Head of National On Trade

Head of National On Trade - Global Spirits Brand – National – Up to £90,000 plus 15% bonus and Car Allowance

An exciting opportunity to join this recognizable and established drinks business…

My client is a well-known and respected global spirits business with years of sales and a long-standing place on every back bar. This business does well in both the On & Off trade and is classed as a household name.

My client is seeking an exceptional Head of National On-Trade to lead and accelerate the growth of their iconic portfolio of premium and luxury spirits brands across the on-trade channel. This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for defining and executing the end-to-end on-trade strategy, driving sustainable brand growth, strengthening route-to-market partnerships, and delivering best-in-class customer engagement.

The successful candidate will lead a high-performing team and work cross-functionally to maximise distribution, visibility, rate of sale, and successful new product launches across national accounts, managed groups, wholesalers, and the wider hospitality landscape.

Company Benefits:

• Competitive package, bonus and car allowance
• Extended holiday package, product allowance and healthcare
• Opportunity to develop and grow within the business, owning your sector.
• Early finishes, well stocked office and company trips.

The Head of National On-Trade responsibilities:

• Develop and deliver the overall on-trade strategy to drive sustainable growth, market share, and profitability across the portfolio.
• Lead the execution of annual commercial plans, ensuring delivery of revenue, volume, distribution, and rate of sale targets.
• Own and optimise the route-to-market strategy, building strong partnerships with National On-Trade accounts.
• Lead strategic relationships and negotiations with national on-trade accounts, managed groups, hotel groups, and key hospitality operators.
• Secure and grow listings, menu placements, pouring rights, and commercial agreements that increase brand visibility and availability.
• Partner with Marketing and Brand teams to deliver best-in-class activation programmes that drive consumer engagement and brand growth.
• Lead the successful launch and expansion of new product development (NPD) initiatives across the on-trade channel.
• Identify market trends, customer opportunities, and competitive insights to inform channel strategy and investment decisions.
• Manage channel budgets, forecasting, and investment plans to maximise return on commercial spend.
• Monitor and optimise key performance indicators including distribution, rate of sale, customer performance, and profitability.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing on-trade team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Act as the senior on-trade leader within the business, influencing cross-functional stakeholders and championing customer and consumer excellence.

The ideal Head of National On-Trade Candidate:

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in a Senior Sales role within the drink industry. Ability to be in the London office for 10 days per month.
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing sales strategies that drive significant revenue growth.
• Strong leadership and team management skills with the ability to inspire and drive a sales team to exceed targets.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Willingness to travel regularly to meet with clients, distributors, and team members across the country.

If you are interested in having a chat about this role, please forward updated CVs to Mark at COREcruitment / markcorecruitment

COREcruitment are experts in recruiting for Hospitality, Catering, Leisure, Retail, FM, Property and Construction sectors. We currently have over 1350 live roles across the UK, Middle East, Europe, Africa, North & Central America and South East Asia.
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