Area Director – London

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Head of Engineering – Specialist equipment rental business

Based North Nottinghamshire 

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established specialist equipment rental business and help improve and grow it! The business is part of an independent group with businesses in related sectors. They are happy to invest in a number of areas:

• New equipment
• Improved sales & marketing strategy
• Strengthening the team

Trading from a central location, they have a good reputation for customer service, specialist equipment and a committed and experienced team. They have an exciting strategy for growth.

They’re looking to strengthen their leadership team with a high-calibre Head of Engineering to oversee the following:

• Engineering Strategy & Technical Leadership 
• Asset Management & Operational Efficiency 
• Team Leadership & Development 
• Health, Safety, Quality & Compliance 
• Technical Support & Customer Engagement  
   

Potential candidates should have:

• A successful track record of running and improving the engineering/operations/service & aftermarket functions within a specialist electro-mechanical equipment/plant sales/rental business, or something closely related,
• 7+ years of engineering leadership experience within industrial equipment sectors: this could be generators, pumps, compressors, HVACR, welfare/site accommodation or something similar
• Experience with remote monitoring systems, telemetry, and diagnostics is highly desirable. 
• Strong project management and organisational skills. 
• Demonstrated success in managing teams, suppliers, and technical service operations.
• Leadership of the highest calibre: inspire, lead, motivate, engage with people throughout the business
• You must live within a reasonably commuting distance of the North Nottinghamshire The nature of the business and this role requires visible leadership.

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

To apply, send your CV to ethan@wilsonbrook.com   

UK & Ireland Sales Director – technical building products manufacturer, part of an international group

• Significant growth plans
• National role, with North West HQ, hybrid working

This is an excellent opportunity to join a growing business and a well-regarded brand within the building products industry. The group has a proud history and an impressive track record of success. They have a strong product range, are financially secure and well placed for further growth through innovation and NPD.  In addition, they have well-defined values and a leading ESG proposition.

Indeed, they see plenty of opportunities for growth and improvement, broadening their routes to market, especially within commercial and housebuilding.  

Hence, they are looking to recruit an experienced and successful Sales Director, reporting to the MD, to develop and deliver the sales strategy. There will be continued investment in manufacturing capacity, people and products.

Suitable candidates should have a successful track record in a similar Sales Director role within an international, branded technical building products manufacturer. Specific product or category knowledge is not essential. We’re looking for individuals who understand multiple routes to market and can help the business improve its processes and systems. It almost goes without saying that you’ll also need excellent leadership, coaching and development skills with the ability to lead from the front.

You should ideally be within reasonable commuting distance of the North West or at least be prepared to spend time there when required.

To apply send your CV to  jonny@wilsonbrook.com  

MD – multi-site/multi-product trade distribution into RMI & Regional Developers/House Builders/Contractors/Public

• Southern-based business – supplying throughout the South, South East, Home Counties and into the Midlands
• Huge growth potential given the wider business's huge customer base
• An experienced leader of a business/business unit that supplies interior products or services to medium-sized builders/regional HB/Developers. 
• Entrepreneurial/creative/driven/innovative/ambitious/collaborative (with the wider business), customer focused, results orientated, not just strategic but action-focused/energetic & positive.

This is an excellent opportunity to lead a subsidiary of a long-established regional business. They have a long history combined with a track record of growth (both organic and acquisitive) in recent years. The next few years could be even more exciting for them!

This is a broad role with full P&L and strategic responsibility to grow this business with support and investment from the parent company.
 

This is a key role and, needless to say, a very important piece of recruitment with a desire for a successful long-term appointment.

Personality type and cultural fit is even more important than the company’s potential candidates have worked for. The senior team (and indeed the entire business) would benefit from someone with high dominance and drive with an ability to challenge colleagues to ensure the business achieves its desired results. 

The business has a fantastic opportunity to get more out of what they already have. It is estimated that from their top customers, they’re currently getting c25% of their spend. The goal is to increase this to 80%! To do this, the successful candidate will need to implement more discipline, structure and rigour without negatively affecting the culture which makes the business so special and why employees tend to stay for so long.

Potential candidates should be/have:
 

• Mid-career, with enough experience with a successful track record in a similar role (although we’re also open to someone with the right ability stepping up into this level for the first time)
• Know how to maximise trading and margin opportunities: cross-selling, up-selling, bundling etc. Delivering that strategy through diverse teams
• A good understanding of how such a business works. B2B or B2C multi-depot, multi-products into a variety of clients. We have a very open mind in terms of industry background – as mentioned, the personality & cultural fit is more important. Interior product would be useful: bathrooms, kitchens, flooring, surfaces, lighting etc.
• An appreciation of the balance between providing an excellent service whilst improving margin
• A track record of improving sales to existing customers within such organisations. Although it should be noted that this is not the business's sales leadership role. Ultimately, the whole business needs to be more sales-focused (in a profitable manner!)
• An inspiring and engaging leadership style, creating confidence and demonstrating credibility
• An ability to work at pace and successfully deliver the strategy
• An appreciation of the nature of a family-owned business with a long history and long-serving employees
• Resilience and tenacity 
• Excited by the challenge
• Located within or easily commutable to the trading area (Southern England) and able to travel throughout the region and the network. This is a visible leadership role; an ivory tower approach will not work! HQ is south of the M4.
• Excellent communication skills
• High levels of emotional intelligence
• Able to cope with ambiguity, open-minded and flexible – helping to shape the full scope of the role and how it works alongside the rest of the senior team
• Able to balance risk and reward
• Know enough detail, but not be consumed by it
   

The Bottom Line
 

This is not a turnaround situation, nor does it require a revolution. It’s about building on what you have, improving it and identifying further areas for growth. The business is well placed with a capable senior team.
 

There is a competitive salary, bonus and benefits package. To apply please send your CV to imogen@wilsonbrook.com 

E P Barrus: Head of Industrial

• Grow business across multiple products and customer channels
• Broad range of products with new, innovative technology being introduced all the time
• Strategic and analytical approach required, along with leadership of the highest calibre 

Candidates based within commutable distance of their Bicester Head Office are preferred, with relocation support available for those further afield. Although the role naturally requires some national travel, it is an office based role

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established and well-regarded business. It has a proud history and an impressive track record of success and growth. It has an excellent product range developed through strong relationships with global suppliers of leading brands. It is financially secure and well-placed for further growth. It already has strong relationships with customers across numerous channels.  

Barrus operates across three diverse market sectors Marine, Outdoor and Industrial and is one of the UK’s leading importers and distributors of engines, engine-powered equipment, garden tools and accessories.

Partnering with leading global companies including Stanley Black and Decker, Brunswick, Yanmar, John Deere and representing over 60 brands, the company’s approach has been and continues to be to source, develop and build a portfolio of innovative, premium brands to service the needs of its customers.

This is what makes Barrus ‘The Power Behind the Brands’.

Despite their success, they are not resting on their laurels. They see lots of opportunities for growth and improvement. 

Industry legend John Day is retiring so they are now looking to recruit a successor to lead their Industrial Division. Reporting to the CEO, you will be responsible for developing and delivering their growth strategy via an long-established expert team. With continued investment in people and products, they have the foundations in place, along with a supportive senior team and a positive family-feel culture.

The Industrial Division helps customers across construction, agriculture, military, railways, and more find the right engine for their needs. Whether it’s a bespoke one-off project or high-volume production, their expert engineers are there to guide customers every step of the way. They also offer application testing, ensuring customers have the accurate data needed to make informed decisions.

Suitable candidates should have a successful track record in a similar senior leadership role in an industrial product supply environment. Experience selling similar products to similar customers is beneficial, but we’re also open to individuals with other rotating equipment experience, whether from a manufacturer or distributor.

We’re looking for individuals with an analytical and strategic approach, who can combine sales and technical understanding with credibility, leadership, and gravitas. You’ll also need plenty of energy, drive, and dynamism. While not essential, an Engineering qualification would be advantageous.

Candidates living within commutable distance of their Bicester head office are highly preferred, although this role will involve national and international travel, customer and supplier meetings, and attendance at events, trade shows, and conferences. When not travelling, you will be in the Head Office providing visible leadership to the team in this division and collaborating with the rest of the senior team and the other functions within the business. Relocation support can be provided for those outside of a reasonable commuting distance.

For more information visit: 

https://www.barrus.co.uk/ 

https://www.barrus.co.uk/divisions/industrial/ 

To apply send your CV to Neil Holloway at retained consultants Wilson Brook, via neil@wilsonbrook.com   or Matt Lambert via matt@wilsonbrook.com 

Any direct applications to E P Barrus will be forwarded to Wilson Brook to go through their process

Managing Director – Merchant

Midlands HQ with travel throughout the branch network

This is an excellent opportunity to join a long-established Midlands-based independent builders’ merchant. They trade successfully from multiple locations and offer a broad range of products, from timber to heavy building to plumbing. They supply customers across the Midlands and nationally via their e-commerce business.

The business has benefited from numerous investments over recent years: refurbished and relocated branches, IT and warehouse equipment.  There is a committed branch leadership team.  They are in a strong financial position.

They are now looking to recruit a new Managing Director to help take the business forward.  Potential candidates should have:

• A successful track record of profitably running and growing an SME, multi-site distribution business in a senior capacity.
• Experience in such a role within the builder’s merchant sector is highly preferred and beneficial as is reasonable knowledge of timber and associated products, including milling and processing equipment
• Sales/Commercial bias preferred as opposed to operational/financial.
• Not just day-to-day sales & business leadership & trading. Broader commercial experience: procurement, pricing, category management and marketing.
• Successful track record of growing a business: Sales, market share, margin; delivered via remote teams
• 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.
• Naturally strong communication skills – across all levels of the business.
• Willingness to roll up sleeves and always looking for opportunities to improve the business.
• To be customer-facing and enjoy doing this
• Also interact with and attend meetings at industry trade associations, events and buying groups as required
• Based within a commutable distance of the Midlands (or willing and able to relocate within a reasonable timeframe), with regular travel throughout the branch network as part of the role – this is not an ivory tower/purely office-based job.
• Fit in with and positively develop the culture within the organisation, ensuring respect for all within the business.
• A self-starter who can operate at pace – no procrastination here, please!
• Energetic and creative, resilient and tenacious.
• 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.

This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the next chapter in this business's long and successful history.

To apply please send a CV to nick@wilsonbrook.com