Job at a glance
Managing Director - UK & Ireland £68,000-£70,000 + £20,000 bonus | London | Fully office-based Summary Our client is a premium international coffee business serving both consumer and commercial markets , with a strong reputation for quality, innovation and exceptional customer experience. Following a period of significant growth and recent integration into a larger international group, they are now looking for an experienced Managing Director to lead the UK & Ireland business through its next stage of development.
This is an exciting opportunity for a commercially driven, entrepreneurial leader who enjoys being close to the business, developing people and combining strategic leadership with a hands-on approach. The Role Reporting to the Global CEO, the Managing Director will have overall responsibility for the strategic, commercial and operational performance of the UK & Ireland business. You will lead a talented and collaborative team, driving sustainable growth while maintaining the entrepreneurial culture, agility and strong sense of ownership that have contributed to the business's success.
Key responsibilities will include: Setting and delivering the UK & Ireland business strategy, identifying new markets, customers and opportunities for growth. Taking overall responsibility for commercial performance, revenue growth, profitability and EBITDA. Leading and developing the management team, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration and high performance. Maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit of the business while introducing the structure and processes needed to support its continued growth.
Overseeing budgets, financial performance, cost management and business KPIs, taking action where required to improve performance. Ensuring operational effectiveness across the business and identifying opportunities to improve processes and resources. Building strong relationships with customers, partners, suppliers and other key stakeholders. Working closely with the wider international group, balancing local autonomy with group strategy, governance and best practice.
Identifying new commercial opportunities, partnerships and routes to market. Supporting the attraction, development and retention of high-performing talent. Candidate Profile The ideal candidate will be an established senior leader with strong commercial and people leadership experience, ideally gained within the coffee sector . Experience within hospitality or a closely related premium consumer environment would also be considered.
You may already be an experienced Managing Director, or could be a strong Sales, Commercial or Operations Director ready to take the next step into overall business leadership. You will be: Commercially focused, with strong P&L, financial and business performance experience. An experienced and engaging people leader who can develop, motivate and hold teams accountable. Entrepreneurial, hands-on and comfortable working in a relatively lean organisation.
Confident leading a business through change, growth and transition. Collaborative and able to build strong relationships across different functions and cultures. Comfortable balancing autonomy with the requirements of a larger international group. Strategic in your thinking but equally willing to get into the detail when required. Decisive and resilient, with the confidence to challenge constructively and have difficult conversations.
An excellent communicator with strong commercial judgement and problem-solving skills. Passionate about coffee, premium brands and delivering an exceptional customer experience . Experience with SAP, Salesforce, Power BI or similar systems would be advantageous. A relevant degree in business, management or a related discipline is preferred. The Opportunity This is a rare opportunity to take overall leadership of an established and growing UK & Ireland coffee business at an important stage of its evolution.
You will have genuine scope to shape the next chap