Commercial Director - Pet (relocation to Auckland, New Zealand)

Drive the global success of ZURU's Pet vertical.
About ZURU

ZURU is on a mission to disrupt across industries, challenge the status quo and catalyst change through radical innovation and automation advances. This is in play in different pillars of the company: ZURU Toys are re-imagining what it means to play; ZURU Tech is shaping a better future by leading the next building revolution; ZURU Edge is pioneering new generation FMCG brands to better serve modern consumers.

Founded in 2003 by EY Entrepreneur of the Year and World Entrepreneur Hall of Fame brothers Nick and Mat Mowbray, ZURU has quickly grown to a team of over 5000 direct and indirect members across more than 30 international locations.

One of the largest toy companies in the world, globally recognised and award-winning brands include Bunch O Balloons, Mini Brands, XSHOT, Rainbocorns and Smashers. Our global FMCG brands include MONDAY Haircare, Rascals, NOOD, BONKERS, Gumi Yum Surprise, and more!

For more information, visit www.zuru.com.

Position Overview

The Commercial Director leads the global commercial strategy for Rhodes Pet Science, ZURU's pet care business, and is accountable for its P&L, pricing architecture, trade terms and retail economics. The role sets commercial direction in partnership with Marketing, Product and Sales, leads engagement with key global retailers, and builds and leads the commercial team. It is the head of department role in the Commercial career path.

Position Impact

Success means delivering Rhodes Pet Science's growth and margin targets through disciplined P&L ownership, winning assortment, pricing and placement outcomes with key global retailers, and building a self-starting, autonomous commercial team.

The Commercial Director raises the vertical's commercial standard year on year, compounding improvement in evidence-based decision making, AI adoption and retail economics rather than holding the status quo.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Commercial Acumen – Own the global Rhodes P&L in partnership with Finance, ensuring disciplined growth, strong margins and commercial resilience. Lead annual planning, multi-year commercial roadmaps and investment prioritisation, and set the marketing, NPD and commercial budgets. Own trade terms, pricing architecture, retail economics and promotional frameworks, and act as the ultimate point of sign-off on material P&L models and commercial proposals. Continuously identify margin improvement through mix, model, pricing, efficiency and channel strategy.

• Insight to Action – Set the strategic commercial direction for Rhodes, with a full view of brand strategy, category role and consumer trends. Build and deploy global market entry, expansion and channel strategies grounded in commercial return and operational feasibility. Design and scale the models that drive distribution, penetration, velocity and category share. Continuously evaluate priorities and risks, and look around corners to maximise commercial return for Rhodes and the wider business.

• Influence, Credibility and People Leadership – Lead strategic engagement with key global retailers, influencing assortment, pricing, placement and category strategy, including exclusivity and JBP conversations, and represent ZURU at top-to-top level. Work with Sales teams to set the commercial strategy for their markets and hold those teams accountable for delivering growth. Partner with Marketing, NPD, Supply Chain and Sales to align product, market and commercial priorities, and represent commercial strategy at senior leadership forums. Create the structures and rhythms that enable operational excellence, recruit and develop exceptional talent, and build self-starting, autonomous teams.

• Data and AI, and Compounding Improvement – Set the standard for commercial data integrity and evidence-based decision making across the vertical. Hold the broader business to account for using commercial data and insight in its decisions. Drive adoption of AI and automation across the vertical's commercial work, and resource it deliberately. Lead the vertical to raise its commercial standard year on year rather than hold it.

Skills & Experience

• 8+ years of commercial leadership experience within consumer goods; pet care or FMCG food categories preferred

• Proven P&L ownership at vertical or business-unit level, including pricing architecture, trade terms and promotional frameworks

• Track record of top-to-top retailer engagement and JBP or exclusivity negotiation with major mass, grocery, pet specialty or e-commerce accounts

• Strong commercial analytics capability with POS, sell-through and syndicated data, and demonstrated adoption of AI and automation in commercial workflows

• Experience recruiting, developing and leading high-performing, autonomous commercial teams

LIFE@ZURU

ZURU is on a quest to reimagine tomorrow. Founded in 2003, ZURU Group has rapidly grown and now spans three core divisions—ZURU Toys, ZURU Edge (consumer goods) and ZURU Tech (construction).

At ZURU, we have cultivated a high-performing culture that encourages excellence. Our team works towards ambitious goals, learning, performing, and improving together, all while having fun. We empower talented individuals to do their best work every day.

At ZURU, you get out what you put in. You are responsible for driving your own career and we provide the platform to achieve it. As ZURU is on such a fast growth trajectory, there are opportunities here that you won’t find anywhere else.

Get to know us a little better by checking out @lifeatzuru on Instagram or www.zuru.com.

WHAT WE OFFER

• 🌱 Culture for Growth

• 🌎 Global Opportunities

• 💡 Surrounded by an A Player Team

• 💰 Competitive Remuneration

ZURU – Reimagining tomorrow 🚀

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ZURU may use AI tools to help screen, assess or select applicants.

ZURU may use AI tools to help screen, assess or select applicants.