Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead commercial strategy and drive growth for major UK retail partnerships.
- Company: One of Europe's largest private-label food manufacturers with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Six-figure salary, executive benefits, and opportunities for career advancement.
- Why this job: Shape the future of retail partnerships and make a significant impact in the food industry.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in UK grocery retail and strong leadership skills.
- Other info: High-visibility role with potential pathways to executive leadership positions.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.
Location: North - Office Focused
Remuneration: Six Figures + Executive Benefits
The Business
Our client is one of the largest private-label food manufacturers in Europe, partnering with the UK's leading grocery retailers. With deep commercial capabilities across chilled food categories and a dynamic innovation pipeline, they are investing heavily in category leadership, operational excellence, and long-term strategic partnerships. 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 is a business with substantial group-level investment and long-range planning already in place. Having successfully restructured for growth, they are now ready to accelerate. This role is central to that ambition.
The Role
As Business Unit Director - Retail, you will take full ownership of two of the most strategically important retail partnerships in the UK grocery market. Your remit will span commercial strategy, customer development, team leadership, and long-range planning. This is more than a customer-facing role. You will drive a change agenda across your business unit, embedding new ways of working, shaping internal collaboration, and setting a new benchmark for commercial excellence. You will own the strategic blueprint for both short-term commercial performance and long-term growth. You will lead a large, high-value portfolio across chilled categories, navigating both traded high-volume lines and more complex innovation-led areas such as ready-to-cook and added-value prepared foods. You will operate at the most senior level with your retail partners and be a core voice at the strategic table within the group. This is a high-visibility, high-influence leadership position.
Key Responsibilities
- Own and lead the total commercial agenda for two of the UK's largest grocery retailers
- Deliver long-term category growth, P&L performance, and margin enhancement
- Shape and implement a five-year strategic roadmap whilst delivering short-term and mid-term deliverables
- 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?
- Own two of the most critical UK retail accounts in a business unit valued in the hundreds of millions
- Operate at the highest level of commercial strategy, working directly with the board and customer leadership teams
- Shape and deliver a business unit strategy with clear growth, investment, and team development
- Join a company with deep resources, long-term commitment, and a roadmap for category leadership
- Build a platform for broader executive leadership roles, including future Commercial Director or GM pathways
Candidate Profile
We are seeking an experienced commercial leader with a strong track record in UK grocery retail. You might currently be a Sales Director, Head of Sales, high-performing Business Unit Director or even a Commercial Director looking for a bigger stage. Proven experience leading major retail accounts, ideally in chilled food or added-value categories. Strong P&L ownership, commercial strategy, and team leadership experience. Excellent customer influence skills with existing senior relationships across UK retail. Track record of delivering volume, value, and margin growth over time. Inspirational leader who thrives in pace, drives accountability, and builds trust. Agile, strategic thinker with strong financial and planning capability. Comfortable working across matrix structures and in high-visibility roles.
Business Unit Director, Retail in England employer: PT Executive
Contact Detail:
PT Executive Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Unit Director, Retail in England
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the retail sector and let them know you're on the lookout for new opportunities. A personal recommendation can go a long way in landing that Business Unit Director role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching the company inside out. Understand their strategic goals, especially around category growth and innovation. This will help you showcase how your experience aligns with their ambitions.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just wait for job postings; be proactive! Reach out directly to companies you admire, like the one in the job description. Express your interest and share how you can contribute to their commercial strategy.
✨Tip Number 4
Finally, apply through our website! We’ve got a streamlined process that makes it easy for you to showcase your skills and experience. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to connect with us directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Business Unit Director, Retail in England
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Business Unit Director role. Highlight your experience in UK grocery retail and any relevant achievements that align with the job description. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share your vision for driving commercial strategy and how you plan to inspire and lead a high-performing team.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: As a Business Unit Director, leadership is key. In your application, give examples of how you've successfully led teams and driven change in previous roles. We love to see candidates who can inspire and elevate their teams!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. We can't wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at PT Executive
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Business Unit Director, you'll need to demonstrate your strong P&L ownership. Brush up on your financial metrics and be ready to discuss how you've driven volume, value, and margin growth in previous roles. Specific examples will show you mean business!
✨Showcase Your Strategic Vision
This role is all about shaping and implementing a long-term strategy. Prepare to articulate your vision for category growth and how you would approach the five-year roadmap. Think about innovative ideas that align with the company's ambition to pioneer new revenue streams.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
You'll be leading a high-performing team, so be ready to share your leadership style. Discuss how you've inspired and developed teams in the past, and provide examples of how you've fostered a dynamic performance culture. They want to see an inspirational leader in you!
✨Build Rapport with Retail Partners
Since this role involves working closely with major retail accounts, think about how you can build deep strategic partnerships. Prepare anecdotes that highlight your existing relationships and how you've successfully navigated complex negotiations in the grocery sector.