Commercial Manager
(Procurement & Internal Sales Management)
Location: Reading, Berkshire
Package: Competitive Basic salary plus bonus (OTE £50k+) & flexible benefits package including up to 27 days holiday (Plus additional annual leave purchasing scheme)
Sector: Packaging distribution
Protecting what matters, together
We’re dedicated to protecting what matters most - our people, our customers, our communities, and the environment. At Macfarlane Packaging, our commitment to customer satisfaction, sustainability and continual improvement creates a highly collaborative, supportive, and friendly workplace where you can unpack a career that grows.
With history stretching back over 75 years, we offer stability whilst always striving for continual growth. Our fast-paced, results-driven approach will challenge and often stretch you, but it will also give you opportunities for personal and professional development. Every colleague has the chance to directly influence our success, leading to real job satisfaction and achievement, at all stages of your career.
We provide competitive pay and personalised incentives, alongside adaptable benefits to make your rewards package go further. And additionally, the way we work prioritises work-life balance and flexibility, empowering our colleagues to manage what is most important to them. Our business values commitment, diligence, teamwork, adaptability, and a thirst for learning… so if this sounds like you, come and join us to help drive change that enables businesses to plan for a better future.
The Commercial Manager Role
As Commercial Manager, you will oversee the internal sales team and local procurement activity at our Reading site. You will lead, support, and mentor the teams to drive internal sales, support the external sales activity and deliver procurement initiatives to meet and exceed regional targets, contributing to the business's overall success.
Commercial Manager Key Responsibilities
- Lead Sales Coordinators and Buyers/Inventory Controllers, setting clear objectives, conducting performance reviews, and providing development opportunities.
- Ensure there is a cohesive relationship between the procurement, internal sales and external sales teams to drive sales results.
- Foster cohesion between procurement, internal sales, and external sales teams to enhance customer satisfaction.
- Grow existing accounts by identifying upselling opportunities within the product portfolio.
- Utilise CRM tools to manage sales leads, ensuring data accuracy and efficiency.
- Drive proactive sales through self-generated and central-led campaigns.
- Manage gross margin through strategic pricing and procurement initiatives.
- Generate reports to monitor sales input, invoicing, and margin performance.
- Handle customer queries and orders, maintaining high service levels and contributing to Net Promoter Score improvements.
- Oversee the regional supplier base, ensuring top service at the lowest cost, monitoring quality and savings across product categories.
- Collaborate with Category and Divisional Procurement Managers to align regional and company objectives.
- Work with Logistics and Warehouse teams to meet delivery deadlines while optimizing stock volumes.
- Promote cross-functional collaboration within the group.
- Deputise for the Regional Business Manager as needed.
What You Bring
Essential:
- Strong leadership skills with a track record in team management and development.
- Proven experience in procurement, contract negotiation, and supplier management.
- Sales management experience, ideally overseeing internal sales or procurement.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on achieving targets.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, and proficiency with MS Office.
Desirable:
- Sales training and experience in a high-volume, low-margin environment.
- Familiarity with packaging-related products and customer service.
- Experience in FMCG or distribution sectors.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Dynamics CRM or similar systems.
What you get
We provide a competitive basic starting salary and operate a range of rewarding bonus/incentive schemes. Our flexible employee benefits package can include: -
- 25 days annual leave (rising to 27 days with service) plus all public/bank holidays
- Additional Holiday purchasing scheme (run annually)
- Contributory pension scheme
- Geographical salary weighting available at certain specific locations
- Free parking at most of our site locations
- Annual (company paid) volunteering day
- Range of company cars or cash allowance (including hybrid/electric) for qualifying job roles
- Employee assistance program to support & advise with well-being & any issues
- Extensive range of training/development & potential progression opportunities
- Employee discount scheme (discounts on several major retail/leisure brands)
- Simply Health/Dental Cover option or BUPA cover for qualifying roles
- Enhanced HR policies relating to various employee rights & entitlements
- Long service awards (5-40 years)
- Charitable giving options
- Financial support with eye-tests/purchasing glasses (DSE users only)
- O2 Mobile discount scheme (up to 25% off)
- Candidate referral scheme (awards £750 for referring successful applicants to Macfarlane job vacancies)
Your future with us
Here at Macfarlane Group, you truly have the potential to shape your own future and set your own ambitions. We are a large group company where internal promotion and mobility is a key feature of our success. Through tailored career plans, we provide a wide range of structure training & development pathways, utilising both inhouse expertise to share knowledge and the best-in-class external training partners. There is potential access to management & leadership development, and we work closely with recognised, accredited bodies including the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) & the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS); so there really are no limits to where your journey within Macfarlane Group may take you long term.
How to Apply
We are working swiftly to find the best applicants and hope to hold interviews ASAP. Please click ‘apply’ to submit your up-to-date CV. All applications will be acknowledged. If you haven’t heard from us within 2-3 weeks, please assume your application was unsuccessful.
We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds irrespective of your age, gender, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, gender expression, religion, or sexual orientation. Should you require any specific support or adjustments during the recruitment process, please email our recruitment team directly.
NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES PLEASE
