Head of Sales – Grocery & International (Challenger Brand)
Leeds / Hybrid
£ D.O.E + bonus (15% with stretch to 25%)
We’re partnering with a high-growth challenger food brand that’s entering a genuine scale-up phase. Founder-led, entrepreneurial and demand-backed, the business is now building the commercial structure to accelerate growth across UK Grocery and international territories.
The Head of Sales role will report into the MD, owning the numbers, setting the strategy, and helping shape the next chapter of growth. While this is a leadership position, it’s not an “ivory tower” role, you’ll need to be comfortable staying close to key customers and managing the most important account whilst opening doors at senior level. You will manage a team of 3 National Account Managers.
The business has a strong turnover already, with on going pitches to UK Retail (including an established international retail relationship), but the major growth is in UK Grocery with clear ambitions to scale significantly over the next 3–5 years, including an expansion into new categories
Key Responsibilities:
- Own the commercial number for the UK Grocery business and support the international retail relationship
- Build and execute the customer strategy with a focus on unlocking Top 4 growth (Tesco/Waitrose-level)
- Develop and lead the JBP approach, ensuring plans align with brand, category and margin ambitions
- Lead and coach the commercial team (including NAMs and sales support), building a high-performance culture
- Strengthen the business’ route-to-market and customer mix, ensuring focus and clarity across accounts
- Work closely with internal stakeholders across finance, supply chain, operations and NPD to deliver sustainable growth
- Bring structure and pace without overcomplicating process — pragmatic leadership in a scaling environment
- Be willing to own a select number of key relationships personally, particularly during strategic growth phases
Qualifications:
- Senior commercial leadership experience in FMCG (Head of Sales / Sales Director / Controller / SNAM ready to step up)
- Strong UK Grocery background with credible experience opening and nurturing Top 4 relationships
- Confident owning P&L / margin delivery, and comfortable operating in a competitive category
- Commercially sharp with strong JBP and category understanding
- Leadership style that develops others — growth mindset, coaching, and accountability
- Entrepreneurial approach: hands-on, adaptable, not precious, and comfortable driving change
- Comfortable operating in a founder-led environment with high ambition and fast decision making
If the role and responsibilities sound like a good fit for you, then I’d love to speak to you!
Find out more about our available opportunities or how we can help you further your career – contact us today.
Please get in touch with or click “Apply Now” to be considered for this vacancy:
Call: 020 7871 8000
Email: will.cattell@advocate-group.co.uk
The Advocate Group is a leading recruitment partner, based in the UK, to the FMCG and consumer product sectors. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age. By applying for this role, you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy, which can be found on our website. Please note that The Advocate Group is acting as an employment agency in relation to this vacancy.