Commercial Officer - job 2 of 2

Job Description ​​and Person Specification

Job title: Commercial Officer    

Reporting to: Senior Commercial Manager

Location: Hybrid, with regular UK travel and presence in food partner sites

Contract type: Permanent              

Hours per week: 35 hours Full Time       

Salary & Grade: £30,287 - £31,881

Our Vision: A UK where “No good food goes to waste”. 

We are UK’s national network of charitable food redistributors, made up of 18 independent organisations. Together, we take good quality surplus food from right across the food industry and get it to approximately 8,500 frontline charities and community groups.  Every week we provide enough food to create almost a million meals for vulnerable people.

There has never been a more exciting time to join an organisation at the heart of public consciousness. For more information visit:  www.fareshare.org.uk

FareShare is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities and as a Disability Confident Employer, we provide reasonable adjustments.

We aim to recruit from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes our company [EB1] stronger. If you share our values and our commitment to redistributing surplus food, come and join us. 

The role 

Main areas of responsibility

The Commercial Officer will support the development, identification, and management of relationships with key Fresh Produce industry partners, securing sustainable sources of surplus food for the FareShare network. You will support the Commercial Manager’s and other internal teams to execute joint business plans, deliver strategic projects, and support our partners to overcome barriers to redistributing surplus food.

This role will involve working with partners to ensure consistent delivery of agreed initiatives and develop solutions that add value for both FareShare and its partners. You will also play a key role in ensuring regular communication and reporting to drive progress and maintain strong relationships.

You will work closely with FareShare colleagues within FareShare and across the UK in our partner organisations in order to provide the best service to our food partners, our network, and the charities we deliver to.

Partnership Support

• With support from Commercial Manager’s, undertake research to identify potential new partners in the Fresh Produce Industry and manage relationships with new and current partners.
• Assist in developing and maintaining Joint Business Plans with Fresh Produce industry partners to drive growth in surplus food redistribution, funding, and strategic initiatives.
• Maintain regular communication with food partners, including on-site visits, to ensure alignment and progress against agreed objectives.
• Research and understand our partners, including key ESG initiatives, waste streams, key personnel within the organisation that will help drive its success and engage the relevant internal departments through both desked based research and face to face contact.
• Create and deliver engaging presentations for the acquisition and retention of food partners, effectively presenting the benefits of working with FareShare.
• Use our food data and other stats to identify trends to food partner supply and to effectively manage food partners, identifying appropriate milestones and opportunities to prompt lapsed or infrequent partners.
• Collaborate with Operations, Marketing, Fundraising, and Volunteering teams to optimise supplier onboarding, food distribution, and partner communications.
• Support with the administration of the Surplus with Purpose Fund.

Project Support

• Support on projects with our partners, liaising with cross-functional teams such as, Supply Chain, Operations, and Network Development to deliver objectives.
• Support the delivery of internal cross-functional projects designed to increase food volumes and strategic value for FareShare.

Person Specification 

 Essential Criteria 

• Experience of working in or alongside the food industry in account management or customer facing role
• Strong relationship skills, building and maintaining relationships across a range of levels and with both internal and external stakeholders
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; experience in presenting confidently to a range of stakeholders at varying levels
• Good organisational skills and the ability to prioritise multiple tasks whilst maintaining attention to detail
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Offices packages and a good level of numeracy and literacy. 

Desirable Criteria 

• Experience of managing accounts in the FMCG, food, retail or other fast moving customer service orientated sector
• Track record of using selling and negotiation skills with professionalism and integrity to achieve desired outcomes & targets.
• Management of initiatives and projects such as new product launches, operational initiatives, promotional activity or similar
• Experience of analysing and communicating data.
• Knowledge of, or experience in, the Fresh Produce industry
• Knowledge of and interest in Sustainable Development, Corporate Social Responsibility and experience of its application within the business environment.

Competencies and behaviours 

• Demonstrable interest in, and understanding of food waste and surplus redistribution
• Motivation towards, and interest in, FareShare’s mission
• Problem solving ability, able to think laterally and creatively
• Highly motivated, comfortable working independently and using initiative as well as being an enthusiastic team player contributing to group tasks and team working

​​Application process​  

For any further questions on this please email recruitment@fareshare.org.uk  

• Hybrid / Flexible working, with regular UK travel
• 28 days’ annual leave + 8 bank holidays
• Employers pension contribution
• Employee Assistance Program
• Interest free bicycle purchase loan scheme
• Season ticket loan

Closing date for receipt of applications is Monday, 10th February 2025 11:59pm