Job Description :

Job Title: Commercial Manager

Location: Budapest

Additional Locations: Bucharest, Sofia, Zagreb

Contract terms: Permanent, full-time

ABOUT US

Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks company with an outstanding collection of brands, such as Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray and Guinness. Our purpose – Celebrating life, every day, everywhere – has an important role in our company, for our people, our diversity, our brands, in how we perform and how we create shared value.

Diageo Eastern Europe covers Diageo’s beer business across all of Continental Europe as well as spirits businesses across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The market consists of 43 governments, with employees representing 21 different nationalities.

ABOUT THE ROLE

About the Function:

Our Sales team love building relationships, connecting with customers to sell our much-loved brands in new and vibrant markets where they can thrive. They help sell our iconic brands across 180 countries every year.

We’re operating across different markets, channels, and areas of expertise. Using your curiosity and passion, you’ll make the most of consumer insight and digital platforms, reaching new customers, markets, and celebrations to help us achieve our growth potential. We’ll support your learning and growth as you develop your career with us and work with people across our business to realise your fullest potential.

About the role: 
Diageo is looking for a dynamic and results-driven Commercial Manager to lead the delivery of NSV (Net Sales Value) for select sub-cluster markets within the EPM countries. This role is key to driving Diageo's brand strategy, sales, and distribution in alignment with both global and regional priorities. You will be responsible for managing key markets (Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3), ensuring outstanding performance and growth. This position requires strong commercial expertise, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to drive market success through strategic planning and execution.

Key Responsibilities:

Market Expertise & Country Development

Regularly visit markets to assess opportunities and ensure distributor performance is on track.

Collaborate with the Country Manager to refine country portfolio, trade strategy, and innovation plans.

Work closely with distributors to develop and implement business reviews, ensuring performance alignment and identifying growth opportunities.

Act as the main point of contact between the distributor and Diageo, ensuring smooth communication and effective strategy implementation.

Performance Management & P&L Ownership

Manage the P&L for assigned markets and ensure delivery of Annual Operating Plan (AOP) targets.

Develop and drive commercial planning that ensures alignment with market objectives and targets.

Regularly monitor market performance against important metrics, adjusting strategies get results.

Drive and track performance with distributors, ensuring that sales and profitability targets are met.

Control and Compliance

Ensure full compliance with Diageo's marketing and business conduct standards, monitoring adherence in distributor operations.

Collaborate with the finance team to monitor credit control and manage effective marketing spend across markets.

Manage and optimize the execution of marketing programs to ensure brand guidelines and budgets are adhered to.

Execution Excellence & Cross-functional Collaboration

Work closely with the Country Manager and various internal teams (Marketing, Sales, Finance, etc.) to ensure effective execution of commercial strategies.

Foster a collaborative environment with distributors, ensuring they are equipped to complete Diageo's marketing and sales strategies effectively.

Develop and implement a robust measurement and evaluation framework to track performance, optimize strategies, and report on key initiatives.

Identifying Commercial Opportunities

Proactively identify new commercial opportunities in assigned markets to drive brand growth and profitability.

Support the implementation of innovative approaches to engage new customers, enter new channels, and capture additional market share.

Lead the development of local initiatives, ensuring they are in line with Diageo’s broader commercial goals and are effectively driven.

ABOUT YOU

Key Competencies:

Strategic Planning & Forecasting: Expertise in managing demand and sales forecasting while ensuring alignment with overall commercial plans.

Market Analysis & Commercial Acumen: Use data and insights to identify market trends, growth opportunities, and performance gaps. Drive decisions based on comprehensive market understanding.

Cross-functional Leadership: Ability to lead cross-functional teams (marketing, sales, finance) to drive shared goals and successful outcomes.

Strong Negotiation & Communication Skills: Build and maintain effective relationships with distributors, partners, and internal teams.

Results-Oriented: Proven ability to drive and deliver against commercial targets with a focus on sustainable growth.

Qualifications & Experience:

5+ years of commercial experience in a similar role (preferably in FMCG or related industries).

Experience working with third-party distributors and managing P&L responsibilities.

Proven ability to develop and implement commercial strategies that drive business growth.

Strong eye for business, analytical skills, and a self-starter approach.

Previous experience in developing or handling markets in emerging or developing regions is a plus.

Fluency in English (additional languages are a plus).

Benefits

Unique Family Leave opportunity

Opportunity to work across market and cultures

You will deal with world class brand portfolio

Product Allowance to purchase company products from the staff shop

Flexible Working Statement: 

Flexibility is key to our success. Talk to us about what flexibility means to you so that you’re supported to manage your wellbeing and balance your priorities from day one.  

Diversity statement:

Our purpose is to celebrate life, every day, everywhere. And crafting an inclusive culture, where everyone feels valued and that they can belong, is a crucial part of this. We embrace diversity in the broadest possible sense. This means that you’ll be welcomed and celebrated for who you are just by being you. You’ll be part of and help build and champion an inclusive culture that celebrates people of different gender, ethnicity, ability, age, sexual orientation, social class, educational backgrounds, experiences, approaches, and more.

Our ambition is to create the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products companies in the world. Join us and help transform our business as we take our brands to the next level and build new ones as part of shaping the next generation of celebrations for consumers around the world!

Feel inspired? Then this may be the opportunity for you!

If you require a reasonable adjustment, please ensure that you capture this information when you submit your application.

Worker Type :

Regular

Primary Location:

Budapest

Additional Locations :

Bucharest, Sofia, Zagreb

Job Posting Start Date :

2025-05-21