At City Plumbing, we know that exceptional leaders come from all backgrounds, bringing unique perspectives and fresh energy. We don't just want you to "fit" our behaviours, we want you to enrich it. We are seeking a dynamic, forward-thinking Regional Trading Director to take direct ownership of a regional footprint of c. 20 branches, delivering c. £50 million in branch-managed sales and leading a team of c. 120–180 colleagues. Whether your career is firmly rooted in merchanting and trade distribution, or you are a high-performing leader from retail, hospitality, or fast-paced multi-site operations, we want your strategic vision and people-first leadership.
Please note, Tunbridge Wells is the central point of this region, you will be covering c.20 branches around this location.
- Safety Culture: Lead and embed a proactive "zero-harm" safety culture across all 20 branch trade counters, yards, sites, and delivery fleets.
- Compliance & Standards: Ensure 100% compliance with Group Health & Safety, transport safety standards, and vehicle utilization guidelines.
- Active Leadership: Conduct regular site audits, safety walks, and thorough root-cause investigations on near-misses and incidents
- Commercial Delivery: Drive regional performance to meet and exceed c. £50m in sales while optimizing regional gross margins and EBITA.
- Service Excellence: Ensure fast, reliable trade counter execution and efficient delivery transport options for trade customers, contractors, and installers.
- Stock Availability: Utilize stock management and PI count dashboards to maximize product availability, minimize shrinkage, and maintain accuracy on core plumbing and heating ranges
- Regional Strategy: Develop local trading strategies to capture regional market share, launch new heating innovations and renewable technologies, and outperform competitors.
- Change Champion: Lead the rollout of digital tools, multi-channel initiatives, and modern trading practices across all branches.
- Continuous Improvement: Translate operational dashboards into actionable plans to optimize trade counter layouts and upgrade branch showrooms.
- Talent Development: Directly manage, coach, and mentor c. 20 Branch Managers, conducting structured performance reviews and building strong succession plans.
- Engagement & Inclusion: Foster an inclusive, high-performing culture that drives colleague engagement while actively reducing staff turnover and absence.
- Network Collaboration: Facilitate knowledge sharing, best-practice transfer, and resource pooling across branches
It is highly likely you will of come from any of these backgrounds: Regional Director, Regional Manager, Regional Operations Manager, Area Manager, Area Operations Manager, Multi-Site Retail Manager, Regional Sales Director, Territory Manager, Head of Operations, Head of Retail, Operations Director, Divisional Manager, or Commercial Director.
Sectors of interest: Builders Merchants & Trade Distribution (Plumbing, Heating, HVAC, Electrical Wholesale, Timber, Roofing), DIY & Home Improvement Retail, High-Volume Supermarket & FMCG Retail, Multi-Site Hospitality & Leisure, Automotive & Industrial Supplies, or B2B Logistics & Express Delivery Operations.
Reporting directly to the regional Managing Director, as our Regional Trading Manager, you will drive operational excellence, empower your Branch Managers, and deliver commercial growth through our core behaviors, acting with honesty and integrity in everything you do.
- Multi-Site Experience: Proven leadership across a multi-site network within trade merchanting, distribution, retail, or fast-paced operational environments.
- P&L Responsibility: Demonstrable track record of owning large-scale P&L targets (£30m+ to £50m+) with strong commercial acumen and margin control.
- Coaching & People Leadership: A passionate leader who knows how to empower Branch Managers, raise capability, and build succession pipelines.
- Data & Dashboard Literacy: Skilled in translating operational metrics (EBITA, stock accuracy, transport compliance, shrinkage) into concrete business actions.
- Safety Commitment: Experience driving Health & Safety and transport compliance across physical sites
From boilers to bathroom suites, tubing to towel rails and everything in between, City Plumbing has all the products our customers need to complete the job. And we have all you need to build a successful career! We’re proud of our reputation for selling quality plumbing and heating products to both trade and retail customers and we’re super excited about our future. We put our colleagues at the heart of all we do, giving them all the tools they need to be successful, happy and feel rewarded in their career with us.
- Leadership Autonomy: Backing from your Managing Director to challenge traditional practices and shape your region.
- Recognition & Reward: Highly competitive executive package
- Lucrative performance bonus
- Company car or allowance
- Growth Opportunities: Unrivalled career development prospects across the group
- Discounts, savings and cash back at numerous retailers
- Life assurance
- Extended family policy including maternity, paternity, additional annual leave and more
- Mental Health First Aiders and Employee Assistance Programme, we look out for each other
- Complete induction and a company that lets you grow and encourages development
- Financial education and loans
- Flexible working options
- A business striving to create an environment of inclusion so everyone can be their true self
- And more!
We’re passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that celebrates and values diversity. Bring your whole self to work regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it.
We are committed to best practices in recruitment and undertake Basic Criminal Record Disclosures for candidates that are offered employment within our branches that undertake deliveries for British Gas. This check will only be undertaken after the acceptance of an offer of employment
