Job Description
A well-established and growing fresh produce business is looking to recruit a commercially driven Commercial Manager to lead and develop its non-retail trading channels. This is a high-impact role focused on profitable growth across wholesale, foodservice, export and independent customer accounts. This is an on-site role based in the West Midlands.
This position offers significant ownership, autonomy and the opportunity to directly influence margin performance, customer growth and supplier partnerships within a fast-moving environment.
The Role
You will be responsible for driving profitable growth across non-retail channels through active trading, disciplined margin management and development of new business opportunities.
Key responsibilities include:
Trading & Margin Ownership
- Buying and selling across agreed fresh produce categories
- Managing daily pricing decisions in line with market conditions
- Protecting and growing gross margin
- Managing stock exposure and minimising waste risk
- Balancing supply and demand in real time
Channel Growth - Non-Retail
- Developing new business across wholesale, foodservice and independent sectors
- Identifying new product and format opportunities
- Strengthening relationships with key independent and foodservice customers
- Supporting export development where relevant
Supplier & Source Management
- Building strong working relationships with suppliers and growers
- Aligning supply programmes to meet trading requirements
- Providing structured feedback on quality, availability and performance
- Supporting category development initiatives
Forecasting & Risk Control
- Maintaining forward visibility of volumes and margin
- Working cross-functionally to manage service and supply risk
- Proactively identifying market risks (gluts, shortages, logistics constraints)
Commercial Discipline
-Ensuring accurate trading records and margin reporting
-Conducting regular customer visits
-Contributing to weekly trading reviews
-Supporting working capital discipline and debtor management
About You
Essential Experience & Skills include:
- Strong trading instinct and commercial judgement
- Proven experience buying and selling fresh produce or similar short shelf-life FMCG products
- Comfortable operating in fast-paced, margin-sensitive environments
- Confident with pricing, margin management and commercial analysis
- Experience within wholesale and/or foodservice channels
Desirable
- Strong analytical and numerical capability
- Confident negotiator with sound commercial judgement
- Established network within non-retail channels
- Experience in fruit, vegetable or exotics categories
- Willingness to travel regularly to customers and operational sites
This is an opportunity to take ownership of a commercially significant area within a growing business, where your trading decisions will directly impact performance and growth.
If you thrive in fast-moving trading environments and enjoy combining margin discipline with business development, we would welcome your application.
As you know over here at Zest we like to do things properly and always want to keep you, the candidate in the loop. Applying to this 'one of a kind' role you give Zest permission to hold your information. If you want to know more about how Zest look after your personal information please visit our privacy policy on the website (url removed)
This position offers significant ownership, autonomy and the opportunity to directly influence margin performance, customer growth and supplier partnerships within a fast-moving environment.
The Role
You will be responsible for driving profitable growth across non-retail channels through active trading, disciplined margin management and development of new business opportunities.
Key responsibilities include:
Trading & Margin Ownership
- Buying and selling across agreed fresh produce categories
- Managing daily pricing decisions in line with market conditions
- Protecting and growing gross margin
- Managing stock exposure and minimising waste risk
- Balancing supply and demand in real time
Channel Growth - Non-Retail
- Developing new business across wholesale, foodservice and independent sectors
- Identifying new product and format opportunities
- Strengthening relationships with key independent and foodservice customers
- Supporting export development where relevant
Supplier & Source Management
- Building strong working relationships with suppliers and growers
- Aligning supply programmes to meet trading requirements
- Providing structured feedback on quality, availability and performance
- Supporting category development initiatives
Forecasting & Risk Control
- Maintaining forward visibility of volumes and margin
- Working cross-functionally to manage service and supply risk
- Proactively identifying market risks (gluts, shortages, logistics constraints)
Commercial Discipline
-Ensuring accurate trading records and margin reporting
-Conducting regular customer visits
-Contributing to weekly trading reviews
-Supporting working capital discipline and debtor management
About You
Essential Experience & Skills include:
- Strong trading instinct and commercial judgement
- Proven experience buying and selling fresh produce or similar short shelf-life FMCG products
- Comfortable operating in fast-paced, margin-sensitive environments
- Confident with pricing, margin management and commercial analysis
- Experience within wholesale and/or foodservice channels
Desirable
- Strong analytical and numerical capability
- Confident negotiator with sound commercial judgement
- Established network within non-retail channels
- Experience in fruit, vegetable or exotics categories
- Willingness to travel regularly to customers and operational sites
This is an opportunity to take ownership of a commercially significant area within a growing business, where your trading decisions will directly impact performance and growth.
If you thrive in fast-moving trading environments and enjoy combining margin discipline with business development, we would welcome your application.
As you know over here at Zest we like to do things properly and always want to keep you, the candidate in the loop. Applying to this 'one of a kind' role you give Zest permission to hold your information. If you want to know more about how Zest look after your personal information please visit our privacy policy on the website (url removed)
About Zest