Head of Commercial for Latin America & Caribbean

Want to help us bring happiness to the world? Want to join an ambitious and fast growing global biscuits and confectionery business investing heavily in iconic global brands, infrastructure and people? Then this is the place for you.

As proud bakers and chocolatiers and custodians of iconic global brands, we don’t compromise on the quality of ingredients in our products or on the people we hire. We are looking for entrepreneurial spirits who share our passion for bringing happiness to our consumers and who embody our Winning Traits.

To succeed at pladis you need to be purpose-led, resilient and positive to succeed here because we expect pace and agility, we insist on collaboration and demand accountability. If that is your thing, then pladis offers global ambition, a clear Vision and roadmap for success, challenge, and unrivalled opportunities to learn and make an impact

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PURPOSE:

pladis is one of the world’s fastest-growing snacking companies, with sales in over 110 countries. Headquartered in the UK, we operate more than 30 factories and employ over 17,000 people across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the US, and Asia Pacific. Our diverse portfolio includes beloved brands in sweet and savory biscuits, cakes, wafers, chocolates, gums, and candies – enjoyed by millions worldwide.

As we continue to scale and transform, we are seeking a Head of Commercial, Latin America & Caribbean to lead regional growth and drive commercial, operational, and strategic priorities for our portfolio of brands: McVitie’s, Jacob’s, Go-Ahead, Carr’s, Verkade, Ülker, Flipz, Turtles, and Godiva.

This is a remote role; however, we are seeking candidates based in or near Miami, Florida due to its connectivity and proximity to key regional markets.
The role has dual reporting lines: a solid line to Head of Sales, Americas, and a dotted line to the Chief Business Development Officer in the global office.
 

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES AND DELIVERABLES:

Commercial Strategy & Performance

• Shape and lead the commercial roadmap for Latin America & the Caribbean, aligned with global priorities and Ülker North America’s strategy.

• Deliver strong financial results by consistently achieving Net Sales, EBITDA, and Gross Margin targets through smart pricing and disciplined execution.

• Maximize ROI from trade and marketing investments, driving brand visibility, equity, and profitable sell-out.

Market Expansion & Distributor Management

• Identify, negotiate, and manage high-impact distributor partnerships, ensuring capability development and sustainable growth.

• Lead distributor-led route-to-market strategies, securing long-term, profitable relationships.

• Oversee commercial contracts, vendor setups, and credit lines to support regional expansion.

Portfolio & Innovation

• Lead the regional portfolio and innovation pipeline to ensure relevance and competitiveness across biscuits, chocolate, and snacking categories.

• Support the expansion of the import portfolio to include the full pladis brand network.

Operational Excellence & Integration

• Coordinate multi-sourcing production across the entire pladis network (UK, Turkey, India, North America, etc.) to optimize flexibility, cost, and service.

• Ensure seamless integration of Ülker North America plans into LATAM markets, capturing synergies in sourcing, pricing, and product allocation.

• Act as the regional liaison with global customer service hubs to ensure flawless order management, documentation, and on-time delivery.

Growth Acceleration & Compliance

• Partner with the Global Business Development team to unlock new markets, channels, and strategic partnerships.

• Support the transition from “planting seeds” (global team) to “growing trees” (regional accountability), in line with the aligned RACI.

• Oversee regulatory and compliance processes, proactively managing risks and securing approvals to protect business continuity.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Own the regional P&L, balancing growth, profitability, and operational simplicity.

• Inspire and coach a growing regional team, starting with two direct reports: one focused on the Caribbean and one on Latin America (with potential future split).

• Collaborate cross-functionally across Finance, Supply Chain, Planning, and global teams to enhance visibility, control, and agility.

• Present clear, data-driven insights to senior leadership, connecting regional performance with strategic opportunities.

• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and execution excellence across borders and cultures.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Essential Criteria

• Strong expertise in P&L ownership, forecasting, financial discipline, and commercial negotiations with partners, suppliers, and distributors.

• Demonstrated success in multi-sourcing production and distributor-led growth strategies, including negotiating favorable terms and long-term agreements.

• Deep understanding of LATAM regulatory environments and their commercial implications, with experience navigating complex compliance landscapes through strategic negotiation.

• Skilled in leading multi-region customer service and supply chain teams (UK, USA, Turkey, India, Egypt), including cross-border contract negotiations and service-level agreements.

• Fluent in Spanish and English; Portuguese is a plus but not required.

• Excellent presentation, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills, with a proven ability to influence and negotiate at senior levels.

• Strategic thinker with a hands-on leadership style and strong relationship-building and negotiation capabilities.

• Self-starter with a proactive mindset and a track record of identifying, negotiating, and securing new business opportunities.

• Highly collaborative across functions, borders, and cultures, with a strong ability to align diverse stakeholders through effective negotiation and influence.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.

• Proven senior commercial leadership experience in FMCG/CPG across Latin America and the Caribbean.

ADDITIONAL JOB DETAILS:

Base starting salary ranges from $180k- $250k/year. The base pay offered is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and internal equity. In addition to base pay, this role includes:

• An annual incentive opportunity, awarded based on individual and company performance.

• A comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, well-being, and financial security

pladis is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to hiring a diverse workforce. All openings will be filled based on qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion or any other classification protected by law.

We operate a strict Preferred Supplier List. If you are a recruitment agency and wish to submit candidate to be considered for this vacancy, you must have agreed to, and signed, our terms of business.
We will not accept CVs from any other sources other than those currently on our PSL. We will not pay a fee for any candidate that has not been represented by a provider on our PSL.