General Manager – Proximo UK + Ireland
Spirits Industry
Strong global brands portfolio including: Jose Cuervo (the world’s leading tequila brand), 1800 Tequila® (5th biggest tequila brand globally), Bushmills® (3rd biggest Irish Whiskey brand globally), Proper 12 Irish Whiskey® (4th biggest Irish whiskey brand globally and Kraken® Spiced Rum (the leading premium brand in the category).
Package: Significant package with bonus potential, long term incentive scheme, car allowance and other benefits that accrue to a role at this level.
Location: The role is office based in London with an expectation that there will be travel to all parts of the UK and periodically to Ireland.
Overview
We are representing Proximo for the above role, which manages the P&L for the business in the UK and Ireland, heading up all commercial, sales, marketing and business development.
The business is genuinely fast moving and entrepreneurial decision making is made within a low hierarchy/bureaucratic environment. It is profitable and well-structured and continues to invest behind brands and people, ensuring the business is well placed for growth both now and in the long term.
The challenge will be to take a business that is in a great place and to question/challenge current thinking in order to take it to the next level.
The core role and candidate profile
This is a genuine all-encompassing General Management role and the successful candidate will need to show a real depth of hands-on experience of leading and running an entrepreneurial business within Spirts or Beer.
You will be a structured, organized and methodical manager, but also someone who can work at pace when needed and bring passion, energy and strong people leadership to the business.
You will be able to deliver in the present but also look at the future in terms of the capability of people, and where the organization needs to flex and change in order to deliver long term sustainable premium growth. You will recognize how growth can be achieved by a mix of On and Off premise growth, and also though selective partnerships and other route to market initiatives.
Above all, you will be accountable – accountable for everything you do, to own the numbers and the people across the business and to do what it takes to consistently deliver.
You will have an ability to work in both strategic and operational modes and to be able to switch easily to translate ideas into action with follow-through to execution and evaluation.
You will be able to demonstrate where you have executed key business plans and adopted different management styles depending on what the situation has needed - the ability to flex your style between more specific tasks and larger projects is key and to know when to be direct and know when to coach and motivate.
The role needs someone who is deeply commercial by nature and who knows how to drive profitable growth across a number of channels; how to develop brand equity; and how to implement sales strategies in order to win in a competitive marketplace.
Ultimately you will know how to develop and generate belief in the plan up, down and across the organisation.
Your background
You will need to demonstrate significant commercial and/or general management experience and you will have built the above core experiences within the Spirits or Beer sectors. You will have multiple years’ experience in both the On and Off premise and also route to market experience.
You will have a demonstrable track record in this industry and you will be able to show how you have driven sustainable growth within the premium sector. You will really know what is going on at all levels in the Spirits/Beer sector and you will have strong links into the trade – you will know the relevant buying groups, what their issues are and how the value chain works.
The future
Culturally, people at Proximo work within a meritocracy where delivery, collaboration and contribution to the wider business are seen as key characteristics, and for the right person, Proximo is an innovative, flexible and agile environment to work in.
This is one of the best General Management jobs in the Spirits sector in the UK. The aspiration to continue to grow, and to invest is high and we are looking for someone with plenty of development left within them to play a bigger and wider role in the future.
Together with a significant remuneration package, the opportunities to grow are therefore exceptional.