Chief Innovations Officer – Hi-tech engineering

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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 product range, are financially secure and well placed for further growth. They are also part of a larger group where there are collaboration and cross selling opportunities. 

Despite their success, they are not resting on their laurels. They see plenty of opportunity for growth and improvement, especially within contract and trade sectors.  They are already well established here, but there are changing dynamics around where decisions are made and the role of the merchants. Following a strategic review and impending changes to legislation, they believe that there are now big growth opportunities within this route to market, particularly by getting closer to the developers, building owners & operators, housebuilders, local authorities and social housing organisations and getting product specified. Relationships with the merchants will remain important where appropriate.  The business has a strong sustainability message to take to this market which could now be very well received.

Hence they are looking to recruit an experienced and successful Contract & Trade Sales Director, reporting directly into the Managing Director, to develop these routes to market. With continued investment in facilities, people and products, they have the foundations in place, along with a supportive senior team - of which this role will be a key part. 

Suitable candidates should have a successful track record in a similar Sales Director role across contract and trade channels in a similar environment. Specific product or category knowledge is not essential: it could be kitchens, appliances, doors & windows, bathroom products, flooring or others. We’re looking for individuals a good understanding of these routes to market and the changes that are taking place. It almost goes without saying that you’ll also need excellent leadership skills. 

You should ideally be centrally based as this will be a national role, nowhere too remote otherwise travelling will be difficult.  This role will involve regular travel throughout the country, with scope for working from home and travelling into the Midlands based Head Office.

To apply send your CV to neil@wilsonbrook.com  

Please call Neil Holloway on 07796 542641. Alternatively follow the below link to view Neil’s calendar and schedule a mutually convenient time for a call.  This way we'll avoid any voicemail tennis.

https://calendly.com/nholloway/15mincall

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established specialist B2B distribution business and help grow a key branch in the North East – where there is huge growth potential across the multiple markets they serve. The business is part of a family-owned multi-sector multi $bn global independent group with a fantastic track record of growth and acquisition. They are long term investors who trust their business managers to run their businesses as if they were their own. Because of the nature of some of their products they were able to grow significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic. This will continue to a degree post pandemic.

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

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

 

Potential candidates should have:

•  A successful track record of profitably running and growing an B2B distribution business as Branch Manager/Branch Director/General Manager. Specific product knowledge is not required. They supply into multiple sectors such as construction, retail, medical, engineering – and many others
•  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
•  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
•  You will own the P&L and be responsible for creating and delivering the strategy to achieve this. 
•  Strong procurement and negotiation skills and experience – you can buy from existing suppliers or new ones, introducing new products as you see fit – there are no restrictions!
•  You must live within a reasonably commuting distance of Newcastle – or be prepared to relocate within a reasonable time frame. There will be some travel locally within the role. The nature of the business and this role means that this isn’t really a Work From Home role or environment.

Objectives:

•  Increase turnover in a profitable manner – there is the potential to grow the branch turnover – maybe even to take it to £10m+ in the coming years!
•  Improve customer service. 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 – how can the business add value in a competitive sector
•  Fully utilise the facilities/capabilities of the branch
•  Naturally ensure the branch is trading legally with health and safety paramount at all times
•  Smash the competition
•  Identify opportunities for growth – both within existing customers and markets and new ones!

The future is very bright for this business. Come and be a part of it. Be your own boss and create a winning environment where you – and the team – will be rewarded handsomely for it!

Please call Neil Holloway on 07796 542641. Alternatively follow the below link to view Neil’s calendar and schedule a mutually convenient time for a call.  This way we'll avoid any voicemail tennis.

https://calendly.com/nholloway/15mincall

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established specialist rental business and help grow it! They have a successful track record of growth in both sales and profit. The business is part of a family-owned independent group with businesses in related sectors. They are long term owners who trust their business managers to run their businesses as if they were their own. 

They are happy to invest in a number of areas:

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

Trading from a central North Midlands location they have a great reputation for customer service, specialist equipment and a committed and experienced team.

With the right leader this business could expand considerably, 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 team.
 

Potential candidates should have:

•  A successful track record of profitably running and growing a equipment/plant hire/rental business, or something closely related, as Managing Director or another senior leadership role, ideally with a commercial bias. 
•  Can successfully operate in such an environment without the support structures of a larger corporate 
•  A proactive, inquisitive, common sense approach
•  Strong, positive communication skills. 
•  Willingness to roll sleeves up and always looking for opportunities to improve the business
•  To be customer facing and enjoy doing this. 
•  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
•  You will own the P&L and be responsible for creating and delivering the strategy to achieve this. 
•  You must live within a reasonably commuting distance of the North Midlands, their main location is just South of Stoke-on-Trent. There will be some travel within the role. The nature of the business and this role means that this isn’t really a Work from Home role or environment.

Objectives:

•  Increase turnover in a profitable manner 
•  Improve engagement throughout the team and create a positive, winning culture
•  Identify opportunities for investment
•  Identify opportunities for growth in associated product/service areas – how can the business add value in a competitive sector
•  Fully utilise the facilities/capabilities of the business
•  Naturally ensure the business 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. Be your own boss and create a winning environment where you – and the team – will be rewarded handsomely for it!

This is 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, new categories and partnerships. It's a very exciting time for the business!

They are now looking to appoint a Head of QA & CI to lead all aspects across supplier quality, product quality (existing & new), systems & process and product reliability – from end to end. The role will involve leading a team and working closely with NPD, product management, operations and overseas manufacturing and suppliers.

There is an opportunity to remain hands-on to a point leading projects whilst also taking a strategic view of their QA & CI strategy.

Potential candidates should have a successful track record in similar Head of QA & CI Management roles.

Key Responsibilities:

• QA Strategy
• Quality assurance within assembly and      manufacturing 
• Quality assurance for all suppliers
• Cost of Quality.
• Product reliability
• Processes and systems to manage and drive      quality assurance and continuous improvement
• Product failure in the field and returns

Personal Specification/ Core Competencies

We are looking for a challenging, engaging quality specialist, who is intense about delivering quality but also has the practical and interpersonal skills to delivery on objectives

Experience:

• A commercially astute quality manager, with at      least 5 years experience of leading a team
• A track record of driving down the cost of      quality.
• Experience of quality systems in a      manufacturing environment ISO 9000.
• Worked with Lean, Six Sigma, Root cause      analysis and / or other continuous improvement techniques.
• Evidence of successfully leading pivotal      projects.
• Evidence of working at pace with suppliers
• Specific product knowledge not essential –      could have worked in any technical products environment: consumer,      industrial, automotive
• 
  

Skills:

• Degree in an engineering discipline
• Intelligent, quick-thinking, alert, highly      numerate. 
• High level of communication skills both verbal      and written; Excellent personal and business presentation skills.
• Operational, but must be creative as well.
• Cost conscious
• Ability to work at pace.
• Strong team player, leader and sound      management skills.

This is an excellent opportunity to play a key role in a dynamic, growing business. The role is predominantly based at their office in Westerham with some UK & international travel (when restrictions are removed). This is not a work from home role.

There is a competitive salary, bonus and benefits package.

This is an excellent opportunity to drive significant growth across the trade and retail channels for a leading brand, part of a European, private equity backed, garden products business. They have grown significantly both organically and via acquisition in the UK over recent years, supplying similar products via multiple brands into multiple channels. They now see big opportunities with this particular brand and wish to recruit a sales leader who can develop and deliver a successful growth strategy. 

The overall business achieved strong growth during the pandemic.  Being vertically integrated gives them security of supply. With the subsequent investment in homes and gardens by homeowners – which is set to continue – they see an exciting period ahead! 

They see significant opportunities for growth, with investment in products, marketing and sales support.

The individual Hence, they're looking for someone with:  

• A successful track record in a sales leadership role working for a companies that have sold products via DIY retail, garden centres and trade. Hence will have knowledge of the appropriate buyers and category managers and be able to get in front of them easily and quickly 
• Specific category knowledge is advantageous but not essential 
• Need to understand how these target businesses make their buying decisions and onboard new suppliers 
• Commercially aware – able to successfully negotiate trading agreements and manage the P&L
• Presentable with strong communication skills 
• Must fit in with values and culture: focused on providing quality products (not price driven) with excellent customer service, a family feel with a small, committed team 
• Leadership of the highest calibre – able to develop and deliver a successful sales strategy, supporting and developing the team with a professional structure and review process 
• A strategic and methodical thinker 
• An advocate of technology and CRM 
• A pragmatist who gets things done 
• Energetic, driven and focussed on outcomes 
• An inspirational leader and excellent communicator 
• A natural learner, always up to date on the latest sales thinking 
• Someone who understands the wider business context, especially operations, finance and marketing 

To apply send your CV to imogen@wilsonbrook.com    

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established independent tool, equipment and small plant hire business and help grow it! There is good growth potential across the markets they serve. They have led innovation in several areas including reducing emissions. 

The business has committed owners willing to invest further in order to deliver growth. This could include: 

•  New locations
•  Increasing the size of the fleet
•  Innovation around technology
•  Improved sales & marketing strategy

Trading from a large site in a good location they have a great reputation for customer service, a modern fleet of equipment and a committed and experienced team.

With the right sales leader this business could expand considerably, adding new product categories, new branches 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 a tool/equipment/plant hire business in a commercially biased role 
•  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 a prerequisite
•  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
•  You will own the P&L and be responsible for creating and delivering the strategy to achieve this. 
•  You must live within a reasonable commuting distance of London. There will be regular travel locally within the role. 

Objectives:

•  Increase turnover in a profitable manner 
•  Improve customer service. Give customers a reason to use the business
•  Improve engagement throughout the team and create a positive, winning culture
•  Identify opportunities for investment
•  Identify opportunities for growth in associated product/service areas – how can the business add value in a competitive sector
•  Fully utilise the facilities/capabilities of the business
•  Naturally ensure the business is trading legally with health and safety paramount at all times
•  Identify opportunities for growth – both within existing customers and markets and new ones!

The future is bright for this business. Come and be a part of it. Be your own boss and create a winning environment 

where you – and the team – will be rewarded handsomely for it!

To apply send your CV to imogen@wilsonbrook.com 

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established business and well-regarded brand within the consumer products industry. They have 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. They are also part of a larger group where there are collaboration and cross selling opportunities. 

Despite their success, they are not resting on their laurels. They see plenty of opportunity for growth and improvement, especially with national housebuilders, where, for various reasons, they don’t currently have a big market share. Following a strategic review and impending changes to legislation, they believe that there are now big growth opportunities within this route to market.  The business has a strong sustainability message to take to this market which could now be very well received.

Hence they are looking to recruit an experienced and successful Business Development Manager, reporting directly into the Trade Sales Director, to develop relationships with the big national house builders. With continued investment in facilities, people and products, they have the foundations in place, along with a supportive senior team - of which there is the opportunity to become part in this role and to have a broader remit in the future. 

Suitable candidates should have a successful track record in a similar business development, sales management or account management role in a similar environment, hence a good understanding of some kind of consumer product that can be found in new build homes with success in developing and growing relationships with the big national house builders. Specific product or category knowledge is not essential: it could be kitchens, appliances, doors & windows, bathroom products, flooring or others. We’re looking for individuals a strong network of contacts and an excellent reputation with the national housebuilders which will enable them to open doors and get in front of the right people. Once this market starts to grow there could be the opportunity to develop a team. 

You should ideally be centrally based as this will be a national role, nowhere too remote otherwise travelling will be difficult.  This role will involve regular travel throughout the country, with scope for working from home, and occasionally travelling into the Midlands based Head Office.

To apply send your CV to imogen@wilsonbrook.com 

This is an excellent opportunity to support the senior team of this business. They have a long history combined with a positive track record of growth in recent years - including throughout 2020, with 2021 being one of their most successful years ever! The next few years could be even more exciting for them!

This new role focuses on 3 key areas; taking the reins on the recent new Pricing structure, developing a framework to maximise commercial decisions, and support the Ranging across the company.

They’ll need you to hit the ground running so your previous experience in a similar role in a similar environment will be key.

Here’s a little more information about what you’ll be doing…

Pricing

• Standardise pricing principles to a systematic way of working for stakeholders
• Oversee price change proposals with the aim of maximising sales & profit
• Conduct competitor checks to develop index reports vs performance and proposed outcomes
• Analyse and understand different supply sources, pricing architecture, list vs achieved prices, & interaction with margin being achieved
• Keep ERP system updated with rebate deals to help inform ranging decisions.
• Make recommendations at Monthly Pricing Committee meetings, backed up by appropriate data
• Supplier price changes; own the process of communicating as necessary, challenging suppliers where needed.

Commercial best practice

• Develop a framework to support Commercial decisions and embed new ways of working
• Ensure data integrity in intact (their IT software) for all their Commercial Master data
• KVI’s; model impact of any proposed price changes & update on performance
• Using trends and analysis identify trading opportunities; what products are performing, which aren’t, margin mix opportunities & make recommendations for stocking items.
• Planning and Trading activity; work with other stakeholders on a promotional calendar ie new products, price changes etc. Create a trading plan framework.
• Identify slow-moving stock & developing a cost-effective solution to ensure the terminal stock position is minimised

Ranging

• Working with the Product Managers to build strong ranges & achieve high availability
• Working with the Branch Managers to suggest, source & confirm additional stock to maintain availability
• Maintain the core range, based on findings & working with their Branch Managers
• Review of best sellers & stock management of volume lines using forecast projections
• Carry out a review of purchase volumes and highlight opportunities to improve supply base
• Identify future opportunities to maximise range performance, including reviewing rate of sale, sales performance, availability, and space to sale analysis to provide guidance to branches.
• Update range hierarchy and product attributes to establish range structure and aid future range decisions.
• Use their Help You Build tool, to better understand range depth across their core customer base, and conduct gap analysis.
• Review their existing suggested ordering process, make recommendations to fully utilise.
• Preparing weekly trading range plan analysis and ad-hoc reports and contribute towards analysing the data in regular meetings.
• Stock management of volume lines to ensure availability across all branches

What you’ll need….

• To bring your previous experience and skills in order to hit the ground running!
• Advanced Excel skills
• Highly numerate with a strong analytical skillset
• Demonstrable problem solving & creative thinking abilities
• Preferably experienced in a Buying & Merchandising department or similar commercially focused role in a similar industry
• Negotiation skills
• Strategic perspective
• Previous experience of leading a change process, preferably related to pricing
• Sufficient I.T. skills to be able to competently manipulate data and present it
• Strong communication & presentation skills
• Ability to influence peers

What they offer in return;

• A competitive salary, with an annual review + car, pension and healthcare
• Profit-share for everyone at Elliotts, paid twice a year
• Unlimited training budget

But it’s often the little extras they do that people rave about the most. Things like a Christmas gift to share with friends & family, and treats for the team when you’ve had a great result.

Interested? 

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

London based with hybrid working – 2-3 days per week from home 

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.  

They are embarking on a period of exciting growth under a new leadership team 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: standards1. 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 traditional, 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 Head of Design & Innovation they are now looking to further strengthen the team and recruit an Electronics and Embedded Software Engineer.  

Naturally we're looking for people with experience in a similar role in a similar environment.    

KEY SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES 

• Degree educated or equivalent in Electronics/Firmware Engineering, or related discipline with at least 5 years’ experience working in a Design / Engineering consultancy or consumer electronics industry  
• Passionate about solving real problems in meaningful and original ways 
• Ability to communicate ideas and concept propositions with multidisciplinary development teams  
• Comprehensive understanding of electronics hardware and its interface with software systems 
• IoT and smart home experience – creating consumer-centred solutions connecting digital smartphone applications with robust and secure product experiences through cloud connectivity and integration 
• Real-time embedded C/C++ programming experience; Java and Python advantageous 
• Good understanding of analogue/digital, comm’s circuit designs, RF knowledge advantageous 
• System/block design and schematic capture 
• A good working knowledge of embedded development with wireless protocols; Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 
• Experience of embedded debugging techniques and tools for software verification strategies 
• Numerate with strong mathematical skills • Proven ability to manage external development partners to deliver projects on time and to budget Hands-on practical ability with electronics hardware and prototyping, including good soldering skills 
• Robust scoping techniques to develop and audit new and emerging technologies 
• Data-driven approach to continuous design and engineering improvement 
• Technically creative with exceptional fault-finding skills 
• Self-motivated and robust attention to detail   

DESIRABLES 

• Cloud based integration of IoT solutions, specifically AWS experience 
• Modern software development methodologies such as Agile and Test-Driven Development 
• Experience taking NPD through to full compliance testing; EMC, RED, Safety and Radio approvals 
• Development and application with sensing technologies; active and passive, analogue and digital 
• Experience of transferring products into manufacture in China and Europe  
• Mechanical hardware design, including CAD ability 
• Basic understanding of Machine Learning   

This is a medium sized and fast-growing business.  There is not a huge corporate structure or team.  Potential candidates should be comfortable with such an environment and ideally have experience of helping a business grow and improve, implementing new processes to support such.  

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 & Head of Design & Innovation 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 would ideally live within a commutable distance.  There is flexibility over start & finish times and home working (2-3 days per week).    

To apply send your CV to Imogen Pearson via nick@wilsonbrook.com  

Location: Rainham, Essex  

National, market leading Industrial, Waste & Environmental Services business  

Circa £65k + car/allowance + bonus (up to 30%) + benefits  

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established and growing organisation.  They provide a range of industrial and technical environmental services from critical incident response to various industry sectors along with installation and maintenance of specialist assets and infrastructure, to specialist cleaning and waste services, to finally risk and environmental consultancy.  They have grown over the years via acquisition with more on the cards.  They have an excellent reputation and because of the nature of what they do are pretty much recession-proof.  

Potential candidates should have a successful track record in similar Depot/Branch/General Manager role in an industrial services/environmental services/waste services business to business environment within either a medium (£30m+) or large company.  Experience in a 24/7 emergency response environment would also be useful.  Naturally, leadership of the depot team and the development and delivery of a successful growth strategy is a prerequisite.    

The Depot Manager is responsible for the P&L of their depot and should do everything within their powers to help the depot be more successful whilst operating efficiently, safely and legally!  

The role has 3 key aspects to it:  

1. The Leadership of the depot including all operational elements of HSE, recruitment, leadership, development of capability etc. 

2. The Financial elements associated with a P&L, forecasting, CAPEX, budget accountability 

3. The commercial elements of supporting the Group Commercial Director and his teams with customer feedback and support, technical and delivery support, pricing etc.   

From a behavioural and cultural perspective we're looking for: 

• An inspiring and engaging leadership style, creating confidence and demonstrating credibility 
• An ability to work at pace and successfully deliver the commercial, operational and financial strategy 
• Resilience and tenacity 
• Excited by the challenge 
• Excellent communication skills 
• High levels of emotional intelligence 
• An appreciation of the balance between providing an excellent service whilst maintaining (and where possible improving) margin 
• Instant credibility and gravitas, but also a down to earth approachable style given the nature of the business – aspects of what they do are pretty “dirty” and high hazard 
• Able to cope with ambiguity, open-minded and flexible – helping to shape the full scope of the role and how it adds value to the business 
• Able to balance risk and reward  

Potential candidates should live within a reasonable daily commuting distance. The role is not 100% office based, for critical incidents senior management are required to be on site to help co-ordinate response and manage relationships with multiple stakeholders.  Given the nature of the role this is not a work from home position.  

Adler & Allan are investing significantly across their business for growth – including £1m into this specific depot.  There is a great opportunity to turn Rainham into one of their flagship depots  

There is an excellent salary, bonus and benefits package, with equity opportunities in the future  

For more information: https://www.adlerandallan.co.uk/   

To apply send your CV to ethan@wilsonbrook.com