Solent Group work with a diverse portfolio of Retailers and supply bespoke products within various categories, including Health & Beauty, Household Impulse Snacking and Reusable Bags. We are proud to be best-in-class when it comes to own-label product innovation. Our Categories are fast-paced with ever-evolving trends and a host of ground-breaking products coming to market on a regular basis – we add value to retailers by leading and owning each category.
Here at Solent we want people to be extraordinary. We pride ourselves on creating and producing amazing products and brands for our Global Customers. You will be joining a company with offices globally across South Africa, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Vietnam, and the UK.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

This senior commercial leadership role requires an experienced, results-driven, collaborative professional with expertise in managing relationships within the UK & Internationally across all retail formats including Grocers, Health & Wellness outlets, e-commerce & B2B. Reporting to the CCO, this role is a key contributor to the company’s ambitious growth trajectory, playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of Solent’s Nutrition & Wellness Portfolio through identification & delivery of clear, focused, commercial strategies.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop & lead the commercial strategy aligned to Solent’s double digit growth ambitions
• Deliver full P&L ownership for sales globally, with current revenue responsibility of £22m
• Champion new category, channel & Intl expansion, identifying trends & whitespace opportunities

Customer & Market Development

• Place Solent as a category leader within Food, working with brand & retailers to expand the range
• Monitor market shifts, competitive dynamics & consumer trends to deliver consumer relevant NPD & Best-In-Class execution
• Build & deepen relationships with key UK/International retailers & health-focused distribution partners

Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead & mentor commercial team with a focus on category management, customer development, & performance excellence
• Promote a high-performance culture grounded in accountability, collaboration & innovation
• Develop future leadership through structured capability programs & succession planning

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Product & Marketing teams to ensure NPD meets evolving consumer / market needs
• Align with Ops & Technical teams to ensure quality, compliance & operational excellence
• Collaborate with Finance to optimise pricing, margins & profitability in line with group targets
• Work with other Commercial Directors to drive shared opportunities for growth and ensure consistency in reporting, tools, processes & sharing of best practice.

Governance & Reporting

• Ensure full compliance with regulatory, legal & commercial agreements
• Establish structured reporting on Division KPIs, proactively manage risk, cost & growth metrics
• Uphold Solent’s commitment to sustainability & transparency across all food-related activities