Director - Merchant

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Production Manager: specialist wooden packaging manufacturer, logistics solutions provider

• Improve productivity and volumes as the business grows
• Proactive & creative approach required 

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established and well-regarded business – part of a privately owned group. 

They are investing for growth and diversification. As part of their future plans, this appointment within the wood case-making part of their business will strengthen their operational capability. Now is a great time to join, effectively at the beginning of a new phase of growth with an MD who is keen to create a strong team spirit. They want people to contribute to the development of the strategy and, of course, its successful delivery!

Hence, they are looking to recruit an experienced and successful Production Manager to replace someone who will soon retire. With continued investment in people, technology, and products, they have the foundations in place, along with a supportive senior team and a positive family-feel culture.

Suitable candidates should have a successful track record in a similar new Production Management role, ideally in a low volume, bespoke manufacturing environment with a combination of manual and automated processes. This is about providing a tailored solution for customers with high-value products as opposed to just a cheap pallet!

We require someone capable of management of the highest calibre combined with emotional intelligence and the ability to challenge the status quo and ultimately deliver an operational strategy that supports the growth of the business. As an SME you’ll also need to get hands-on at times – this is not about managing things from an office!

We’re looking for individuals with a proactive and professional approach.  You’ll also need plenty of energy, drive and dynamism. 

Responsibilities

• Take charge of the manufacturing of crate and pallets operations and manage it (circa 10 people)
• Studying / Engineering (product development and quotation)
• Production plan organisation and management
• Production process optimisation
• Customer transportation/deliveries management (in-house driver)
• Material purchasing and management
• Facility and machinery Maintenance management
• Health & Safety
• Team training
• Uphold and support quality, environment and health & safety policies
• Participate in new process development
• Overseeing new processes/procedures to optimise production capacity
• Manage data collection for the updating of metrics to achieve productivity targets, reduce cost per unit, eliminate errors, and deliver excellent customer service.

Candidates should live within at most an hour of their facility, which is based just outside of Rugby

To apply send your CV to jonny@wilsonbrook.com   

Channel Director – Private Development (National & Large Regional Housebuilders)

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established business and well-regarded brand within the building products industry. They have a proud history and an impressive track record of success. They have a strong, design-led, innovative product range and are well placed for further growth. They are investing in people, products, and facilities. 

With a view to their growth aspirations within private development, they need to strengthen their senior management team with this appointment to help further develop and deliver a successful commercial strategy with national and regional housebuilders.

As Channel Director – Private Development, you will develop and execute strategies to win new business with UK National and large Regional House Builders, reporting directly to their Group Sales Director. As a key influencer you will drive a specification-led approach, working closely with house builders, their architects, and contractors to add value and provide a differentiated service. You will work in close collaboration with organisational peers within Sales, Marketing and Product Management to deliver success in revenue and margin growth.

Suitable candidates should have a successful track record in a similar senior business development, Head of Sales, Channel Director or national/key account management role in a similar environment, working for a manufacturer of some kind of design-led, aesthetically pleasing product that can be found in newly built homes with a track record of success in developing and growing relationships with the national and regional house builders. 

Specific product or category knowledge is not essential. We’re looking for individuals with a strong network of contacts and an excellent reputation with the national housebuilders that will enable them to open doors and get in front of the right people. You will also lead a team developing relationships at all levels within the target market. Experience of leading a team of sales and key account managers is essential.

Based from home this role will involve regular travel throughout the country. Candidates based in the Midlands or North are preferred, but it’s not mandatory.

To apply send your CV to imogen@wilsonbrook.com 

Head of Sales: Leisure

• Leading supplier of innovative, design-led products
• Significant growth opportunities in this market, building upon their success in other channels
• Head Office based in the North, candidates should ideally live within a reasonable commuting distance, but the role will involve regular travel to key accounts
• Successful, growing UK privately-owned business 

Do you have experience selling design-led products into the Leisure industry? Marine (boats, yachts, cruise liners), Caravans, Static Homes, Motor Homes, Modular Homes and Offsite, Holiday parks/holiday homes/forest lodges/holiday lodges? Then we want to speak with you!
 

Our client is a fast-growing supplier of innovative, technology-leading design-led products into multiple sectors. They see an obvious growth opportunity in the leisure industry and are already in advanced discussions with several major players. They plan to use this as a springboard for further growth.
 

They just need an experienced Head of Sales to lead this channel, develop and deliver a successful strategy to win business, manage the accounts and recruit and lead a team! It's a great opportunity!
 

We're open on specific product experience, it could be bathrooms, kitchens, fitted furniture, lighting, flooring, surfaces. Must be design-led, aesthetically pleasing.
 

Candidates should ideally be based in the North or Midlands for ease of access to the company's head office and major customers.

Suitable candidates should have a successful track record in a similar national sales or senior business development and key account management role in a similar environment, hence a good understanding of and experience with the target customers and relationships with the key contacts within those companies. 

Key Skills and Attributes

• Strong sales & business development & account management experience
• Proactive, tenacious and willingness to roll up sleeves to get the job done!
• Analytical and strategic thinking
• Ability to analyse the market to identify trends and customers’ behaviour.
• Excellent communication skills with an engaging style
• Organisational skills and reliability

To apply send your CV to jonny@wilsonbrook.com 

Group Operations Director – James Latham – a leading national, multi-site distribution business.

Flexible with location – role naturally involves extensive travel 

James Latham is one of the UK and Ireland’s largest independent trade distributors of timber, panels and decorative surfaces. They supply products to a broad range of customers, from contractors and merchants, through to designers and makers. The business can trace its history back to 1757.

They are stable, secure, and financially strong with long-serving staff. There is a well-invested national network of distribution facilities. Acquisitions have been successfully integrated. They have a great culture with quick decision-making and an entrepreneurial approach. The future looks very bright for this business!

They have grown significantly over the last 25 years, with a turnover in excess of £350m, trading from 17 locations. They have further ambitious growth plans. At the same time, their distribution operations have benefitted from significant investment in both technology and equipment. 

As a result of growth, future development plans and succession planning, they are looking to recruit a high-calibre Group Operations Director. 

The Group Operations Director will be responsible for leading and managing all aspects of the company's operations, including warehousing, distribution, logistics, internal supply chain, and customer service levels. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record with this level of responsibility, driving operational efficiencies, improving processes, managing all operational resources delivering exceptional service to customers.

We believe this represents one of the most attractive and important career opportunities within the UK industrial distribution sector today.

For more information please visit: https://www.lathamtimber.co.uk/ 

Potential candidates should have:

• A successful career history running and improving multi-site distribution operations across several industry sectors. Experience within timber and associated products is an advantage but far from a prerequisite
• Ability to quickly integrate into the culture
• High levels of credibility and gravitas
• Can operate at pace with a high level of personal energy, inspiring people to come on the journey
• The ability to take considered and rounded analytical views that result in clear and strong decision-making
• Will challenge the status quo in their drive for greater effectiveness. This a successful business, far from broken. It’s more a case of evolution than revolution
• The ability to move between strategic viewpoints and tactical action with ease
• Exceptional communication skills: the ability to relate to those in the distribution centres and be willing and able to roll sleeves up and spend time in that environment
• An empathetic coach who understands the needs of their team and strives to support them
• Excellent leadership and team-building skills, with the ability to motivate and develop high-performing teams.

To apply send your CV to neil@wilsonbrook.com 

Or call Neil on 07796 542641 

Or please follow this link to view his calendar and schedule a mutually convenient time for a call. This way we'll avoid any voicemail tennis. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilholloway/

For more information visit: www.wilsonbrook.com 

Managing Director – Navigator MSL, the leading supplier to plumbing merchants across the UK!

• Significant growth opportunities!
• Well-established, financially secure, privately owned business
• Strong foundations, excellent operational facilities with space and investment available for further growth!

Navigator MSL was first formed in 1936 under the name Metal Supplies Ltd. There has been high-quality distribution from the current premises for more than 40 years.

The company is a wholly independent business, which focuses on providing an unmatched supply service to the plumbing merchant and distribution industry. Operational activities are centred around Sharnbrook near Bedford.

Technical expertise is key to their success and has steadily been built up over a long period of time, with many members of staff having more than 10 years of experience and several senior personnel having more than 25 years.

This experience coupled with the ambition and dynamism provided by all their people has seen the business grow to become the premier independent plumbing supplier in the UK. The product range now boasts more than 4,500 lines and the supply chain expertise which has been developed within the plumbing metals sector has been successfully applied to ranges such as copper & brass fittings and valves, plastic pipe systems, magnetic filters, hand tools and plumbing consumables.

Navigator is leading the way in plumbing parts distribution through its network of almost 2,500 customers in the UK.

Current MD Andrew Smith is planning for retirement in 2026, so won’t disappear immediately! There’ll be a smooth transition, and he’ll stay with the group part-time to support projects and offer advice when required.

Suitable candidates should have a successful track record in a similar MD or Sales Director role for a medium-sized £30m+ distribution business: high SKU, multiple categories and have delivered a successful growth strategy. Whilst building or plumbing products industry experience is beneficial it is not essential. Experience in a multi-channel environment is also required with automation and digitalisation. It goes without saying that you’ll also need excellent leadership, people management and financial skills.

The role will involve regular travel to key customers and possibly to join the purchasing team in the Far East for sourcing. Candidates should live within reasonable commuting distance of the Sharnbrook office, as they will need to be visible there.

There is an excellent growth opportunity here, with an entrepreneurial culture and quick decision-making – there’s no corporate bureaucracy or burning platforms here!

To apply send your CV to matt@wilsonbrook.com at our retained consultants Wilson Brook: www.wilsonbrook.com

Any direct applications will be sent to Wilson Brook