Commercial Manager
About the Role
- To create and execute the commercial plan for several OB propositions within Bars, to deliver EBITDA growth from like-for-like sales and gross margin improvement activity.
- Commercial plan – support the Head of Bars and Casual Dining to create the commercial plan for each of the specified propositions
- Analytics – ensure that every initiative is modelled on a product by product / unit by unit basis and forecast outcomes. Test and learn based on the commercial results
- Sign off - submit proposed sales and gross margin improvement activities to weekly trade / monthly commercial forum meetings for approval (background, financial value and suggested next steps)
- Preparation of proposition/menu briefs based on customer & commercial opportunity.
- Work closely with marketing services such as NPD, creative design, marketing planning and brand development function.
- Implementation – once activity is signed off, total accountability for the successful implementation through operational teams
- Review - report results at weekly trade and monthly commercial forum meetings. Assess whether forecast has been achieved and EBITDA can be banked. Course correct where necessary
- Roll out – if successful, roll out and look for optimisation opportunities either in other brands or in other product categories where the same principles can be applied
- New openings – manage the commercial set up for new openings including range, pricing, POS. Deliver action plans to drive sales and profit if business cases are not delivering to target
- Monitor competitor and brand partner activity, as well as customer and market trends
- Spend time in the field monthly – observing and supporting implementation in operational units
- Effective management of Commercial Executives who support the implementation of the commercial plan where required.
- Proactively looks for ways to optimise results and stay competitive with our competitors
To be successful in this role you will need:
Essential:
- Experience of using price, range, display and space, upselling, margin and category optimisation to deliver commercial results
- Experience of delivering profit targets preferred, but experience of working in a sales environment also desirable
- Must be able to drive decision-making through analysis and based on evidence, rather than intuition
- Experience of drawing out business insights from analysis and presenting findings and recommendations persuasively
- Must be able to develop innovative ideas to drive top and bottom line, testing, learning and refining and then operationalizing them
- Excellent organisational, leadership, and communication skills
- Experience of managing and influencing senior stakeholders
- Experience of managing client relationships
- Excellent knowledge of external trends in the food and beverage industry, customer trends and expectations
- Good understanding of the impact of external factors on growth, including competition and seasonality
- Good understanding of the operational reality in units i.e. a good understanding of waste management and minimisation, labour planning and optimisation, equipment, space and layout etc.
Desirable:
- Analytical and commercial
- Exceptional attention to detail
- Data-driven
- Ability to focus effort on most profitable outcome
- Innovative and bold – able to find new ways of doing things, challenge the status quo, take an entrepreneurial approach (measured risk, high reward)
- Ability to build and work to a solid plan to achieve margin but not afraid to adapt to changes to take advantage of opportunities and quick wins as they arise
