Commercial Controller

As Commercial Controller, you will be pivotal in driving the commercial success of our core grocery multiples account base. You'll lead and develop a high-performing team, ensuring delivery and exceeding of commercial expectations. This role requires a proactive leader, confident in challenging the status quo and contributing to the wider corporate strategy while fostering a high-performance culture. Based in Liverpool, you will play a key role in cross-functional leadership and strategy execution at John West.

The role will report to Commercial Director.

Your Responsibilities:

• Lead commercial strategy and negotiations across multiple grocery accounts, including annual Joint Business Plans with senior customer stakeholders.
• Own gross profit delivery for your accounts, driving results through your team and holding them accountable for performance targets.
• Coach and develop the team, ensuring best practice in forecasting, business reviews, and performance management.
• Drive excellence at point of purchase, focusing on range, distribution, pricing, display, and promotions.
• Influence cross-functional teams, providing insight and challenge in key business forums and supporting strategy execution projects.
• Deputise for the Commercial Director and act as the expert for your account portfolio, championing John West and Thai Union values.

Why Choose Us?

• Our Values: We believe our values set the culture within the organization and they are so important to us. We are a team of passionate, humble, and respectful individuals driven by a responsible, collaborative, and innovative approach to our work.
• Collaborative Environment: At John West, you'll join a team-oriented environment where you’ll work alongside Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance professionals. Our collaborative culture brings together diverse perspectives, helping you grow and succeed through shared expertise and innovation.
• Meaningful Impact: In this role, you’ll See your contributions come to life by driving growth, strengthening customer relationships, and elevating our brand.
• A new chapter for your career: We believe in nurturing talent. You’ll have access to ongoing development opportunities and mentorship, empowering you to advance your skills, broaden your expertise, and grow within a John West and Thai Union Group.

About You:

• Proven FMCG commercial leader, with experience at Controller or Senior National Account Manager level, managing brands and private label accounts.
• Strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills, with a track record of delivering Joint Business Plans and driving profitable growth.
• Inspiring people leader, experienced in managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Resilient and adaptable, thriving in fast-paced, dynamic environments with a proactive, solutions-focused mindset.
• Collaborative team player, embracing Thai Union’s values and fostering cross-functional success.

About Us

John West Foods is part of Thai Union, who are committed to “Healthy Living, Healthy Oceans.” With a focus on health and wellbeing across our portfolio, John West fits perfectly as we have been delivering natural protein powering body and mind since 1857. We take our responsibility to sustainable fishing and the marine environment seriously – in 2016 Thai Union launched SeaChange – our strategy for looking after the oceans and managing our waste, our responsibility to our people working around the globe and the communities we work with. We set ourselves and our peers some challenging targets to be more sustainable and we’re making great progress.

Our values drive how we approach our work and engage with our people and customers. These values are to be passionate, humble, respectful, responsible, collaborative and innovative. We do great work, the right way, in challenging times, but we have a strong team that gets the job done. Our people are full of positivity, resilience, fortitude and humour.

We are committed to creating an inclusive work environment where everyone feels valued and recognized for who they are. This is a critical component of our success. Each of our employees adds value to the company regardless of gender, education, religion, origin, nationality, disability or age.

What we can offer you

• A competitive salary (dependent on experience)
• 4 days in the office and up to 1 day at home
• 27 days holiday plus bank holiday (the ability to purchase an additional 3 days annually)
• Discretionary bonus (based on company and personal performance)
• A defined contribution pension scheme (maximum employer contribution of 7%)
• Private Medical Insurance – individual membership paid for by John West
• Life Insurance
• Flexible Benefits – gym discount, cycle to work, holiday buy, wellbeing at home, flex pot into pension etc
• Employee Assistance Programme – which provides support to help you navigate personal or work related challenges
• 1 day paid volunteer day
• Annual awards (linked to John West values, company and team events)

Next Steps

If you’re passionate about making a difference and thrive in a collaborative setting, we’d love to hear from you!.

We will review your application and if we think you meet the criteria of the role, we will reach out.

You will have a call with one of our recruitment team and then if we move to the next stage, we will set up an interview with your potential new manager either face to face or via Teams. Final stage interviews are usually face to face.

John West is committed to providing equality of opportunity. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application, please let us know.