Commercial Manager

Overview

In this Commercial Manager role, you will oversee the commercial and procurement management of a fresh produce category, balancing sales, margin and service levels. You will build strong relationships with growers, suppliers, and internal teams to deliver targets and drive supply chain improvements. The role combines category strategy with hands-on costings, supplier returns, and end‑of‑season reviews, contributing to product range development and cross‑functional collaboration. This is an opportunity to shape supplier partnerships and optimize profitability in a fast‑moving, seasonal environment.

Responsibilities

• Own category commercial and procurement management
• Deliver sales, volume and margin targets
• Build and maintain relationships with growers and suppliers
• Produce weekly customer costings and commercial updates
• Manage price returns to growers and suppliers within timescales
• Prepare and deliver end-of-season reviews with customers and suppliers
• Identify and implement cost savings across the supply chain
• Introduce improved commercial processes and closer cross‑functional collaboration
• Support development of joint customer category plans
• Provide accurate commercial information for forecasting and longer-term procurement programs
• Contribute to product range development
• Resolve sourcing, availability and product-quality issues with technical and quality teams
• Communicate technical or quality matters clearly to customer teams
• Maintain awareness of market conditions and competitor activity
• Ensure commercial, financial and administrative controls are followed

Key requirements

• Commercial, procurement or category management experience in fresh produce
• Experience working with UK retailers, growers or suppliers
• Strong understanding of seasonal procurement, pricing, margins, volumes and availability
• Ability to prepare commercial costings and manage returns
• Strong negotiation and relationship-management skills
• Ability to interpret market information and identify commercial opportunities
• Experience working with cross-functional teams (supply chain, technical, quality, operations)
• Excellent organisation, communication and problem-solving skills
• Confidence managing competing priorities in a fast-moving, seasonal environment
• Previous people-management or team-development experience
• Experience in a fresh produce category is advantageous

• negotiation
• relationship management
• organisation
• commercial costings
• supplier/grower returns management
• supply chain collaboration

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