FMCG commercial director recruitment
We run confidential searches for the leaders who own the revenue line: heads of sales, commercial directors, general managers and VPs, for challenger brands and global groups alike.
Roles we recruit
- Head of Sales
- Commercial Director
- Sales Director
- VP Sales
- General Manager
- Chief Commercial Officer
What the work looks like
What employers look for
Why it matters
A commercial leader shapes the culture, the customer relationships and the number. These searches need discretion, a deep network and an honest view of who is available.
What a commercial director does in FMCG
The commercial director owns the number. In most FMCG businesses that means net revenue, trading margin and customer profitability across every channel the brand sells through: grocery, discounters, convenience, wholesale, foodservice, e-commerce and export. They set the commercial strategy, decide where to invest with customers, and lead the teams who deliver it.
The role is as much about leadership as trading. A commercial director builds and develops the sales, category and revenue growth management teams, works as a peer to marketing, supply chain and finance on the leadership team, and represents the business at the most senior level with retail partners. In private equity backed and founder-led brands they are often also central to the growth story told to investors.
- Set commercial strategy and the annual revenue and margin plan
- Own the trade investment budget and customer terms
- Lead top-to-top relationships with key retailers and distributors
- Build and develop sales, key account, category and RGM teams
- Work with marketing and supply chain on innovation, pricing and availability
- Report on commercial performance to the board or investors
Roles we recruit and how titles differ in the UK and US
In the UK the senior commercial ladder usually runs head of sales, sales director (or customer director), then commercial director, sometimes with a managing director or general manager role above. In larger groups you will also see business unit directors and channel directors for grocery, impulse or out of home.
In US CPG the title commercial director is rare outside UK and European-owned businesses. The equivalent roles are VP Sales, SVP Sales, Chief Customer Officer and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), with general manager for divisional P&L roles. When a UK brand hires its first US leader, getting the title right matters: a 'commercial director' title can undersell the role to US candidates who expect VP or GM.
- Head of Sales / Head of National Accounts
- Sales Director / Customer Director / Channel Director
- Commercial Director / Business Unit Director
- General Manager / Managing Director
- US: VP Sales, SVP Sales, Chief Customer Officer, Chief Commercial Officer
What employers look for in 2026
Boards want commercial leaders who can grow revenue and protect margin at the same time. After several years of cost inflation and price increases, that means a credible track record in pricing and trade investment discipline, not just volume growth. Experience of the discounters, of e-commerce and retail media, and of channels outside grocery is increasingly expected.
Leadership style matters as much as experience. Employers ask how a candidate has built teams, handled difficult customer negotiations and worked with marketing and supply colleagues under pressure. For US roles, experience leading broker networks, building a Walmart or Costco business, or scaling a brand from natural and specialty into mainstream grocery is highly valued.
- Growth delivered with margin, not volume at any cost
- Disciplined pricing and trade investment decisions
- Experience across grocery, discounters, e-commerce and out of home
- A track record of building and developing commercial teams
- Credibility with senior retail buyers and board members
- US: broker, distributor and key customer-team leadership
Retained or contingency search for a commercial director?
Most commercial director and VP appointments are run as retained executive search: the search firm is paid in stages, commits a dedicated team and maps the whole market, including people who are not looking. That suits confidential replacements, roles with a small candidate pool, and appointments where the board wants a full view of the market before deciding.
Contingency (paid only on success) can work for head of sales roles where the pool is larger and the brief is straightforward. We run both retained executive search and standard permanent recruitment, and will tell you honestly which fits your role. See how we work on our employers page.
Whichever model you choose, agree the scope, timetable and reporting rhythm in writing at the start. For senior roles we recommend a short weekly update and a mid-search review of the market map, so that the brief can be adjusted early if the market is telling you something different.
How we run a commercial leadership search
We start with the business plan, not the job description: where growth will come from, which customers and channels matter most, the state of the current team and what the board expects in the first twelve to eighteen months. From that we agree a candidate profile and a target list of comparable businesses.
We then map the market and approach candidates directly and confidentially. Each shortlisted candidate is interviewed in depth against the brief, with discreet referencing of their results and leadership style. We manage the process through to offer, including notice, counter-offers and, for US roles, relocation. Throughout, confidentiality is protected for both the client and the candidates.
- Briefing with the CEO, MD or board and agreement of the profile
- Market map of comparable roles and people
- Direct, confidential approach and in-depth interviews
- Shortlist with written assessment and reference checks
- Offer management, resignation and onboarding support
Hiring challenges and how long it takes
Senior commercial leaders are rarely on the market. Most are approached while doing a job they are happy in, which means the process has to give them a compelling reason to move and has to respect their time and confidentiality.
Assessment needs care too. A strong CV at this level can hide a leader who rode a favourable market or inherited a strong team. We ask candidates to walk through specific decisions, such as a customer they turned around, an investment they cut or a hire that did not work, and we reference those examples discreetly with people who saw them happen.
Timing is the biggest practical challenge. A retained search typically takes a few weeks to produce a shortlist and a few more to reach an offer, but UK commercial directors commonly have notice periods of three to six months, so the total time to start date can be six months or more. In the US notice is often shorter, but relocation and long-term incentive buy-outs can add time. Starting the search early, and having an interim option, reduces the risk. Checking expectations against our salary guides also avoids late surprises at offer stage.
Career paths to commercial director
Most commercial directors come up through key account management, moving from senior NAM to head of sales and sales director. A growing number arrive via category, RGM or marketing, or through general management at a smaller brand. Experience across more than one channel and evidence of building teams are the strongest signals of readiness.
If you are a senior commercial leader considering your next role, register your CV in confidence. If you are a UK or European brand hiring a VP Sales for North America, see our page on CPG recruitment in the US.
Commercial leadership salaries
Indicative base salary ranges compiled from published 2025–26 data. At this level bonus, long-term incentives and, in the UK, car allowance are typically extra and can add substantially to total pay. Robert Walters and Payscale figures cover all sectors; US BLS figures are medians for adjacent occupations.
| Role | Typical base salary | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Head of Sales, FMCG & Consumer | £90,000–£120,000 (mid £105,000) | Michael Page, FMCG & Consumer |
| Sales Director, FMCG & Consumer | £100,000–£144,000 (mid £122,000) | Michael Page, FMCG & Consumer |
| Chief Commercial Officer, London | £208,000–£281,000 | Robert Walters 2026, all sectors |
| Chief Commercial Officer, North of England | £100,000–£200,000 | Robert Walters 2026, all sectors |
| Role | Typical base salary | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| VP Sales (all industries) | $98,000–$226,000 (median $160,000) | Payscale, 10th–90th percentile |
| Chief Commercial Officer (all industries) | $123,000–$289,000 (median $200,000) | Payscale, 10th–90th percentile |
| Sales manager (manufacturing industry) | $156,150 median | US BLS, May 2025 |
| General and operations manager (manufacturing industry) | $130,960 median | US BLS, May 2025 |
Source: Michael Page Salary Guide 2027 (published 2026), Robert Walters UK Salary Survey (2026), Payscale (2026), US Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2025). Ranges are indicative and vary by location, company size, category and package.
UK vs US
Skills in demand
- Commercial strategy
- Revenue & margin ownership
- Trade investment
- Pricing strategy
- Top-to-top customer relationships
- Multi-channel (grocery, discounters, e-commerce)
- Team leadership
- Board & investor reporting
- PE-backed growth
- Broker & distributor networks
- US market entry
Live commercial leadership roles
Hiring questions
All FAQs →A commercial director owns a business's revenue and trading margin. They set the commercial strategy, decide how trade investment is spent across customers, lead the sales, key account, category and revenue growth teams, and manage the most senior retailer relationships. They sit on the leadership team alongside marketing, supply chain and finance, and in smaller or PE-backed brands they are often central to the investor growth plan.
Michael Page's 2027 guide puts FMCG sales directors at £100,000–£144,000 base and heads of sales at £90,000–£120,000. Commercial directors at larger businesses often sit at or above the top of that range, and Robert Walters' 2026 data shows chief commercial officers in London at £208,000–£281,000 across all sectors. Bonus, car allowance and, at PE-backed brands, equity usually sit on top.
Retained search is the usual choice for commercial director and VP appointments, because the candidate pool is small, most candidates are not actively looking and the search often needs to be confidential. A retained firm maps the full market and commits a team to the role. Contingency can work for head of sales roles with a larger pool. The right model depends on seniority, urgency and confidentiality.
Allow around three months from briefing to accepted offer for a well-run search, then add the notice period. In the UK, commercial directors commonly have three to six months' notice, so six months or more from brief to start date is normal. In the US notice is often shorter, but relocation and incentive buy-outs can add time. Starting early and lining up interim cover reduces the risk.
In US CPG the closest equivalents are VP Sales, SVP Sales, Chief Customer Officer and Chief Commercial Officer, depending on scope. 'Commercial director' is mainly used by UK and European-owned businesses. When a UK brand hires its first US commercial leader, a VP or GM title usually attracts a stronger field, because US candidates read titles as a signal of seniority and scope.
Most commercial directors have spent ten or more years in FMCG commercial roles, typically progressing from national account manager to head of sales or sales director. Employers look for a record of growing revenue and margin, leading teams through change, managing senior retailer relationships and making disciplined decisions on pricing and trade investment. Experience across several channels, and exposure to category or RGM, strengthens a candidacy.