accounts such as Iceland, Lidl, B&M, or other high-volume customers. Commercially astute with strong P&L ownership, pricing, and customer strategy expertise. Track record of growing customer portfolios, driving margin, and managing complex product mixes. Inspirational team leader who builds trust, develops capability, and drives high performance. Comfortable leading change in dynamic environments and embedding agile ways of working. Exceptional internal stakeholder management skills, especially within matrix structures. Ready to operate at pace with high visibility and real accountability.
Business Unit Director - Convenience employer: PT Executive
Contact Detail:
PT Executive Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Unit Director - Convenience
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn or at events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that dream role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching the company inside out. Understand their values, products, and recent news. We want you to walk in feeling confident and ready to impress!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! You should be able to clearly articulate your experience and how it aligns with the role. We recommend rehearsing with a friend or in front of a mirror to nail that delivery.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in showing your enthusiasm for the position. We believe it’s a great way to keep you top of mind for the hiring team.
We think you need these skills to ace Business Unit Director - Convenience
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Business Unit Director role. Highlight your experience in convenience and value retail, and showcase how your skills align with our ambitious goals at StudySmarter.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific examples of how you've driven growth and managed P&L in previous roles. We want to see the impact you've made in your past positions!
Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through in your application. We value creativity and accountability, so don’t hesitate to express your passion for the industry and your vision for the future of convenience retail.
Apply Through Our Website: For the best chance of success, make sure to submit your application directly through our website. This way, we can easily track your application and get back to you quicker!
How to prepare for a job interview at PT Executive
✨Know Your Numbers
Make sure you’re familiar with key metrics related to the convenience and value retail sectors. Understand P&L statements, margin growth, and customer portfolio management. Being able to discuss these figures confidently will show that you’re commercially astute and ready to take on the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare examples of how you've built and inspired high-performing teams in the past. Highlight your experience in leading change and embedding agile processes. This role requires an inspirational leader, so be ready to demonstrate how you can motivate and develop your team.
✨Understand the Customer Landscape
Research the major customers mentioned in the job description, like Iceland, Lidl, and B&M. Be prepared to discuss how you would approach building partnerships with them and what strategies you would implement to drive growth in those relationships.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that ask how you would handle specific challenges in the convenience sector. Think about potential scenarios involving operational excellence or customer-specific plans. Practising your responses will help you articulate your thought process clearly during the interview.
