Commercial Director - Elliotts Builders Merchants

A fantastic opportunity to join a long-established, successful business

If you’ve been checking the market for the one job that could make you leap out of bed each morning, then look no further!

Are you looking for a business with the feel of being family-run, but with a drive to improve and grow? Are you brimming with excitement about the idea of having a free rein to get on with it? If so, then this is the role for you.

We’re restructuring the roles in the leadership team to align us more closely with our strategy; a strategy that is unapologetically focused on customers. The person in this role will bring a sales and customer focus to commercial; balancing growing margin % and growing our share of wallet (customer spend).

The role starts with understanding what customers want to buy, sourcing those products at the best possible price, and then working hard to maximise our share of wallet and increasing profitability. In essence, maximising our profit through the products we sell.

We are looking for a Commercial Director who enables us to offer everything that specialists do, but under a generalist builder’s merchant roof.

At Elliotts, we’re clearly doing something right - Been around for over 175 years

We have been helping our customers to build for 178 years! Our managing director, Tom, is the great-great-great grandson of our founder

Still chosen by customers in a crowded market

Customers continue to choose us because we can provide anything that they need to build a house…but that’s just a hygiene factor. They choose us because we treat them like human beings, creating a strong relationship and building loyalty

With loyal people who like working for us

We have a history of treating people really well…not just putting it on a poster

During the COVID pandemic, in 2020, we paid everyone who was furloughed 100% of their salary and avoided a redundancy programme

Values that reflect our business

We look after our team. We care. We listen. We try to help.

We work harder than anyone else to put things right if they go wrong.

We think about the long term, not just the here and now.

Agile approach to business despite our age

We don’t have budgets, because they constrain our ability to respond to changes in the market

Instead, we review potential investment decisions every month

Not what you’d expect from such an old business

And financial results that suggest it’s working!

It’s also nice to see we can measure our success in our financial results

Despite the COVID pandemic, we will make a healthy profit again in 2020

We are recruiting for a role that is vital to our strategy

The primary goal of this role is to ensure that we’re highly effective at supplying everything our customers need. You will drive increased gross profit by enabling more sales of our products to our existing customers. You will also bring in new products that better meet our customers’ needs. This role is focused on the product side of sales, with a constant push to maximise margin %

Identifying the right products for our customers

Whilst buying the right products at the right price will lead to success, this isn’t just a procurement role. The role is about understanding what products and services our customers need, and ensuring that we have them

Building and maintaining brilliant relationships with our suppliers will be key in supporting our customers with insight, availability, and innovation

We estimate that we currently get c25% of our top customers’ spend. Our focus is on growing this as we have a fantastic opportunity to get more out of what we already have

To succeed, we need to provide a specialist merchant offer under a generalist roof

Whilst maximising margin %

We want someone who knows how to grow our share of spend with customers and maximise our margin %

You’ll need to be able to stand up for what you believe in (e.g. maintaining higher price in shortage market), but build mutually beneficial relationships with sales teams

You will oversee our price management framework; controlling our list prices and having oversight of our customer terms structure

Your strong relationships with our suppliers will ensure that we have the best possible deals, and that they are simply structured

For someone who is driven to deliver, but wants to get it right first time

Want to get stuff done

You believe in getting things right, and are rarely afraid to state your mind robustly and directly

You believe pace of action is important and this is demonstrated in the energy that you bring to your work

But do it right

Whilst pace is important, attention to detail really matters to you; the idea of simply “winging it” fills you with dread

But you can cope with ambiguity, remaining open-minded and flexible

The right long-term appointment

We are looking to add a key role to the leadership team assembled by Tom since succeeding his father. This appointment is important to us, and one that we hope will be for the long term

Keeping it local

We like to keep it local, so we would like you to be located in, or within easy commuting distance of, our trading area

This is a visible leadership role; an ivory tower approach will not work and you’ll need to get out and about

Relevant experience is not essential, but would help

Commercial role

A broad commercial background encompassing procurement, pricing, product, marketing, and merchandising

Multi-site

A good understanding of how a multi-site business works

Sales

A track record of driving more sales to existing customers from a product perspective

Knowledge of how to maximise trading and margin opportunities: cross-selling, up-selling, bundling etc.

Customer focus

An appreciation of the balance between providing an excellent service, whilst improving margin

Leading teams and influencing

Experience of delivering a strategy through diverse teams; a mixture of resource from across the business and direct reports

The practical details… warts and all

Decent financial package, although not as much as a FTSE100 company

We offer a competitive package to attract the very best

The successful candidate will be paid a basic salary, leadership bonus, car allowance and the usual benefits

A working environment that is fun

A strong, inclusive culture with a ‘family feel’

Work hard and have fun

Open and friendly

Flexibility that works both ways

All the support and training you need to develop your career with us

Central Southampton location

We’re based on our original site on an industrial site just around the corner from St Mary’s stadium (Southampton Football Club’s ground)

Slightly tired office, due a refurb

Our office isn’t as old as our business, but it’s looking a bit tired. We do have future plans to update it

Working for the MD

The role reports into Tom Elliott, our managing director (MD), alongside a newly restructured leadership team.

There is a competitive salary, bonus and benefits package. To apply please send your CV to neil@wilsonbrook.com or call 07796 542641 for a confidential discussion

Product Design Engineer - consumer products

A great opportunity to join a growing business in a fast growing product category!

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established and category-leading manufacturer of specialist small domestic electro-mechanical and electronic devices. This category is growing at over 25% per annum! They have a great reputation and global distribution channels via Amazon and other specialist retailers. They have traded successfully through the Covid-19 lockdown. Indeed they've experienced record months recently and have brought forward investment in a number of areas within their business: IoT enabling technology, rebranding and a new website, and finally SAP implementation.

They are now embarking on a period of exciting growth under a new MD and ownership with investments being made into the business to facilitate such growth. The business has a successful history with a good track record of profitability, is highly cash generative and has a long-serving employee base.

There are several key strategies which will enable them to grow:

1. Enhance existing products – via incremental value-added enhancements requiring engineering changes and changes in the bill of materials – quite simple but can add a lot of value.

2. New Product Introduction: 1. New mechanical products & 2. IoT/app controlled/web-enabled products – so instead of having a product mounted electronic control and display the products will link via wifi to an app on the users smartphone – allowing remote control wherever the user may be

3. Raise the bar in terms of how the business operates – historically it’s been quite centralised around the previous MD and paper-based. The new MD wants to engage with and empower the workforce, getting them to think for themselves, coming forward with new ideas and at the same working smarter via better utilisation of technology and world-class manufacturing and engineering systems and standards

Having recently recruited a new Design & Development Manager they are now looking to expand the team and recruit several Product Design Engineers

Naturally, we're looking for people with experience in similar roles in a similar environment. Ideally, degree qualified, experienced with mechanical and electrical/electronic consumer products. Any experience with web-enabled/smart/app-controlled products would be a distinct advantage.

In addition:

· You will need to apply strong 3D CAD skills (preferably CREO), design for manufacture and engineering principles with an appreciation for industrial design, ergonomics and aesthetics, to ensure design intent is carried all the way through from concept to manufacture.

· You will bring energy and passion along with inquisitive and critical thinking to bridge between industrial design and engineering disciplines.

· Your opinion and perspectives are valued and encouraged within their open culture. You should be confident in your abilities and open to imparting your experiences with the wider team in the pursuit of pushing boundaries and striving for continual improvement and growth.

JOB ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

CONCEPT GENERATION AND PROTOTYPING

· Support front-end innovation to research, understand and define real consumer problems, challenging conventional thinking and truly ground NPD in tangible insights.

· Actively engage in ideation workshops and design sprints – bringing your design & engineering skills and experience to the forefront.

· Create inventive, appropriate, and practical technical concepts and experiences – visualising solutions through engaging mediums and effectively communicating concepts to cross-functional teams.

· Work alongside the Design, Marketing and Operations teams to rapidly define, develop and build early concept prototypes, embedding real-world manufacturability with technical and commercial feasibility for evaluation by the business.

NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

· Progress concepts through detailed design using 3D CAD and develop into well-performing, reliable, and robust solutions ready for manufacture.

· Manage prototype testing, validation, performance analysis and design justification reports.

· Develop mechanical and electromechanical systems of varying complexity, including integration and specification of PCB and electrical designs.

· Employ sound understanding of manufacturing processes and materials application with awareness of technical and cost constraints: injection, blow and rotational moulding, casting, pressing, machining, extrusion, and sheet metal fabrication.

· Own individual projects and seek to engage with wider cross-functional teams, sourcing and collaborating with suppliers to ensure designs are delivered to meet target cost and time constraints.

· Work within the Design team to bring your knowledge and specialism of technology and engineering to support colleague’s projects, whilst actively engaging other team members’ capabilities on your own projects.

IMPLEMENTATION FOR MANUFACTURE AND TESTING

· Project manage comprehensive data sets and meticulously transfer detailed designs into production, generating technical component and assembly drawings, BOMs, production specifications and reports.

· Regular liaison with technical and QA teams – UK & China.

· Review prototype and manufacturing builds – conducting tolerance analysis, DFMEA and performance criteria evaluations.

· Support QA processes and ECR’s (Engineering Change Requests) to ensure products are optimised for launch and beyond.

KEY SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

· Degree educated or equivalent in Engineering, Industrial Design, Product Design, or Design Engineering with at least 3 years’ experience working in a Design / Engineering consultancy or consumer products or consumer electronics industry.

· Passionate about solving real problems in meaningful and original ways.

· Ability to communicate ideas and concept propositions with the help of hand sketches, CAD layouts, 3D models and working prototypes – with demonstrable experience of 3D prototyping.

· Comprehensive user of 3D CAD; PTC Creo – with a high level of surfacing and assembly proficiency.

· Knowledge of FEA for static and/or dynamic analysis is advantageous.

· Experience of transferring products into manufacture in China and Europe.

· Project management – ability to own and drive solo projects and engage others on your journey.

· Sensitivity to form development and good visualisation skills to communicate concepts and design intent to wider business audiences. Knowledge of Keyshot for product visualisation is beneficial.

· Robust scoping techniques to develop and audit new technologies.

· Data-driven approach to continuous design and engineering improvement.

· Self-motivated and robust attention to detail and finish.

· Team player with good communication skills and proactive approach.

· Desire to mentor junior members within the Design team, acting as a guiding voice for coaching and development.

DESIRABLES

· Mechatronics skillset with ability to develop early proving principle prototypes – integrating electromechanical solutions and prototype PCB design with software and firmware programming.

· Human-centred design experience using design research and ethnographic studies to discover consumer insights.

· Graphic design using 2D CAD packages - in particular, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to create product, packaging, and technical user manual artwork.

· Digital prototype design; UX and UI for user experience workflow and testing.

· Experience implementing sustainable design principles, materials, and manufacturing processes.

Reasons to join:

· The business has a successful history with exciting plans for further growth combined with significant investment being applied across the business: facilities, people, products and brand!

· Operating in high growth product categories with the introduction of new technologies

· A new culture of being innovative and proactive – with people empowered and encouraged to contribute and challenge

· Freedom and autonomy, no micro-management here

· Security of a successful, profitable, cash-rich business

· Highly successful new MD & Design & Development Manager who have worked in world class, industry-leading engineering and manufacturing businesses

They are based in the South East, on the South West outskirts of London, so naturally prospective candidates should live within a commutable distance. There is flexibility over start & finish times with some potential for home working (1-2 days per week).

To apply send your CV to Matthew Lambert who’s supporting me on this assignment via matt@wilsonbrook.com or call him on 07517 470025 for a confidential discussion

Timber Product Manager

An excellent opportunity with a regional market leader

The business are long established with a loyal customer base including national house builders, local developers, general contractors, public sector organisations and home improvers - in fact, all users of building materials, however large or small.

They have traded relatively successfully through the Covid-19 crisis. Their branches were closed for a brief period until safe operating procedures were implemented enabling them to offer a click and collect/click and deliver service. They are now fully operational and benefiting from the surge taking place within the building industry – in fact 2020 could end up actually ahead of budget!

The Opportunity

Although already providing a comprehensive range of timber products and sheet materials; they feel there is a big opportunity to increase the breadth and depth, in order to even better service their existing customers whilst also winning new business.

The Individual

They would like recruit someone who can support the existing Product Manager and proactively drive growth for these product groups, whilst also providing a potential succession planning and career development opportunity

Potential candidates should have

Specific product knowledge of timber products and sheet materials. This is essential. This could be from working for a builders merchant, a DIY retailer, a specialist distributor or a manufacturer
Experience in a similar role is naturally beneficial, however this is a broad, end-to-end role so we’re open to individuals who might need to develop some of the capabilities
Can successfully operate in such an environment without the support structures of a larger corporate and can cope with the pressure of needing to achieve results
A proactive, inquisitive approach with an entrepreneurial spirit – always looking for ways to improve the business
Naturally strong communication skills – across all levels of the business.
Willingness to roll sleeves up and get stuck in
To be customer facing and enjoy doing this. Knowledge of the local customer base is an advantage, but not a prerequisite
Fit in with and positively develop the culture within the organisation, ensuring respect for all
A self-starter and can operate at pace – no procrastination here please!
Energetic and creative, resilient and tenacious
Work closely with suppliers, stores, sales teams and customers
Can deliver the right level of information up and down the structure as required
Be commercially and financially aware
Living with commutable distance of the Head Office, though there is some flexibility with remote working and travel throughout the Branch network

Reasons to join

The business is well-established and has a good reputation
Well placed for growth with investment having been made over recent years
The business is happy to invest further – both in the stores and their people
An opportunity to really drive growth in these product categories and make the business the go-to company for such

There is a competitive salary, bonus and benefits package.
To apply please send your CV to neil@wilsonbrook.com or call 07796 542641 for a confidential discussion

Head of R&D and Product Design

An excellent opportunity to join a well-established consumer products super-brand

They have an excellent reputation as market leaders and innovators. Their history is littered with industry firsts and they have recently achieved another one. The future is even more exciting with further investment in product development, new technologies and new categories. It's a very exciting time for the business!

They are now looking to appoint a Head of R&D and Product Design to lead multiple new product development projects. The role will involve leading a small team and working closely with product management, operations and overseas manufacturing, whilst also strengthening NPI processes.

There is an opportunity to remain hands-on to a point leading one of the projects whilst also taking a strategic view of their 3-year rolling product and technology roadmap.

Potential candidates should have a successful track record in similar R&D/NPD/NPI/Design & Development roles, either as leader of a team, or a senior and experienced engineer ready to take that next step.

Key Responsibilities:

· Managing the design & delivery of new products

· Driving product innovation

· Improving their NPR processes

· Providing component specifications to procurement

· Providing technical leadership

Personal Specification/ Core Competencies

Experience:

· Previous experience and track record of success in a New Product Innovation environment

· Experience in developing new products and bringing them to market

· A creative product designer with engineering experience who is always looking to improve a product

· A natural born ability to think laterally and question the norm

· Excellent product focused design skills – layout, graphics, sketching, CAD, along with problem solving and analytical skills

· A great eye for detail and a sensitivity to the visual aspects of a product

· Product minded – your main focus is always the product and the user experience

· Actively interested in new materials and technology advances

· Comfortable with ‘failure’ in the context of multiple iterations of testing and learning

· Possess a good understanding of various production processes, how they influence design, fabrication and manufacture

· Ability to plan ahead, prioritise tasks and coordinate the work of others

· Documenting and presenting ideas and proposals

Skills:

· A degree in a relevant product/industrial design, engineering, science discipline or equivalent

· Strong creative vision

· Excellent project management skills

· Outstanding leadership and influencing skills

· Mature listener and articulate communicator who can effectively convey information verbally, visually (sketching, CAD modelling, rendering) and in writing

· Strong and engaging presentation skills

· High level of general communication skills both verbal and written

· Commercial and curious about business results and commercial impact of work

· Represents the voice of the company and the customer within the wider design/technology/innovation industry where & when appropriate

Attitudes:

· Be confident to “own the product” and defend its definition and execution. For a product-based company, product is king

· Curious, energetic, engaging and positive approach. Inspires other designers to do their best work

· Takes feedback but equally demonstrates strong and credible point of view

· Have an ability to work in a fast-moving environment, either on their own or cross-functionally

· Highly motivated and collaborative – taking ownership of projects and at the same time being objective and responsive to feedback

· Energetic performer with the upmost passion for future trends and problem solving

· Entrepreneurial spirit

This is an excellent opportunity to play a key role in a dynamic, growing business. There are also good career progression opportunities.

There is a competitive salary, bonus and benefits package.

To apply please send your CV to neil@wilsonbrook.com or call 07796 542641 for a confidential discussion

Group Product Manager - Heavyside Products

An excellent opportunity to grow this category for a well established business

This is an excellent opportunity to grow a key product category for a leading company in this sector. They already have an excellent reputation for their product range in this category, but see significant scope for growth. The business are long established with a loyal customer base including national house builders, local developers, general contractors, public sector organisations and home improvers - in fact, all users of building materials, however large or small.

The Opportunity

Although already providing a comprehensive range of heavyside products: bricks, blocks, aggregates and landscaping products; they feel there is a big opportunity to increase the breadth and depth, in order to even better service their existing customers whilst also winning new business.

The Individual

They would like recruit someone who can operate at a higher level in an enlarged role and proactively drive growth for these product groups taking some of the workload away from the Director who currently oversees this.

Potential candidates should have

Specific product knowledge of bricks & blocks and other heavyside products. This is essential. This could be from working for a builders merchant, a DIY retailer, a specialist distributor or a manufacturer
Experience in a similar role is naturally beneficial, however this is a broad, end-to-end role so we’re open to individuals who might need to develop some of the capabilities
Can successfully operate in such an environment without the support structures of a larger corporate and can cope with the pressure of needing to achieve results
A proactive, inquisitive approach with an entrepreneurial spirit – always looking for ways to improve the business
Naturally strong communication skills – across all levels of the business.
Willingness to roll sleeves up and get stuck in
To be customer facing and enjoy doing this. Knowledge of the local customer base is an advantage, but not a prerequisite
Fit in with and positively develop the culture within the organisation, ensuring respect for all
A self-starter and can operate at pace – no procrastination here please!
Energetic and creative, resilient and tenacious
Work closely with suppliers, stores, sales teams and customers
Can deliver the right level of information up and down the structure as required
Be commercially and financially aware
Living with commutable distance of the Hampshire Head Office, though there is some flexibility with remote working

Reasons to join

The business is well-established and has a good reputation
Well placed for growth with investment having been made over recent years
The business is happy to invest further – both in the stores and their people
An opportunity to really drive growth in these product categories and make the business the go-to company for such

To apply send your CV to matt@wilsonbrook.com or call 07517 470025 for a confidential discussion

Branch Manager - Builders Merchant - North London

Come and double the size of this business!

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established builders merchant branch and help propel them through the next stage of their growth.

Trading from a large site in an affluent area they have a great reputation for customer service, a modern fleet of vehicles and a committed and experienced team.

With the right leader this branch could double in size, adding new product categories and services. There will be freedom to trade in an autonomous environment with no bureaucracy and the support of an experienced senior leadership (if required!).

Potential candidates should have:

A successful track record of profitably running and growing an B2B trade distribution business as Branch/General Manager. Potentially a strong assistant Branch Manager looking for that next step. This could be from within the builders merchant industry or something comparable with transferable skills
Can successfully operate in such an environment without the support structures of a larger corporate and can cope with the pressure of needing to achieve results
A proactive, inquisitive, common sense approach
Strong, positive communication skills. Able to have difficult conversations when required
Willingness to roll sleeves up and always looking for opportunities to improve the business
To be customer facing and enjoy doing this. Knowledge of the local customer base is an advantage, but not a prerequisite
Based within a commutable distance of Hemel Hempstead
Fit in with and positively develop the culture within the organisation, ensuring respect for all within the business
A self-starter and can operate at pace, making decisions in a confident manner – no procrastination here please!
Energetic and creative, resilient and tenacious. Willing to embrace the challenge
Can deliver the right level of information up and down the structure as required
Leadership of the highest calibre: inspire, lead, motivate, engage with people throughout the business
Commercially and financially aware

Objectives:

Increase turnover in a profitable manner
Improve customer service, especially with delivered business. Give customers a reason to use the business
Improve engagement throughout the team and create a positive, winning culture
Develop potential successors, with a view to future career progression
Identify opportunities for investment
Identify opportunities for growth in associated product/service areas: more timber, lightside and plumbing & heating
Fully utilise the facilities/capabilities of the branch: buildings, vehicles and small service mill
Naturally ensure the branch is trading legally with health and safety paramount at all times

The future is bright for this business. Come and be a part of it.

To apply send your CV to matt@wilsonbrook.com or call 07517 470025 for a confidential discussion

Engineering Opportunities - Consumer Products

Exciting engineering opportunities with a fast growing, innovative business

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established and category leading manufacturer of specialist small domestic electro-mechanical and electronic devices. This category is growing at over 25% per annum! They have a great reputation and global distribution channels via Amazon and other specialist retailers.

There are several key strategies which will enable them to grow:

1.Enhance existing products – via incremental value-added enhancements requiring engineering changes and changes in the bill of materials – quite simple but can add a lot of value.

2.New Product Introduction: 1. New mechanical products & 2. IoT/app controlled/web enabled products – so instead of having a product mounted electronic control and display the products will link via wifi to an app on the users smartphone – allowing remote control wherever the user may be

3.Raise the bar in terms of how the business operates – historically it’s been quite centralised around the previous MD and paper based. The new MD wants to engage with and empower the workforce, getting them to think for themselves, coming forward with new ideas and at the same working smarter via better utilisation of technology and world class manufacturing and engineering systems and standards

There are 3 new key roles the business is looking to recruit to help deliver this strategy:

Senior Design/NPI Engineer or Design & Development Leader (depending on experience)
Continuous Improvement Engineer
Quality Assurance Manager

Naturally we're looking for people with experience in similar roles in a similar environment. Ideally degree qualified, experienced with mechanical and electrical/electronic consumer products. Any experience with web-enabled/smart/app controlled products would be a distinct advantage.

Reasons to join:

The business has a successful history with exciting plans for further growth combined with significant investment being applied across the business: facilities, people, products and brand!
Operating in high growth product categories with the introduction of new technologies
Potential career development opportunities in the medium term with a several management team members nearing retirement age combined with the growth aspirations of the company
A new culture of being innovative and proactive – with people empowered and encouraged to contribute and challenge
Freedom and autonomy, no micro-management here
Security of a successful, profitable, cash-rich business
Highly successful new MD who’s worked in world class, industry leading engineering and manufacturing businesses

The business has a strong position in a sustainable market operating in high growth product categories. The business plan represents a continuation of its successful strategy, enhanced by investment, new product development and a step-change in how the business operates, supported by better management. It’s a fantastically exciting time to join the company!

The company are based in the South East, on the South West outskirts of London, so naturally prospective candidates should live within a commutable distance. There is flexibility over start & finish times. There may be some limited oversees travel to China to liaise with their manufacturing partners.

There are competitive salaries, pension and other benefits.

To apply send your CV to matt@wilsonbrook.com or call 07517 470025 for a confidential discussion