Consumer & FMCG sales recruitment in Leeds
Retained search for senior FMCG and consumer commercial leaders. On the ground in Leeds and across the wider Yorkshire consumer & fmcg cluster.
Leeds combines a deep professional services base (the second-largest legal and financial centre in the UK) with one of the fastest-growing technology clusters in the North. The city centre and the South Bank regeneration zone host a mix of FinTech, HealthTech, GovTech and B2B SaaS scale-ups, supported by a heavy investor presence around Wellington Place and Park Square. Channel 4's national headquarters and Sky's growing tech presence have lifted the bar for senior commercial talent the city expects to attract and pay for.
Leeds is the buyer-side FMCG capital of the North thanks to Asda's national HQ, with seller-side depth from Arla, Burberry and the wider Bettys & Taylors commercial base. Leeds FMCG commercial supply is the deepest in Yorkshire at Head of Category and National Account Director level.
Asda (National HQ, Leeds)
Grocery retail
Leeds national HQ with one of the largest UK grocery commercial functions and a deep National Account and category leadership bench.
Arla Foods (Stourton, Leeds)
FMCG dairy
Major Leeds-area dairy production and commercial site.
Burberry (Leeds)
Luxury
Substantial Leeds commercial and operations footprint.
Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate (Leeds commercial reach)
FMCG
Harrogate-headquartered with significant Leeds-area commercial supply.
FMCG commercial supply is deep in West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester at National Account Manager and Director level. Senior FMCG commercial leadership is concentrated and heavily passive.
FMCG commercial salaries in the North run slightly below SaaS for equivalent seats but include strong long-incentive structures and category P&L exposure.
Leeds salary nuance
Leeds FMCG commercial salaries are the strongest in Yorkshire for buyer-side roles thanks to the Asda anchor and broadly match the wider West Yorkshire benchmark for seller-side seats.
Leeds City Station gives strong rail links to York (25 min), Manchester (60 min), Sheffield (45 min) and Harrogate (30 min), making it a viable HQ for a regional team.
How we work
01
We start with a structured kick-off that captures the commercial objective, not just the title. Reporting line, comp envelope, the deal sizes the person will sell, the buyers they will sell to, and the behaviours that will succeed in your environment.
02
We map where the right people actually sit, across direct competitors, adjacent industries and proven environments in your region. This becomes the long-list of candidates we approach, not just whoever is on the job boards this week.
03
Candidates are approached with a clear commercial narrative, not a job advert. We communicate the opportunity, the leadership environment, the expectations and the growth path, so only genuinely relevant people move forward.
04
Two structured commercial screens before a candidate ever reaches you. Track record validation, deal-stage probing, motivation, and a credibility check on the numbers they have actually delivered.
05
You receive a considered shortlist, not a CV flood. Each candidate is presented with strengths, potential risks and a fit assessment. We then support the process through to offer, acceptance and the first 90 days.
FAQs
Yes. National Account Manager, National Account Director and Sales Director roles in FMCG and consumer brands are a recurring part of our work.
A typical Sales Director search in Leeds runs 8 to 10 weeks from kick-off to offer accepted. Senior commercial talent in the Leeds market is largely passive and the best people are usually approached, not advertised to.
A Sales Director in Leeds typically earns £120k-£170k base with on-target earnings of £200k-£280k, depending on sector and deal size. FinTech and SaaS sit at the top of that range.
Related
Email Rachel Lunn and the team. We will reply within one working day with a Leeds-specific consumer & fmcg market read for the role you have in mind.
Email Rachel Lunn/sales-recruitment/leeds/consumer-fmcg
Sales recruitment, GTM recruitment and revenue advisory for SMEs UK-wide. We reply within one working day.
Email Rachel Lunn