At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the launch and growth of a new functional drinks brand in the UK market.
- Company: Join a well-funded, early-stage functional drinks business with big ambitions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary up to £150,000 plus bonus and flexible working options.
- Other info: Flexible location with significant travel across England; perfect for ambitious builders.
- Why this job: Be a key player in building a brand from the ground up and shape its future.
- Qualifications: Senior commercial experience in Drinks or FMCG, with a track record of winning new customers.
The predicted salary is between 105750 - 129250 £ per year.
Up to £150,000 DOE + Bonus & Package
Home Based with ideal candidate locations: London and Manchester
Rare opportunity to join a well-funded, early-stage functional drinks business ahead of its UK launch and take ownership of building the commercial operation from the ground up. With the product developed, tested and launch planned for Q1 2027, the business is now looking for an exceptional Commercial Director to define the UK go-to-market strategy, secure initial distribution and build the commercial team as the brand scales. This isn’t an opportunity to inherit a ready-made customer base. You’ll be the person who builds it.
The Role
- Own and execute the UK commercial and go-to-market strategy from launch.
- Lead initial expansion across Convenience, Forecourt, Travel and premium Impulse, before developing into wider channels.
- Personally open doors, build senior buyer relationships and secure significant new distribution.
- Use your understanding of retailer buying cycles to build the right customer pipeline ahead of launch.
- Shape pricing, customer propositions, channel prioritisation and longer-term commercial strategy.
- Build the commercial team during Year 1, adding resource as distribution and customer requirements develop.
- Remain focused on strategy, new business and senior negotiations as day-to-day account management moves into the wider team.
About You
We’re looking for a builder, not simply a manager of established accounts. You’ll ideally bring:
- Senior commercial experience within Drinks or closely aligned FMCG, with strong exposure to Convenience, Forecourt, Impulse and/or Wholesale.
- A demonstrable track record of personally winning new customers and building distribution.
- Experience launching or scaling a challenger brand, new proposition or early-stage business.
- Strong relationships across relevant UK retailers and a detailed understanding of how and when they buy.
- The ability to operate without a large corporate infrastructure around you – comfortable moving between commercial strategy and hands-on execution.
- The credibility and autonomy to work closely with a founder while building a commercial function around you.
- Challenger, SME and scale-up experience is essential, with candidates being confident in demonstrating what they personally built, launched or changed.
Why Join?
This is an opportunity to get involved before the first major listings are secured. The foundations are in place: a well-funded business, a developed and tested functional drinks portfolio and significant ambitions for UK and international growth. What isn’t already built is the commercial machine. You’ll have the mandate to decide where the brand goes first, which customers matter, how distribution is built and what the future sales organisation looks like. Location is flexible across England, with London or Manchester particularly well suited. Significant national customer travel should be expected.
If you’ve built brands rather than simply inherited them – and fancy doing it again with considerably more ownership – we’d love to hear from you.
The Advocate Group is a leading search and selection business providing top talent to the consumer products sector. If you’re interested in finding out more about our available opportunities or how we can help you further your career, then please contact us today.
Drop me a message or apply directly to find out more.
Commercial Director employer: The Advocate Group
Aimia Foods is an exceptional employer that prioritises the growth and development of its employees while fostering a collaborative and innovative work culture. With a focus on building strong relationships in the Contract Catering and Travel sectors, team members enjoy the flexibility of a home-based role combined with the excitement of regular travel, all within a supportive environment that values personal and professional advancement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Commercial Director
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We think you need these skills to ace Commercial Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Analytical Skills:In the business intelligence field, showcasing your analytical skills is a must. Make sure your CV includes relevant experience with data analysis tools, programming languages like SQL or Python, and any projects where you've interpreted complex data sets to drive business decisions.
Showcase Your Business Acumen:Don't just focus on data; show us how you can apply your insights to real-world business problems. Highlight projects where you made a tangible impact on company performance, and be prepared to explain your thought process in your cover letter.
Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at The Advocate Group, tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect our organisational goals and strategies. Mention specific tools and methodologies that align with what we do—this shows you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in our mission!
Include Relevant Certifications:Certifications like Google Data Analytics or similar qualifications can really make you stand out in business intelligence. Include these in your application, as they demonstrate your commitment to the field and your willingness to stay current with industry standards.
How to prepare for a job interview at The Advocate Group
✨Show off your analytical skills
In a business intelligence role, you're going to need to demonstrate your analytical prowess. Be prepared to discuss specific tools you've used, like SQL, Tableau, or Power BI. Have real-world examples ready where you’ve turned data into actionable insights – this is what makes us shine in interviews!
✨Practice your technical know-how
Expect some technical questions during the interview that dive deep into your understanding of data modelling and analytics frameworks. Brush up on your knowledge of data warehousing concepts and be ready to tackle any real case scenarios they might present. They’ll want to see how you approach problems using your BI toolkit.
✨Portfolio of Projects
Since it's a full-time role, having a strong portfolio is key! Compile case studies demonstrating your previous projects, preferably showing how your insights led to business improvements. This can help us display how you think through complex datasets and your problem-solving process, which is what employers are keen on seeing.
✨Know their business model
Get familiar with The Advocate Group’s business model and recent data-driven decisions. Be prepared to discuss how your skills can specifically support their objectives or challenges. Understanding their landscape shows that you’re not just a data buff, but you’re also genuinely interested in how BI can impact their bottom line.
