Grocery Director

Overview:
Reporting into the Country Manager for the UK business the purpose of the role is to take full internal and external accountability for the leadership and management of a number of key Grocery customers collectively worth over £270m. In addition, the Grocery Director will also have full strategic plan and P&L responsibility across all customers The role will also be a key role within the Sales Leadership Team and the wider crossfunctional Leadership Teams with frequent exposure to the UK board.

The Grocery Director will set the strategic vision for each customer working cross functionally to develop and drive cross functional implementation of a long-term strategic customer plan that aligns with the respective customer strategy with the intention of driving Birds Eye and category level growth. Key deliverables include appropriate balance of value, volume and profit to drive Birdseye market share growth across each of its brands and Own label business in all channels.

This is a critical leadership role within the UK Sales team consisting of the following key accountabilities:
- ** Inclusive leadership -** Responsible for role modelling truly inclusive leadership to ensure diversity is embraced across all aspects of the business unit and visibly advocating across the total business
- ** Team leadership** - Responsible for setting the direction for a team of up to 12, including 2 direct reports. The BUD will define clear roles and responsibilities within team, refining in response to customer/channel direction and business need. Coaching and other development strategies to maximise potential and delivery of the of the team are critical.
- ** Strategic customer planning -** Responsible for developing and embedding a clear 3 year vision for growth with each customer with a key emphasis on appropriate channel strategies to deliver market outperformance.
- ** Joint Business Planning** - Flowing from the long term strategic vision and plan the BUD is accountable for leading the development, implementation and delivery of the 12month joint business plan to achieve Birds Eye’s commercial and brand objectives.
- ** Team control **- The BUD is responsible for the development and implementation of key control processes across the full team to ensure defined accountability for the delivery of both the internal and external plans and for instilling consistent weekly and monthly control standards across the full business unit.
- ** Agile performance delivery**:

- Accountable for the identification and implementation of short-term and medium-term commercial initiatives to drive and maintain within year performance, e.g. customer pricing activity, promotional optimisation, identifying additional customer collaboration activities
- ** Negotiation Leadership - **Responsible for setting negotiation strategies for the team to maximise returns for Birdseye based on clear principles of conditionality and ensuring support for full team in all key negotiations both internally and externally.
- ** Cross Functional Leadership -** As a member of both the Sales Leadership Team and Extended Leadership Team, the BUD is responsible for playing an active and visible role not only in being the voice of the business unit but additionally in helping shape wider business strategy development to deliver commercial growth opportunities.

**Responsibilities**:

- Leadership and coaching that delivers a best in class customer facing sales team.
- Working closely with other BUDs to ensure that commercial managers deliver and execute the customer strategy.
- Work with the core leadership teams within the UK Business (Extended Leadership, Business Leadership and Divisional Leadership Teams) to ensure that the short, medium and long term customer and channel strategy is communicated, understood and acted upon as per the plan
- Identify the key levers for growth - analyse and understand external trends and opportunities, industry / channel / consumer insights in order to develop the most compelling customer plans.
- Setting the 3-year strategic vision across the full business unit including what it will take internally and through the customer for Birds Eye to over perform.
- Accountable for the governance of the in year customer plan across sales, marketing and category management and the delivery of UK MU strategic prioritise through a business scorecard
- Target and manage internal and external talent for the succession pipeline into critical sales roles.
- Owning key external retailer relationships to ensure customers recognise and value Birds Eye UK as a key category partner.
- Influencing and aligning the Board and Leadership team to these requirements on a regular basis.
- Working as an effective category growth team member ensuring customers are fully represented and prioritised by the team.
- Ensuring effective relationships are in place with the Customer teams
- Positively engage individuals and teams within the business to dri