General Manager/Commercial Sales Director – Spirits. London

Location United Kingdom (field-based / flexible) This is a fantastic opportunity for a commercial/UK sales management professional coming from the Spirits Sales environment to join a European spirits brand as the UK General Manager/Commercial Lead. The GM for the UK will be the primary driver of the distribution, together with an EU importer, and will oversee operations and P&L for the business in the UK. We are looking for a hands-on, self-driven General Manager who will personally rebuild and grow the UK business with a primary focus on SALES: • expanding distribution • negotiating with retailers, wholesalers and C&C operators, • developing a pragmatic go-to-market and supply model, • working actively in the field, not from presentations. The ideal candidate already possesses an active network of UK wholesalers, Cash & Carry operators, and key retail buyers, enabling immediate commercial engagement and accelerating listings and distribution. The candidate will furthermore be responsible for the country P&L, ensuring profitability is in line with group expectations, preparing and updating the annual Business Plan, and monitoring and sharing monthly progress internally. Responsibilities P&L & bottom-line results • Prepare the annual Business Plan for the country • Monitor, update and share internally business performance on a monthly basis • Propose and implement actions to achieve the annual volume and financial target Coordination & Reporting • Close coordination with HQ and the UK finance / operational function • Clear and transparent reporting on pipeline, negotiations, and progress • Oversight of operational topics linked to supply, launches, and partners Commercial & Sales • Develop sales in the UK market • Identify, approach, and onboard new distributors/wholesalers (regional and national) • Lead negotiations with Cash & Carry operators, wholesalers, retail buyers, and key independent accounts • Review and improve commercial terms with existing partners • Support new listings and expansion of distribution footprint across wholesale and retail channels Field Execution • Regular field work alongside distributor sales teams • Direct negotiations with retail and on-trade outlets where relevant • Ensure execution of agreed pricing, availability, logistics, and listings Market & Business Development • Identify, prepare and put in place a business strategy in the off-trade (channel strategy, target sales vs competitors, price positioning, sales support) • Proactively propose practical distribution and go-to-market solutions • Collect and relay market feedback on pricing, portfolio fit, competitors, and retail dynamics • Contribute to realistic growth plans Key Skills • Proven experience in the UK alcohol market (spirits, wine, or beer) • Senior and leading roles in commercial/sales dept, held in the recent past in leading companies, preferably in the spirit industry • Existing network and recent direct contact with buyers/category managers within the alcohol beverage departments of major UK retail chains • Strong hands-on background in wholesale, Cash & Carry, and traditional trade • Demonstrated ability to open doors, negotiate, and close deals independently • Strong understanding of listing processes and commercial negotiations with UK grocery and retail groups • Willingness to spend significant time in the field, not only at the desk level • Solid understanding of the UK route-to-market and key industry players • Entrepreneurial, solution-oriented mindset • Fluent English • Practical, resilient, and commercially minded Job Advantages • Opportunity to play a leading role in rebuilding retail and wholesale presence for a historically recognised spirits brand in the UK market • High level of autonomy and real impact on results • Potential for growth