Senior Business Development Manager

Potter & Moore is one of the UK's leading beauty and personal care innovators, combining brand ownership, product development expertise and large-scale manufacturing capabilities.

Operating from manufacturing sites in Peterborough and Tiverton, we develop and manufacture over 44 million units annually across skincare, haircare, personal care, wellbeing and baby care categories. Our products are supplied through a diverse business model encompassing owned brands, private label partnerships and contract manufacturing for some of the UK's most recognised retailers and beauty brands.

Our portfolio includes brands such as Emma Hardie, Feather & Down, The Curl Company and Balance Active Formula, alongside long-standing partnerships with leading retail customers across the UK and international markets.

As part of our next phase of growth, we are seeking an experienced Senior Business Development Manager to lead a portfolio of strategic retail partnerships. This is a highly visible commercial role with significant opportunity to influence business performance, shape customer strategy and drive profitable growth across multiple categories.

The successful candidate will play a key role in strengthening existing partnerships whilst identifying and converting new opportunities that support our ambitious growth plans.

Role Description

We are seeking a commercially astute and growth-focused Senior Business Development Manager to lead a portfolio of key retail accounts within our Private Label division.

This role combines strategic account leadership, commercial ownership and business development. The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering profitable revenue growth, maximising account performance and identifying opportunities to expand our presence across existing and future product categories.

Working closely with Product Development, Supply Chain, Operations and Finance, you will act as the primary commercial lead for your customer portfolio, building strong relationships across buying, category, technical and supply chain functions.

This is an opportunity for an ambitious commercial professional who enjoys operating in a fast-paced environment and can balance strategic thinking with exceptional execution.

Role Objective

• Drive profitable sales growth across a portfolio of strategic retail accounts.
• Develop and execute long-term account growth strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Identify and secure opportunities for new listings, category expansion and customer penetration.
• Own commercial performance, forecasting and profitability across assigned accounts.
• Build trusted customer relationships that enable sustainable, long-term growth.
• Lead customer negotiations and deliver commercially successful outcomes.
• Champion customer opportunities internally, ensuring seamless delivery across cross-functional teams.
• Contribute to the wider commercial strategy and growth ambitions of the business.

Main Responsibilities

• Own and lead relationships across a portfolio of strategic retail customers.
• Take full responsibility for account performance, including revenue, margin and profitability targets.
• Develop and implement customer-specific growth plans that deliver sustainable commercial success.
• Build strong relationships across buying, category, technical and supply chain functions.
• Conduct regular business reviews and identify opportunities for growth and improvement.
• Ensure an exceptional customer experience whilst maintaining commercial discipline.

Business Development & Growth

• Identify and secure opportunities for category expansion, range extensions and new product listings.
• Develop compelling customer propositions that drive both growth and profitability.
• Build a strong pipeline of future commercial opportunities within existing customer partnerships.
• Support wider business development initiatives and strategic customer projects.
• Monitor category, competitor and market trends to identify emerging opportunities.

Commercial Management

• Prepare robust costings, proposals and commercial business cases.
• Lead pricing negotiations and cost engineering initiatives to optimise profitability.Manage forecasting and demand planning activities across assigned accounts.
• Track account performance against budget and proactively communicate risks and opportunities.
• Support annual budgeting, forecasting and strategic planning processes.
• Deliver clear commercial reporting and performance analysis to senior stakeholders.

Project Delivery

• Lead customer presentations, proposals, tender submissions and commercial reviews.
• Manage customer briefs and projects through the internal business.
• Collaborate closely with Product Development teams to ensure successful delivery of NPD initiatives.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure projects are delivered on time and to customer expectations.
• Complete post-launch reviews, identifying learning opportunities and future growth potential.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Act as the voice of the customer within the organisation.
• Work closely with Product Development, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality and Finance teams to deliver commercial success.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives that enhance customer service and operational performance.
• Help foster a culture of accountability, ownership and commercial excellence.

Candidate Description

Experience

• Significant experience managing and growing major retail accounts within an FMCG environment.
• Demonstrable track record of delivering profitable sales growth and account expansion.
• Experience managing complex customer relationships and strategic partnerships.
• Proven success securing new business opportunities, product listings or category expansion initiatives.
• Strong experience of commercial negotiations and margin management.
• Experience working cross-functionally within a fast-paced manufacturing or consumer goods business.
• Private Label experience is highly desirable.

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing P&L performance.
• Excellent understanding of retail account management and customer strategy.
• Proven ability to identify, develop and convert growth opportunities.
• Strong forecasting, budgeting and commercial planning capability.
• Highly analytical, with excellent numerical and commercial evaluation skills.
• Confident presenter with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent project management and organisational skills.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands‑on execution.

Personal Qualities

• Commercially driven with a strong growth mindset.
• Proactive self-starter who thrives on identifying and creating opportunities.
• Natural relationship builder with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced, customer‑focused environment.
• Results-focused with a strong sense of accountability and ownership.
• Collaborative team player who enjoys working across functions to achieve shared goals.
• Positive, pragmatic and solutions‑oriented approach to challenges.

Who We Are & How We Work

We're a fast-moving, team-first business where the best idea wins regardless of where it comes from. Hierarchy doesn't slow us down - collaboration does the heavy lifting. People here take full ownership of their work, from the spark of an idea all the way through to results on shelf and numbers on a page. There's no passing the baton and walking away; you see it through, you learn from it, and you make it better next time.

We move quickly and adapt without drama. If a problem needs solving, we solve it — we don't wait for the perfect conditions or the perfect brief. That agility isn't just a working style, it's genuinely how we're structured: flexible in how and where we work, lean enough to make decisions fast, and trusting enough to give talented people real responsibility from day one.

This is a place where curious, driven, solutions-focused people do some of their best work — because they're given the space, the autonomy, and the team around them to make it happen. If you're energised by pace, motivated by ownership, and want to feel the direct impact of your work on a brand you're proud of, you'll fit right in.

What We Can Offer You

• Competitive Salary & Benefits : We recognise and reward high performance through a competitive remuneration package including Life Assurance, Employee Assistance Programme and Employee Benefits Platform.
• Growth & Development Opportunities : Join a business with ambitious growth plans where you can make a visible impact and develop your career.
• Dynamic Commercial Environment : Work with some of the UK's leading retail partners across multiple categories.
• Autonomy & Ownership : Enjoy the freedom to shape strategy, influence customer direction and drive commercial success.
• Collaborative Culture : Work alongside experienced colleagues across Commercial, Product Development, Supply Chain and Operations in a business where teamwork drives results.

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