Commercial Director – Strategic Leadership Opportunity
📍 Location: Midlands / North West
💼 Salary: Up to £100k plus benefits

The Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and commercially driven Commercial Director to lead and shape the future of food strategy for a dynamic and customer-focused hospitality business. This is a pivotal role where you will oversee food category management, drive innovation, and implement efficient end-to-end menu development processes that align with brand strategies, customer preferences, and profitability targets.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a long-term food category strategy that aligns with brand objectives, marketing goals, and customer insights while delivering strong profit margins.
• Lead menu development processes, including core product protection, dish improvement, innovation pipelines, and trend identification to enhance the dining experience and differentiate the brand in the marketplace.
• Collaborate with operational teams to ensure new dishes meet customer expectations for quality, consistency, and dietary requirements, while maintaining operational efficiency.
• Drive financial performance by setting clear margin efficiency targets and ensuring robust cost management in collaboration with procurement teams.
• Embed technology and process improvements to streamline menu development timelines, improve accuracy, and enhance overall efficiency.
• Lead customer testing panels to validate new menus/dishes and ensure they meet performance expectations before implementation.
• Oversee compliance with food safety standards, nutritional documentation, allergen information, and health protocols within food development processes.
• Build a high-performing team that prioritizes insight-driven decision-making and delivers measurable value across all food-related initiatives.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience in strategic planning within the food or hospitality industry.
• Expertise in category management, food innovation, and process improvement.
• Strong commercial acumen with a focus on driving profitability through operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
• Leadership skills to inspire and develop a results-oriented team.
• A deep understanding of emerging food trends, consumer preferences, and ESG considerations within the hospitality sector.

Why This Role?

This is an exceptional opportunity to take ownership of a critical function within a forward-thinking business that values innovation, customer experience, and operational excellence. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment where you can make a tangible impact on both the commercial success of the business and the guest experience, this role is for you.

If you are keen to discuss the details further, please apply today or send your cv to Kate at COREcruitment dot com