Co-op
Head of Commercial
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Head of Commercial – FRTS
Up to £120,000 plus great benefits (Work Level 4)
Manchester City Centre - in this role you’ll work in a hybrid way splitting your time between home, and either visiting our suppliers or coming into the office at least three times a week with occasional UK-wide travel (find out more about our hybrid working policy at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/hybrid-working-policy).
We're looking for a Head of Commercial to lead Co-op's Commercial relationship with FRTS (Federal Retail Trading Services). In this role, you’ll be commercially responsible for one of Co-op's most significant channels, representing approximately 25% of our overall trading volume. You'll work with a team of commercial specialists, build and maintain strong relationships and drive growth across a network of around 1,300 stores.
Why this job matters
FRTS plays a vital role in helping independent societies benefit from Co-op's scale, buying power, promotional activity and category expertise. As Head of Commercial, you'll drive engagement with Co-op's commercial plans while acting as the voice of independent societies within Co-op. Your leadership will help unlock growth opportunities, strengthen strategic partnerships and make sure FRTS continues to deliver value for both Co-op and its independent society partners.
What you’ll do
- Lead and develop Co-op's commercial relationship with independent co-operative societies across the UK
- Manage and develop a team comprising a Proposition & Trade Planning Manager and Two Category managers, working within the Senior Commercial Leadership Team
- Drive engagement with Co-op's trade plans, promotional activity, category development and own-brand growth
- Build strong relationships with senior partners across independent societies, influencing adoption of key commercial initiatives and ensuring FRTS buying catalogue reflects shared needs
- Act as the voice of independent societies internally, making sure their needs and priorities are represented in commercial decision-making
- Monitor sales, profitability and category performance, using data and insights to identify growth opportunities
- Lead discussions within key governance forums, presenting recommendations and influencing commercial priorities
- Collaborate with partners across Commercial, Supply Chain, Marketing, Proposition and Customer teams to deliver business objectives
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What you’ll bring
We’re committed to making our roles as accessible as possible, so we only ask for the minimum criteria. To thrive here, you’ll need to bring:
- Significant commercial leadership experience within retail, wholesale, FMCG or a similar commercial environment
- A strong track record of building and influencing senior stakeholder relationships to deliver commercial growth
- Strong commercial and analytical capability, with experience using performance data and insights to drive decision-making
- Knowledge of promotions, category management, own-brand strategy, supplier relationships and commercial performance drivers
- A proactive, self-starting leadership style, with the ability to identify opportunities, drive change and develop high-performing teams
Why Co-op?
At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:
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- An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
- 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
- A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
- Private healthcare
- Company car or £6,000 car allowance
- Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
- 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands
- Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
- Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
- 24/7 colleague support service
- Training and support for your development and career progression
- Cycle-to-work scheme
A place you’ll belong
We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.
We’re proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’ll support you.
Learn more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion.
As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes up to 50 minutes. If you're a current Co-op colleague, this does not need to be completed.
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