Commercial Lead - North of England

The Bread Factory is the UK's leading artisan bakery. We make award-winning bread, pastries, and cakes, and as well as supporting our neighbourhood bakeries at GAIL's, we are the proud suppliers behind London's Michelin restaurants, prestigious hotels, and even Buckingham Palace! We believe in making good bread. We may have grown over the years, but our philosophy has not changed to make exceptional quality artisan bread, cakes, and pastries so more people can enjoy them. We bake by hand with natural ingredients, we insist on the finest ingredients, and though we're always innovating, our baking is based on time-honoured techniques and our decades-old starters. Nothing pleasures us as much as a freshly baked, lovingly crafted loaf. Product is at the heart of our bakeries and everything we do must tell a story that inspires, our people to support us on our journey of growth, leading the way for artisan baking in the UK.

We're seeking a star in foodservice sales, someone with a deep love for Manchester's vibrant food scene and a hunger to win new business. You'll be responsible for identifying, targeting, and securing profitable partnerships within the hospitality sector, with a particular focus on fine dining and contract caterers.

This is a field-based role, ideal for someone who thrives on building relationships, spotting opportunities, and making things happen. You'll report directly to the Foodservice Commercial Manager based in London, but you'll own the North.

What You Will Do

• Work in close partnership with our London headquarters, reporting to the Foodservice Commercial Manager.
• Take full ownership of driving profitable growth across our customer and channel portfolio in Manchester.
• Lead a high-performing team of two Customer Care Representatives and one Account Manager.
• Collaborate with Foodservice, Customer Experience, Marketing, NPD, and Operations teams to deliver commercial strategies that meet customer needs.
• Balance strategic growth initiatives with hands-on commercial management, project delivery, and customer satisfaction.
• Build trusted partnerships with key customers, identify growth opportunities, and negotiate agreements to ensure consistent delivery.
• Work closely with top chefs, retail partners, and internal teams to guarantee best-in-class service.
• Proactively hunt and win new business across Manchester and the North of England.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with chefs, buyers, and decision-makers in fine dining and contract catering.
• Represent The Bread Factory with passion and authenticity, becoming a trusted partner to our clients.
• Collaborate across internal departments to ensure a seamless and exceptional customer experience.

About You

• Proven track record in a commercial, sales, or business development role within food or hospitality.
• Strong relationship builder with excellent influencing and negotiation skills.
• Commercially astute, with a focus on sustainable growth and profitability.
• Confident analysing data and financials and turning insights into practical action.
• Highly organised, adaptable, and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Skilled at navigating complexity and solving challenges efficiently.
• Passionate about great food and committed to delivering an exceptional customer experience.
• Experienced in leading or collaborating with cross-functional teams to achieve results.

Working Hours: 9am-5pm

Shift Pattern: Monday to Friday

Location: The Bread Factory,Unit 4, Clayton Court, Openshaw, Manchester, M11 2NB

Salary: £40,000-£45,000

What's in it for you?

• Family-friendly policies such as maternity and paternity pay, and grandparents leave.
• 50% GAIL's discount and 40% off at The Bread Factory & The Flour Station Markets.
• Wellbeing benefits such as 24-hour GP service, parties, Cycle to work schemes and more

Our Care Values

We care about Job Well Done:

Since 1993, we have been champions in traditional baking with the finest ingredients and techniques. We always do things the right way, not the easy way.

We care about Baking:

At The Bread Factory all our teams take pride in crafting beautiful, freshly baked loaves, pastries, and cakes. We are all passionate about our products and share knowledge among us all.

We care about each other:

We always act with respect, empathy, and support to our employees, neighbours and customers.

We care about community:

We believe in minimising unsustainable practices and reducing waste. Whilst ensuring we continue to provide everyone with nutritious high-quality food.