Who We Are

Science In Sport Group is a world leader in sports and performance nutrition.

We have two highly regarded brands; SiS which combines world-class science and innovation to provide optimal performance nutritional solutions for professional athletes, sports and fitness enthusiasts and the active lifestyle community. This includes over 320 professional teams worldwide across a broad range of sports including Football, Rugby, Cycling, Athletics, Basketball, Netball and Swimming. Brand ambassadors include former track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, an eleven-time world champion and six-time Olympic champion, and Eilish McColgan, who won gold in the 2022 Commonwealth Games 10,000 metres.

PhD Nutrition is a premium, active-nutrition brand for the active lifestyle community wanting intelligent nutrition to help them achieve their goals. With over 20 years of research and development, our products are designed to maximise performance in and out of the gym. It’s an exciting time for PhD Nutrition as 2025 will kick off an entirely new line up of brand ambassadors, from hybrid athletes to qualified sports nutritionists.

The two brands sell through the phd.com and scienceinsport.com digital platforms, third-party online marketplaces including Amazon, as well as extensive domestic and international retail distribution.

In 2022 the company opened a state of the art 160,000 square foot manufacturing and logistics facility in Blackburn, Lancashire. Providing a significant advantage in product costs and customer response time and most importantly, allowing Science In Sport to lead the way for quality standards.

Science In Sport is the nutrition partner to globally recognised elite teams, including Tottenham Hotspur, Saracens Rugby, British Triathlon, Aquatics GB, British Cycling, England Netball and Loughborough Sports. As well as being the Official Energy Gel Provider of RunThrough and the Official Nutrition Partner of Ultra X.

The Role

The Senior Commercial Manager is responsible for owning, developing and growing key customer and/or distributor relationships, delivering revenue and margin expansion as well as executional excellence across defined accounts or regions.

This role sits at the heart of the Physical Revenue Engine, driving:

• Customer growth

• Distribution expansion

• Commercial execution

Working cross-functionally across Digital, Marketplace, Customer Operations and Finance, the role combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution, ensuring that all customers deliver profitable, sustainable growth aligned to the Science in Sport commercial strategy.

This role will be required to travel across the UK in line with business need and on occasion, may be required to travel outside of the UK.

• Contract: Permanent

• Salary: Up to £75,000 per annum

• Working Hours: 09:00 - 17:30

• Location: Field-based

Benefits

• On-site gym in Blackburn

• Cycle to work scheme

• Product discount

• Birthday day off

• Pension scheme, employer contribution at 4%
  

The work - Your 5 most important responsibilities

Commercial Ownership & Delivery

• Own revenue and margin performance across defined accounts/regions

• Deliver against budget, forecast and growth targets

• Build and execute Joint Business Plans (JBP’s) with retailers & distribution partners

Customer / Distributor Management

• Build strong, long-term relationships with key customers or distributors

• Act as a true partner, driving sustainable category growth for Science in Sport and its customers

• Hold partners accountable to performance targets

• Develop new retail and distributor business within your defined area

Own execution of commercial plans across:

• Retail

• Distributor markets

• Key channels

• Ensure excellence in:

  • Range

  • Pricing

  • Promotions

  • Availability

Forecasting & Performance Management

• Build accurate, bottom-up forecasts

• Monitor performance vs plan (weekly/monthly cadence)

• Take corrective action quickly

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Work closely with:

  • Category

  • Brand & Marketing

  • Digital / Marketplace

  • Customer Operations

  • Finance

• Ensure alignment between strategy and execution

• Leading, coaching and developing team members

Accountability – what you are responsible for delivering

· In line with Science in Sport commercial strategy, leading the creation and execution of ambitious annual business plans, optimising sales at every opportunity

· Delivering the P&L from Net Revenue to Contribution Margin

· Distribution growth (stores / platforms / markets)

· New business within your defined area

· Share of shelf and execution standards

· Forecast accuracy

· Trade spend ROI

· Optimising trade terms with distribution partners, including pricing, investment and payment terms

· Building accurate, bottom-up forecasts in collaboration with in-market and Science in Sport demand planning teams

· Owning weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual sales number

· Leadership of your defined customer base / region across the business ensuring you have the resource required to succeed, providing regular updates and feeding in category insights into the Category team

· Travelling to your defined customer / territory, visiting stores and meeting with in-market distribution partners as required

· Collaborating brilliantly with brand, innovation, supply, customer service, compliance & finance teams

· Negotiating distribution agreements and joint business plans with our partners

· Delivering group commercial projects in line with Science in Sport's strategic priorities

Ways of working

· Build clear account plans and lead JBP negotiations

· Deliver strong in-store and in-market execution

· Use sales insight to identify growth opportunities

· Build effective customer relationships and represent SiS externally

· Grow distribution, availability and product range

Capability - the skills and behaviours required to do this job well

· High levels of commercial acumen

· Strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain long-term and productive relationships with customers and colleagues

· Analytical, data-led approach to problem solving

· Strong negotiation skills with a clear focus on the ‘win win’ outcome

· Proven track record of building retail or distributor-based businesses in the UK or international markets

Performance – how you will know you are doing a great job

· Growing market share of SiS brands in your defined territory and customers

· Revenue & margin delivery

· Distribution growth

· Share of shelf / execution quality

· Forecast accuracy

· Trade spend ROI

· Customer satisfaction and retention

Specific metrics will be set when in role and will be reviewed and built upon regularly. Alongside this, you will be supported with a personal performance plan that will enable you to continue improving your own performance and impact.

Attributes – experience and mindset that will enable you to do well in this role.

· Demonstrable commercial experience operating across CGP/FMCG categories & channels in the UK or international markets

· Proven track record delivering incremental new business

· Experience selecting and managing international distribution partners

· Strategic focus on building brands in your defined territory

· Clear understanding of category management

· Strong reporting skills with the ability to disseminate data and articulate it clearly

· Ability to remain resilient within a dynamic and fast-paced business

Science in Sport Group is an equal opportunity employer; we value diversity and strive to cultivate an inclusive workplace. We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind in regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We fully support reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process, to provide an inclusive and welcoming recruitment experience.