Commercial Director - Foodservice

The Business

Our client is a fast-scaling force in the private-label food industry, with a growing reputation for category-leading innovation, operational agility, and deep Foodservice expertise. While best known for delivering standout quality to major UK retailers, they are now powerfully extending their reach into the Out-of-Home and Foodservice space—bringing commercial edge, culinary insight, and supply chain resilience to the evolving needs of operators across QSR, Casual Dining, and Wholesale. Operating within a fast-paced, matrix-led structure, they thrive in complexity—navigating commodity volatility and shifting menu trends to deliver tailored, margin-enhancing solutions for customers. Backed by significant investment and an ambitious five-year growth roadmap, they are now looking to appoint a high-impact Commercial Director to lead one of their most strategically important divisions—owning total channel P&L, commercial strategy, and long-term operator partnerships across the Foodservice landscape.

The Role

This is a board-facing, enterprise-critical Commercial Director role, responsible for setting and executing the strategic direction of the Foodservice division. As the senior executive with full commercial and P&L ownership, you will lead the transformation of the company’s presence in the Out-of-Home sector—focusing on Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), Casual Dining, and National Foodservice operators. Reporting directly to the CEO and operating as a key member of the senior leadership team, you will define a market-winning growth strategy, unlock high-value partnerships, and orchestrate best-in-class commercial execution across multiple channels. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of the business from a Commercial Director seat, with genuine enterprise-level influence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Strategic Growth Agenda as Commercial Director
• Set the long-range commercial vision for the Foodservice business.
• Drive strategy across National Foodservice, Wholesale, and Out-of-Home sectors to deliver scalable, sustainable growth fully aligned with wider business objectives.
• Own & Strengthen Key Strategic Partnerships
• As Commercial Director, lead high-impact relationships with QSR giants, national restaurant groups, contract caterers, and buying consortia.
• Build enduring partnerships rooted in shared commercial ambition and category value creation.
• Champion Innovation Through Customer-Centric Solutions
• Work cross-functionally with Culinary, NPD, Marketing, and Supply Chain to co-create solutions that are insight-led, operator-focused, and ahead of trend.
• Translate emerging market needs into tangible commercial wins.
• Build and lead a high-performing team that reflects your commercial vision.
• Drive a winning culture based on accountability, pace, and continuous development.
• Ensure the right capability is in place to support both strategic accounts and executional delivery.
• Deliver Full P&L Accountability and Margin Optimisation
• As Commercial Director, own every lever of commercial performance—from revenue and gross margin to investment strategy and profitability.
• Ensure commercial rigour is embedded across the channel.
• Drive ESG, Innovation, and Sustainable Growth
• Work with internal stakeholders and external partners to embed sustainability into the heart of commercial decision-making.
• Ensure Foodservice growth is aligned to long-term category evolution and brand purpose.

This is not a maintenance position—it is a Commercial Director mandate with genuine transformational scope. With ambitions to grow the Foodservice channel by c.80% over the next five years, this role will shape not just the commercial trajectory of the channel, but the overall direction of the business.

Why Apply?

• Operate as Commercial Director for a high-growth, strategically critical Business Unit.
• Take full P&L and strategic ownership of a channel with board-level visibility.
• Join a progressive, ambitious SLT focused on innovation, pace, and value creation.
• Fast-track your career with a clear pathway to broader executive leadership or General Management.

Candidate Profile

• Proven track record as a Commercial Director or senior commercial leader within Foodservice, ideally with full strategic and P&L responsibility.
• Demonstrated success in developing and leading major national accounts across QSR, Casual Dining, and Wholesale sectors.
• Strong commercial intellect, with experience in complex negotiations, pricing strategy, and multi-channel go-to-market planning.
• Inspirational leadership qualities with a history of building and sustaining high-performance teams in demanding, fast-paced environments.
• Sector experience in chilled food preferred, though outstanding candidates from adjacent FMCG food categories will be considered.
• Deep commercial understanding of the operational, culinary, and consumer dynamics that shape success in modern Foodservice.