Essex (Hybrid) £90-£110k+ DOE plus Annual Bonus & Company Car / Car Allowance
If you're an experienced commercial leader from the pet industry who loves developing people, strengthening brands, building high-performing teams and helping businesses reach their next stage of growth.....
.....keep reading!!!
We're delighted to be exclusively partnering with a well-established, market-leading business within the UK pet industry to appoint their next Sales & Marketing Director.
This is one of those rare appointments where you'll genuinely help shape the future of an already successful business.
This role exists for one reason...
The Managing Director needs a trusted commercial partner.
Not someone to simply manage a sales team.
Not someone to maintain the status quo.
Someone who can bring together Sales, Marketing and Product Development.
Someone who can develop people.
Someone who can strengthen marketing capability.
Someone who enjoys turning ambitious ideas into practical action.
Someone who builds trust quickly and becomes a key part of the leadership team.
If you're looking for a role where your opinion matters and your impact will be visible across an entire organisation, this could be exactly what you've been waiting for.
About the Business
Our client is an established, privately-owned business that's built an outstanding reputation within the UK pet industry.
They're recognised as specialists in what they do and have earned the trust of customers through exceptional products, outstanding service and long-term relationships.
As they continue to invest in their future, they're entering an exciting period of growth, creating new opportunities across digital, product development and commercial leadership.
Despite their success, they've retained the kind of culture that's increasingly difficult to find.
- Collaborative.
- Supportive.
- Honest.
- Down-to-earth.
- Everyone works together.
- People know each other.
- Ideas are welcomed regardless of job title.
- Success is celebrated together.
- It's a business where you'll feel you belong.
This isn't about inheriting a polished commercial function and keeping the wheels turning.
It's about helping build what's next.
Reporting directly to the Managing Director, you'll become one of the most influential people in the business.
You'll help shape strategy.
Develop future leaders.
Strengthen collaboration across departments.
Drive commercial performance.
Support exciting growth initiatives.
And ultimately become the person the Managing Director trusts to help take the business forward.
This is a genuine leadership opportunity.
Not just another job title.
How You'll Make An Impact
You'll lead and develop an established commercial function covering:
- Sales
- Marketing
- Product Development
- Customer Experience
- Digital Growth
- Commercial Performance
- Develop and deliver the company's commercial strategy.
- Create stronger alignment between Sales and Marketing.
- Champion outstanding customer experience.
- Develop high-performing leaders.
- Build a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
- Drive sustainable commercial growth.
- Use market insight and customer intelligence to influence strategic decisions.
- Work closely with the Managing Director on future business growth initiatives.
- Represent the business professionally across the wider pet industry.
This role isn't about finding the loudest salesperson, it's about finding the right leader. You'll probably already be working in the pet industry, whether that's:
- Companion Animal
- Pet Food
- Pet Accessories
- Animal Health
- Aquatics
- Specialist Pet Retail
- Pet Manufacturing
- Veterinary
- Small Animal
We're looking for someone who understands the pet industry, its customers, its pace and the relationships that make it such a unique sector.
You'll probably currently be a:
- Sales & Marketing Director
- Commercial Director
- Marketing Director
- Business Unit Director
- Commercial Manager ready for the next step
- General Manager with responsibility for commercial functions
- Head of Sales & Marketing
You're someone who...
- Develops people rather than controls them.
- Builds trust quickly.
- Listens before acting.
- Challenges constructively.
- Brings structure without creating bureaucracy.
- Can balance strategic thinking with operational delivery.
- Understands both modern marketing and commercial performance.
- Knows how to unite Sales and Marketing behind a common goal.
- You're probably the person colleagues naturally turn to when they need clarity.
Twelve months after joining you'll have:
✔ Become the Managing Director's trusted commercial partner.
✔ Strengthened collaboration across Sales and Marketing.
✔ Developed an even stronger leadership team.
✔ Enhanced marketing capability across the business.
✔ Improved commercial performance.
✔ Helped position the business for its next phase of growth.
And most importantly...
You'll have left the business stronger than you found it.
What You'll Receive
£90,000 - £110,000+ DOE
Plus:
- Annual Bonus
- Company Car or Car Allowance
- Private Medical Insurance
- Company Pension
- Hybrid Working
- Genuine Board-Level Influence
- Long-Term Career Opportunity
If you're an experienced commercial leader within the pet industry who wants to make a genuine difference, develop exceptional people and help shape the future of an ambitious business...
We'd love to hear from you.
Apply in Confidence
This is a confidential appointment being managed exclusively by The Animal People Recruitment Company. To protect our client's commercial interests, their identity will only be shared with suitably qualified candidates during the recruitment process.
If you'd like a confidential conversation before applying, we'd be delighted to hear from you.
