Job details

Commercial Controller

ABOUT US

We are a trusted partner in protecting brands and their end-consumers around the world, through clear and accurate product information.

Creating trust: Consumers must be able to trust product information, in order to trust a brand. When our clients choose to work with us, they are trusting us with the reputation and the future of their brands.

By providing expertise: We are a highly versatile team of experts with a unique blend of manufacturing, retail, enforcement and commercial experience. Our clients rely on us to know every angle of the international product information sector, inside out.

Through collaboration: Our clients trust our expertise and choose to work with us as collaborative partners, to help them build successful brands. We work side by side with our clients to interpret and apply legal guidelines, enabling them to launch innovative products quickly and efficiently.

OUR SERVICES

Discover: we provide advice, training and consultation services across all aspects of food law, offering clear and practical solutions to product information and labelling.

Launch: we deliver complete product specifications and label information for product launches, ensuring full legal compliance, honesty and accuracy.

Expand: we help our clients move into new, global markets with total compliance confidence, all whilst avoiding unnecessary time, cost and enforcement action.

Protect: we work in partnership with our clients to interpret and apply the law and protect their brands by helping end consumers make safe, informed choices.

ABOUT YOU

Welcoming: friendly, approachable and open to new ideas, feedback and improvement

Positive: create a positive experience for our people and our clients

Confident: act with integrity from a strong foundation of expertise

Simplicity: you will remove complexity and bring clarity

THE ROLE

We are seeking a Commercial Controller to join our UK Retail Team. The successful candidate will lead and develop our client accounts.

Key duties and responsibilities

Your goals: to build a professional, approachable team who love what they do, are open to new ideas and take an honest, straight forward approach to delivering exceptional service. Surrounded and supported by Ashbury’s Technical and Regulatory specialists you will nurture the client relationship, optimise opportunities and deliver against identified targets. Working cross functionally both internally and externally you will drive a strong growth agenda within your business unit that will play a significant part in maximising performance of the business as whole. To achieve you will take ownership of driving a “change agenda” both internally and externally to the business. Your short-term goals will be 2 years out, whilst long-term goals will be devised some 5 years into the future, hence the intellectual stretch you will experience will be unparalleled in your career to date.

Leadership requirements:

Proven experience of leading and influencing teams (internally and externally).
Proven leadership of client accounts, professional and commercial acumen.
Develop and help lead the vision for the Account Directors and Account Managers; secure key stakeholder buy-in.
Lead and develop a Commercial Team to deliver first class service.
Provide a Vision for others to form key customers acumen, securing existing business and winning new.
Refine and implement the business strategy to ensure this maximises sustainable category growth opportunities and ensures that challenging sales, volume and profit objectives are delivered. Maybe add the expectations to achieve %Growth over the next 4-5 Years?
Assist in the development of a Commercial Strategy which takes the Business to the next level.
Define the growth categories and consumer need states and energise the origination and delivery of innovation which maximise growth opportunities.
You must have gained strong Senior Commercial/Sales experience in Food Industry ideally at Controller Level.
You must be clearly leading your “peer group” and be ready for greatest challenge of your career.
A Foodie perspective and strong Relationship skills are a must.

YOUR PURPOSE

The purpose of the role is to provide strategic direction, leadership, and management of the Team, ensuring that all commercial activities contribute towards Ashbury’s growth and profitability targets.
This role will be focussed on the commercial management of client clusters through respective client managers and teams, seeking to maximise sustainable profitable growth.
To build strong relationships and interface superbly across multiple functions and levels. Working cross functionally both internally and externally, you are responsible for all aspects of the client relationship(s) in your portfolio.
The key objectives will be to drive sales, profit, service usage and visibility of Ashbury within the agreed client portfolio, achieving and exceeding set targets and budget and taking responsibility for developing an effective strategy to achieve Business Plan objectives.
The role will have direct and indirect line management responsibility

COMMERCIAL

Setting the strategic business development plan for the clients and/or market sectors you are responsible for.
Ensure the business plan for your portfolio includes clear identification of the commercial resources needed to achieve the defined goals and objectives, such as marketing materials or client portal interfaces.
Responsible for negotiation and renegotiation of new or existing trading terms and conditions for all clients in the portfolio.
Identifying new business opportunities that will lead to profitable growth.
Pitching and agreeing and then service delivery of new services.
Manage the client portfolio P&L and revenue forecasting – understanding margin required and margin achieved.
Drive profit ahead of revenue.

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

For the existing and potential clients in your portfolio, to ensure a contact matrix is part of the business plan and it is in place actioned and measurable.
To build strong relationships and interface superbly across multiple functions and levels of the key clients within the portfolio.
Working cross functionally both internally and externally, you are responsible for all aspects of the client relationship for all clients in your portfolio.
Build a client partnership mentality, always seeking to consolidate connections between the client’s business needs and Ashbury.
Consistently seek a seat ‘at the top table’ – having the ear and respect of your most senior client contacts.
Build confidence and trust within the client base in order to grow client advocacy.
Proactively look to deepen client relationships wherever possible– networking, relationship building - professional relationships. Ensure this is clearly defined as part of your business plan.
Understand the client’s commercial objectives and how they relate to Ashbury’s business plan – financially and strategically.

SERVICE DELIVERY

Delivery of the service(s) to the Client or clients in your portfolio to the agreed ways of working.
Senior point of contact for the clients in your portfolio.
Raise the profile and reputation of Ashbury Labelling within the portfolio.
Ensure your direct reports take reasonable steps to ensure the process is followed by the Client or clients in your portfolio.
Working with your direct reports, identify opportunities to drive continuous improvement, in the current ways of working of the Client and Ashbury.
Ensure that any issues which arise are quickly and effectively resolved.

PLANNING

Working with your Teams, you are responsible for the forecasting of the clients in your portfolio.
Ensuring any capacity risks or new project volumes are managed appropriately by your Teams with internal and external stakeholders, with potential solutions identified where appropriate.

REPORTING

Ensure there is a defined process for reporting to the key customers in your portfolio to a schedule agreed with the Client, that delivers clear understanding of our KPI performance, drives dialogue that leads to continuous improvement, builds trust and identifies new business opportunities.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

Line management of the Team.
Ensuring all Team members are clear on their roles, responsibilities, objectives and KPIs.
Ensure Team members roles are aligned to delivering the business plan.
Mentoring and coaching direct reports. Providing support as required.
Monitor performance of the team.
Managing daily, weekly, and monthly communications.

Skills, Education and Experience Required:

Experience

Essential

Demonstrable customer and internal stakeholder management skills
Strong commercial acumen skill and experience
Management of varied workload within a fast-paced environment
Management of people and Teams include the development of people within your team
Proven ability to manage multiple retail clients simultaneously
Experience of product launch process within retail own brand, either at a retailer or manufacturer through product development, technical or project management
Understanding of challenges and pressures bringing products to shelf and potential food safety risks
Ability to understand the detail of each client, but keep the topline bigger picture view

Desirable

Proven experience of negotiating with retailers or large food manufacturers

Skills, ability & knowledge

Essential

Degree level educational
Knowledge of the Food Industry through work experience or a relevant Qualification
Highly proficient in Microsoft packages especially Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook
High level of ability to communicate in English in written and spoken formats
Excellent oral, written, IT and presentation skills
Proactive, positive, enthusiastic – demonstrating a “can do” attitude and a keen interest in knowledge sharing.
Analytical, structured thinker with attention to detail but able to communicate complex issues in a concise, understandable manner.

Desirable

Qualifications in food or regulatory subject with sound technical knowledge, or able to demonstrate excellent relevant experience
Microsoft SharePoint, PowerPoint and other Microsoft reporting tools

Personal qualities

Essential