Head of Wholesale

Grind is a coffee company that lives in London. Since opening Shoreditch Grind in 2011, we've expanded across London with cafés, coffee trucks and a state-of-the-art coffee roastery. Today, we serve millions of cups of coffee across London and the UK each year, and we’ve helped hundreds of thousands of people make better, more sustainable coffee at home. You’ll find our coffee beans, compostable coffee pods and ready-to-drink coffee cans - in supermarkets across the UK and in hotels around the world.

Based in Shoreditch, we have a team of talented people working on everything from product development to finance, to customer experience. We’re looking for someone to join our growing team and help us in building the future of Grind.

We think coffee can be a force for good. Whether it's through creating the UK's first compostable coffee pods, our plastic-free packaging or carbon-free shipping - we're on a mission to be the world's most sustainable coffee company.
In 2023, we created our charity, the Better Coffee Foundation, to undo the damage done by the global coffee industry - in our first year, we recovered 43 million pods' worth of ocean-bound plastic. As the Head of Wholesale, you will be the primary architect of our B2B foodservice and client partnerships growth engine. This is a high-impact role requiring a blend of sophisticated salesmanship, commercial rigour, and a passion for the coffee industry. You will be responsible for securing high-value partnerships and building long-term value. Working cross-functionally across the business, you will develop and execute a market-leading wholesale proposition that positions us as the partner of choice for premium hospitality, workplace, leisure and retail operators across the UK.

Role responsibilities.

• Identify and unlock untapped market opportunities by targeting strategically aligned partners and ensuring the right go-to-market routes are open for us. 
• Build, manage, and convert a high-value sales pipeline, developing bespoke, data-driven partnership proposals that focus on total ROI, customer experience, and long-term commercial + partnership value.
• Lead responses to complex tenders, RFPs, and large-scale contract opportunities, negotiating commercial agreements that deliver sustainable growth and profitability.
• Own the wholesale division's commercial performance, including budget management, acquisition costs, partnership profitability, and long-term customer value.
• Develop and maintain pricing strategies, discount matrices, and commercial frameworks that protect margin while supporting scalable growth across multiple customer segments.
• Drive retention, growth, and customer satisfaction through regular business reviews, performance analysis, seasonal product launches, equipment upgrade opportunities, and proactive account management.
• Act as a senior ambassador for the business, representing our commitment to specialty coffee, ethical sourcing, sustainability, and ESG initiatives while leading our presence at key industry events, trade shows, and customer engagements.
• Drive growth in all key product lines for the business: beans, pods, RTD, instant and premium automated coffee equipment. 
• Significant experience in a senior commercial, sales, partnerships, or business development role, ideally within specialty coffee, premium food and beverage, hospitality, retail, or another customer-focused premium brand environment.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with experience developing pricing strategies, managing budgets, analysing profitability, and using data to inform business decisions.
• Experience using CRM platforms such as Salesforce, Pipedrive, HubSpot, or similar systems to manage sales pipelines, track opportunities, and support forecasting and reporting.
• Demonstrated success in leading commercial negotiations, building long-term strategic relationships, and securing mutually beneficial partnerships with businesses of varying sizes and complexity.

Bonus if you have… 

• Proven track record of working with partners like Compass, Foodbuy, Brakes, Bidfood and more. 
• Knowledge of specialty coffee standards, brewing techniques, sensory evaluation, or coffee education programmes, with relevant qualifications or equivalent practical experience considered beneficial.
• Established professional relationships within the hospitality, foodservice, workplace, facilities management, or wider coffee industry, with the ability to leverage networks to identify and develop new business opportunities.

Diversity and Inclusion. 
Grind is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, veteran status, or disability status.
If there are any adjustments you need to help you bring your best self to an interview with us please let us know.

• Extra Holiday: Gain an extra day of holiday for each year you spend with us, capped at 3 additional days.
• SpectrumLife: Access our confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for personal and professional support.
• Referral Bonus: Earn a bonus for bringing great talent to our team (£250 for employees, £450 for managers).
• Discounts online: Up to 40% off our retail line online.
• Crew Card: Enjoy 50% off all food and drinks, plus two free coffees a day at Grind locations.
• Team Events: Participate in regular team events and enjoy a stocked office with healthy breakfast and snacks.
• Family & Friend Discounts: Special discounts for family and friends.
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity: Enjoy enhanced maternity and paternity benefits once eligible.