Commercial Director

Established in 1986, PCO Manufacturing Ltd is the market leading parallel importer of pharmaceutical products into Ireland, sourcing pharmaceutical products from a network of authorised pharmaceutical wholesalers both domestically and across the EU. Suppling almost 95% of Irish retail pharmacies as well as to the HSE and Private Hospitals, giving them the highest market penetration of any Irish Pharma Wholesaler.  

This is a exciting time for the business, as they celebrate 40 years in business and comping to the market with an opportunity to appoint an experienced Commercial Director. This role will have responsibility for developing and executing the company's commercial strategy, drive sustainable growth, profitability, and market leadership within the Irish and UK pharmaceutical wholesale sector. As leader of the commercial function, the successful candidate will have responsibility across purchasing, supplier partnerships, commercial negotiations, pricing, customer strategy, and business development.

The Commercial Director ensures a resilient and cost-effective supply chain by sourcing medicines from across Europe while maintaining full compliance with Irish and European pharmaceutical regulations. Working closely with Operations, Quality, Finance and Regulatory Affairs, the role balances commercial opportunity with patient safety, regulatory compliance and operational excellence.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Commercial Director contributes to overall business strategy, organisational performance and long-term growth.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Strategy

• Develop and implement the company's commercial strategy aligned with business objectives.

• Identify opportunities to increase revenue, margin and market share.

• Analyse market trends, competitor activity and customer demand to inform commercial decisions.

• Develop annual commercial plans and budgets.

• Lead commercial forecasting and performance reviews.

• Drive innovation in commercial offerings and customer propositions.

Sales & Customer Strategy

Lead the commercial relationship with Irish and UK customers by:

• Developing customer growth strategies.

• Managing key account relationships.

• Negotiating commercial agreements.

• Supporting sales growth across independent and retail pharmacy chains.

• Developing pricing strategies that optimise profitability while remaining competitive.

• Working collaboratively with Sales to improve customer retention.

• Identifying new commercial opportunities and market segments.

Purchasing & Procurement Strategy

Lead the end-to-end purchasing strategy for pharmaceutical products including:

• Strategic sourcing of medicines across European markets.

• Supplier selection, onboarding and performance management.

• Negotiation of pricing, rebates, commercial agreements and supply contracts.

• Managing supplier risk and ensuring continuity of supply.

• Building long-term strategic partnerships with manufacturers and pharmaceutical wholesalers.

• Identifying alternative sourcing opportunities during medicine shortages.

• Optimising purchasing costs while maintaining product quality and regulatory compliance.

• Monitoring European pharmaceutical pricing trends and market availability.

• Working closely with Quality and Regulatory teams to ensure compliance with HPRA and EMA requirements.

• Managing commercial risks relating to regulatory changes and supply disruption.

• Supporting contingency planning for critical medicine shortages.

Commercial Performance

Accountable for:

• Revenue growth

• Gross margin

• Supplier performance

• Customer profitability

• Commercial budgeting and forecasting accuracy

• Inventory optimisation (working with Operations)

• Commercial KPIs and dashboards

Monitor financial performance and implement corrective actions where required.

Leadership

• Lead and develop the commercial team.

• Foster a high-performance culture.

• Coach and mentor managers.

• Build commercial capability across the organisation.

• Drive accountability and continuous improvement.

• Promote collaboration across Sales, Operations, Finance and Regulatory functions.

Senior Leadership Responsibilities

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team:

• Contribute to corporate strategy.

• Participate in strategic planning.

• Support organisational transformation initiatives.

• Drive company culture and values.

• Manage strategic business risks.

• Contribute to annual budgeting and investment planning.

• Represent the commercial function at Board level where required.

Key Relationships

Internal

• Managing Director

• Finance Director

• Operations Director

• Quality & Regulatory Director

• Sales Team

• Purchasing/Supply Chain

• Contract Services

External

• Pharmaceutical manufacturers

• European and Irish wholesalers

• Irish and UK retail and hospital pharmacies

• Logistics providers

• Industry associations

Key Performance Indicators

Commercial

• Revenue growth

• Gross profit margin

• EBITDA contribution

• Market share growth

• Customer retention

• New customer acquisition

Purchasing

• Cost savings achieved

• Supplier performance

• Stock availability

• Supply continuity

• Supplier diversification

• Purchasing forecast accuracy

Customer

• Customer satisfaction

• Contract retention

• Customer profitability

Leadership

• Employee engagement

• Team performance

• Talent development

• Cross-functional collaboration

• Delivery of strategic initiatives

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Degree in Business, Pharmacy, Supply Chain, Commerce or a related discipline.

• Significant senior commercial leadership experience within the pharmaceutical, healthcare or pharmaceutical wholesale sector.

• Proven experience developing commercial strategies that deliver sustainable growth.

• Extensive purchasing and procurement experience.

• Strong experience negotiating high-value supplier agreements.

• Knowledge of pharmaceutical supply chains.

• Strong commercial and financial acumen.

• Experience leading multidisciplinary commercial teams.

• Experience operating at Executive or Senior Leadership Team level.

Desirable

• MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification.

• Experience working in the Irish or European Pharmaceutical sector.

• Knowledge of HPRA and EU pharmaceutical regulations.

• Understanding of Good Distribution Practice (GDP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

• Experience managing medicine shortages and supply continuity.

• Experience in international procurement and import logistics.

The success candidate will be a strategic and commercially astute leader who combines deep pharmaceutical market expertise with exceptional negotiation and relationship management skills. They will have a strong understanding of the Irish and / or European medicine market, enabling them to secure reliable, cost-effective supply while driving profitable growth. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, they will shape the organisation's strategic direction, foster cross-functional collaboration, and champion innovation, resilience, and customer value across the business.