Commercial Lead Belgium I FMCG - Food

🌟 What's in it for you?

• Ownership and Strategic Growth: Lead the commercial development of our client's products with the clear objective of doubling the business and building the foundations for sustainable, profitable growth.
• Entrepreneurial Autonomy: Benefit from substantial independence to transform an existing business into a structured, scalable operation, with the potential to develop several international brands over time.
• Direct and Strategic Impact: Combine strategic thinking with hands-on involvement, translating market insights into concrete actions to boost distribution and sales with key retailers like Delhaize and Carrefour.
• Team Development Opportunity: As the business grows, you will have the opportunity to propose and progressively build a local team.

💼 About the company

Our client is a well-established Dutch family-owned distribution group with a robust Import division focused on developing international FMCG brands. With an expected turnover of over €30 million in 2026, driven primarily by retail partnerships in the Netherlands, our client is now expanding its focus to Belgium and looking to hire a “Commercial Lead Belgium”.

This is a unique opportunity to transform an existing Belgian presence into a structured, scalable operation with significant potential for developing a portfolio of international brands, mainly in the frozen and fresh food categories.

Existing relationships and distribution agreements are already in place with key Belgian retailers, including Delhaize and Carrefour.

The core challenge is not market entry, but rather optimising distribution, enhancing in-store availability, boosting visibility, and improving sales performance at the store level.

🤝 About the job

Mission:Take full ownership of our client Import’s commercial development in Belgium, working directly with the Import Division Lead, Belgian retail partners, and international brand owners.

This role uniquely combines three critical responsibilities:

• Retail Development: Strengthen and expand relationships with key retailers including Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Delhaize, and Carrefour. Improve existing listings and actively identify opportunities for broader distribution.
• Brand-Owner Partnerships: Cultivate direct relationships with international brand owners. Develop joint Belgian business plans and negotiate the commercial and marketing support required to accelerate market growth.
• Market Execution: Dedicate significant time in stores to gain first-hand insights into sales drivers and limitations. Translate these insights into measurable actions, executing personally where appropriate or leveraging additional field-sales resources.

Autonomy and Support: Reporting directly to the Import Division Lead, this role offers substantial independence within agreed business plans and investment frameworks. You will benefit from the robust support of the Dutch organisation and international brand owners. This position is ideal for a proactive individual who can drive results and take initiative without constant day-to-day supervision.

🧐 About the ideal candidate:

We are seeking an entrepreneurial FMCG commercial professional with a proven track record of working with Belgian retailers, ready to embrace a challenge beyond managing an established account portfolio.

The ideal candidate will bring:

• Strong commercial judgment, relevant Belgian retail relationships, and the ability to contribute to central negotiations and customer business plans.
• A genuine willingness to engage with stores and franchisees, understand operational challenges, and translate market insights into measurable actions.
• The autonomy, initiative, and interpersonal skills required to effectively represent our client locally and collaborate directly with international brand owners.

This role requires proficiency in French, Dutch, and English. It combines home-based working in Belgium with regular market visits and periodic collaboration with the Dutch team.

Our client's Import division offers a lean, direct, and entrepreneurial environment. Success will be determined by your ability to think strategically while remaining hands-on. The intention is to recruit someone who can accurately assess market needs and orchestrate the most effective response, rather than personally visit hundreds of stores.

Salary Package

Our client being based in the Netherlands, they have a preference for an independent contractual arrangement.