SVP – Commercial Growth — Home-Care Division

The mandate

A home-care division reaches many smaller European markets through exclusive distributors. The model provided speed and low fixed cost, but customer consolidation and e-commerce are changing its value. Several distributors retain limited end-customer and inventory visibility, invest unevenly in priority brands and negotiate with regional retailers whose buying decisions now cross country boundaries. Direct entry could improve control and data, but would add people, credit, fulfilment and compliance cost.

The business has selected a first group of countries for review. Local teams and partners disagree on timing and economics. Distributor sell-in can look healthy while retail offtake weakens; termination provisions and inventory create transition risk; and regional customer negotiations could disrupt adjacent markets not moving direct. The board wants evidence-led route choices, not a doctrine that direct is always better.

The SVP – Commercial Growth will own regional commercial strategy, key accounts, distributors, e-commerce, revenue growth and transition execution. Approximately 1,375 employees and material partners sit within the wider commercial and operating perimeter. The role must connect customer control and consumer reach to full cost, working capital and execution capability.

This planned replacement is based in Amsterdam with a hybrid pattern and reports to the Chief Executive or designated executive sponsor. The incumbent will leave after an orderly handover. Substantial retailer, distributor and market travel is expected.

Why this seat is open

The current SVP is moving to a group advisory role after completing the latest regional plan. The board has redefined the successor mandate around route-to-market transition and cross-border customers rather than traditional country sales management.

What you will own

• Decide direct, distributor, hybrid or marketplace routes by country and customer using demand, control, capability, cash and full cost.
• Lead commercial teams and partners across an approximately 1,375-person perimeter and revenue responsibility above EUR 1 billion.
• Negotiate distributor transition, inventory, data, customer, employee and brand arrangements while protecting legitimate contractual obligations.
• Establish regional key-account ownership for retailers whose buying, media and assortment decisions cross markets.
• Build e-commerce coverage with clear rules for assortment, price, content, fulfilment, data and conflict with distributors and retailers.
• Create end-customer, inventory and offtake visibility through contract, data and field processes, not estimates unsupported by partners.
• Align incentives to profitable offtake, distribution quality, cash and transition outcomes rather than sell-in alone.
• Build direct-market capability in customer, revenue growth, demand, finance, supply and compliance before terminating external coverage.

The first 12 months

• Days 1–90: Reconcile distributor contracts, sell-in, offtake, inventory, customer ownership and direct-entry economics. Establish route criteria, engage priority partners and retailers and freeze termination or hiring decisions unsupported by a complete transition case.
• Months 4–9: Secure board route choices, execute first distributor and direct transitions, appoint market and regional account leadership and establish data and inventory control. Align e-commerce and retail terms across borders and introduce contribution-based incentives.
• Months 10–12: Demonstrate stable customer service, offtake, cash and contribution in transitioned markets and improved partner performance elsewhere. Complete the next-country sequence, establish successors and close temporary transition arrangements.

What the board will measure

• Route decisions supported by full direct and distributor economics, including working capital, credit, fulfilment, people and transition.
• Customer service, availability and brand presence maintained through distributor exit or redesign.
• Improved offtake and inventory visibility across priority markets and channels.
• Regional account terms and assortment applied coherently without uncontrolled local price or channel conflict.
• Transition contribution and cash tracking against the approved case, with delays and stranded cost visible.
• Stronger commercial leadership and capability in direct markets and accountable distributor management elsewhere.

The person

You are an SVP or VP of commercial, regional president, route-to-market leader or consumer-goods general manager with 22–28 years of experience. You have moved markets between distributor, direct and hybrid models and managed the contractual and operating transition. You have owned at least EUR 900 million in revenue or P&L and led at least 750 employees and partners.

You understand route economics beyond distributor margin. You can work through inventory, credit, data, customer rights, people, fulfilment, tax and capability and have retained a distributor where direct control did not justify the added cost. You have led regional retailers and e-commerce alongside local execution.

Relevant backgrounds include home care, personal care, food, consumer health or other fast-moving branded categories. Marketplace or retail leaders need manufacturer, distributor and supply depth. Traditional country leaders must show cross-border account and digital-channel accountability.

The role is based in Amsterdam with hybrid work and significant travel. Candidates elsewhere may qualify with relocation and European experience. The SVP must negotiate firmly and respectfully with long-standing partners and avoid destabilising markets for the sake of structural consistency.

Compensation and terms

The expected base is EUR 285,000–390,000, supplemented by annual incentive and long-term participation. Measures will cover profitable offtake, route economics, customer continuity, data visibility and leadership. This is a permanent planned replacement. Relocation and documented forfeited awards may be considered.

Confidentiality

The client, brands, distributors, customers and transition countries are confidential. Identifying information will follow only after fit and safeguards are established. Candidates must not contact partners or retailers to infer the organisation.

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