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, career progression opportunities, and a dynamic work culture.
- Why this job: Shape the future of UK retail and drive impactful commercial strategies.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in UK grocery and strong leadership skills.
- Other info: Join a fast-paced environment with a clear vision for long-term success.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ 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. This role has been created to lead the charge in one of the most strategically important growth areas in UK retail.
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. 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.
- Grocery Convenience Formats including Tesco Express, Sainsbury’s Local, and Morrisons Daily
- Value Retail / Hybrid: 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
- 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
- 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 strategically critical business unit in one of the fastest-growing sectors in UK retail
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. Proven experience leading large retail accounts such as Iceland, Lidl, B&M, or other high-volume customers.
- Inspirational team leader who builds trust, develops capability, and drives high performance
- Comfortable leading change in dynamic environments and embedding agile ways of working
Business Unit Manager in England employer: PT Executive
Contact Detail:
PT Executive Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Unit Manager in England
✨Network Like a Pro
Get out there and connect with people in the industry! Attend events, join relevant groups on LinkedIn, and don’t be shy about reaching out to folks who work at companies you’re interested in. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to job opportunities that aren’t even advertised!
✨Ace the Informational Interview
Set up informational interviews with professionals in your desired field. This isn’t about asking for a job; it’s about gathering insights and advice. Plus, it shows your genuine interest in the industry and can help you stand out when positions do open up.
✨Showcase Your Skills
Create a portfolio or a personal website that highlights your achievements and skills relevant to the Business Unit Manager role. Use this as a platform to demonstrate your understanding of the convenience and value retail sectors, and make it easy for potential employers to see what you bring to the table.
✨Apply Through Our Website
When you find a role that excites you, apply directly through our website! It not only streamlines the process but also shows your enthusiasm for joining our team. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step to engage with us directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Business Unit Manager in England
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Business Unit Manager. Highlight your experience in UK grocery and any relevant achievements in chilled or own-label categories. 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 specific examples of how you've led teams and driven results in dynamic environments, just like we do at StudySmarter.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: As a senior commercial leader, it's crucial to demonstrate your ability to inspire and build trust within a team. Share stories that highlight your leadership style and how you've successfully managed large retail accounts.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and get to know you better. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to join our ambitious team!
How to prepare for a job interview at PT Executive
✨Know Your Business Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the company’s background, especially their position in the convenience and value retail sectors. Understand their strategic ambitions and how they plan to achieve operational excellence. This knowledge will help you align your experience with their goals.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Business Unit Manager, you'll need to inspire and lead a high-performing team. Prepare examples of how you've successfully built trust and developed capabilities in your previous roles. Highlight specific instances where your leadership directly contributed to commercial success.
✨Demonstrate Agility and Innovation
The role requires someone comfortable with change and agile processes. Be ready to discuss how you've implemented innovative strategies in fast-paced environments. Share examples that illustrate your ability to adapt and drive results in dynamic situations.
✨Prepare for Board-Level Discussions
Since you'll be representing the business unit at board level, practice articulating your vision and strategic direction clearly and confidently. Think about how you would influence investment decisions and shape overall strategy, and be prepared to answer questions on these topics.