SSP UK & Ireland
Commercial Manager
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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.
The role holder will be expected to use a variety of levers to drive like-for-like sales growth, such as range improvement, optimisation of price and promotion, upselling and maximisation of the use of space, and will drive category performance. Creating propositions that are customer led and consider all aspects from creating the menus to how it arrives in front of the customer.
This role requires a rigorous and thorough commercial planning process with the aim for all commercial activity to be margin/sales/cash additive. Success in this role is highly dependent on an effective relationship with the operational teams, purchasing teams and NPD team. Full stakeholder alignment and influencing is a key aspect of this role to create rounded commercial plans that can be easily executed to support the operational teams and to deliver a great customer experience.
What You'll Be Doing
- 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.
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Essential
To be successful in this role you'll need:
- 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.
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Desirable skills / personal attributes
- 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.
Why join SSP?
At SSP, we’re passionate about creating places people want to be - whether that’s for our customers, our partners or our colleagues. When you join us, you’ll be part of a business where commercial thinking, collaboration and ownership really matter, and where your work can make a visible difference.
We offer:
- Employee discounts across our brands
- Friends and Family Discount App
- Award-winning training, apprenticeships and development programmes
- Health and wellbeing support
- Hybrid working with flexibility to support work–life balance
- An inclusive and diverse workplace, with employee networks and communities
Ready to join us?
If you’re excited by the opportunity to shape commercial performance in a key market, work closely with senior leaders and turn insight into action, we’d love to hear from you.
Start the best part of the journey with us.
At SSP, we value diversity and are committed to building a team that reflects a wide range of backgrounds, skills and perspectives.
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