Holyrood Distillery is distinctively different. From the spirits created to the unique visitor experience inside our 180 year old railway goods shed-turned-distillery, everything focuses on creating amazing flavours that delight taste buds.
Would you like to join the Holyrood Distillery?
Would you thrive on leading an embryonic whisky business as it looks to grow and scale? Do you possess demonstrable strategic commercial and brand building experience and thrive on opening new markets? Do you bring knowledge of the intricacies of the whisky sector?
If so, then please read on. We are delighted to be partnering with Holyrood Distillery on their search for a Managing & Commercial Director. Holyrood Distillery, Edinburgh’s first single malt whisky distillery in 100 years, opened its doors in July 2019 creating a wave of excitement as the distillery embarked on its journey to become one of the city’s major visitor attractions.
Founded by Rob Carpenter, who also founded the Canadian arm of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and David Robertson, former Macallan master distiller, Holyrood Distillery is housed in a former railway goods shed dating back to 1831 on the edge of Holyrood Park and produces a range of gins and gin liqueurs with the first bottled single malt expected in 2022.
The Managing & Commercial Director appointment is a critical hire following a restructure as part of this next phase for business growth. As a key member of the Board, the Managing & Commercial Director will be the driving force behind business growth, forging new markets and channels overseeing all business operations, people, and ventures.
Key to this role will be developing and executing the company’s business strategy with an emphasis on building a compelling consumer ‘Holyrood Distillery’ brand across the product portfolio and to drive distribution within key channels and markets, both in the UK and internationally. Maximising return on investment from existing operational infrastructure will be critical as part of this growth to deliver operational scale and ensuring the product portfolio and NPD is aligned to market opportunities. Developing strategic plans, both immediate and long term, supported by key financial measures, which can be communicated to the board and key investors effectively will also be a fundamental part of this role as the Managing & Commercial Director leads the business through this next phase.
The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership experience to the board and chair, building strong working relationships with all members as well as key investor stakeholders, ensuring they have an accurate view of the business and market.
Leading a team of people across all functions will be critical, developing a high performing team, as well as building trust not only with employees, but with all other external stakeholders.
What does it take to be successful in this role?
First and foremost, we are looking for senior leadership experience with strong commercial acumen. You will bring a hybrid of skills with a strong track record in sales, distributor development and brand building as well as broader business management expertise. Entrepreneurial flair is essential and a background of working with an early stage business and fundraising would be highly advantageous. Exceptional commercial, communication and presentation skills are required with the ability to inspire and bring bold thinking! Given our current market, the ability to embrace change bringing high levels of resilience to achieve business success will be vital. This is without doubt a fantastic opportunity given the uniqueness of the distillery and their story with firm building blocks in place to help pivot the business to the next stage.
This is a tremendous chance to join a growth focused and ambitious business where you can be a key driving force on its impressive upward trajectory. If you are up for this challenge and possess the necessary skills, experience, and attitude, then we would love to hear from you!
The latest position has been filled. If you’re searching for a new opportunity please visit our site or contact us today on 03303 359 818.
We’d love to help. Thank you.
Scott started his career working for one of the leading Advertising & Comms agencies in Edinburgh where he spent 7 years before moving in to recruitment in 2011. As such, he is well-networked in the Marketing & Comms space across Scotland. With a friendly and consultative approach, Scott is genuinely passionate about providing a positive journey to both candidates and clients alike and believes communication plays a big part in this. A “thinking-outside-the-box recruiter”, he is known for helping candidates portray the best version of themselves and helping clients find talent for those hard to fill roles.
We’re a passionate and professional team who thrive in issue-rich environment and we’re looking to add a Communication Lead to our fast-growing team. You’ll be a trusted advisor to clients across several sectors in all aspects of communication, external affairs, marketing and issues management. Coming from an agency or consultancy environment, at Account Director level or above, you’ll report directly to the Managing Director and be responsible for a small and busy multi-disciplinary team. You’ll have first-class project management skills, be solutions-driven and excellent commercial acumen too. Alongside the senior team, you’ll work to drive the strategic growth of Aspect.
Your core duties will include:
You’ll be a skilled communicator, interested and knowledgeable about the key issues shaping the external environment. In addition, to be considered for this role, you must be able to demonstrate:
We’re a passionate and professional team who thrive in issue-rich environment and we’re looking for Senior Communication Advisors, Communications Advisors and Communications Executives to join their fast-growing team.
You’ll have previous agency experience at Senior Account Manager or Account Manager level and be passionate about delivering excellent results for clients. You might be a specialist in PR and media relations who produces compelling editorial content across a range of topics and sectors or you might be a public affairs expert who understands the policy landscape and helps clients build influential relationships. Whatever your specialism, you’ll be an excellent writer, full of creative ideas, with proven client management experience and the ability to provide expert advice our clients.
Your key duties will include:
In addition, to be considered for this role, you must be able to demonstrate:
Andy has been recruiting in Technology, Change & Transformation since 2001. Delivering tailored resource solutions as trusted advisor to clients ranging from start-ups through to global blue-chip organisations across contract, permanent, fixed term, and managed service/statement of work solutions. He has experience providing candidates for Helpdesk through to CIO and takes great pride in providing excellent customer service and ensuring each candidate journey is a positive one. An expert in his market he can provide guidance across current market trends.
Our aim is to combat illicit online trade by identifying and removing counterfeits for sale. Counterfeits not only damage brands, their reputations, and revenues, but can cause significant harm to the end customer – whether as a fake toy or a fake medicine – and the consequences can be life threatening.
Counterfeiting is a significant economic and social issue.
The OECD reports that counterfeit and fake goods make up more than 3.3% of the world’s global trade. Those involved in the trade of counterfeits have been linked to people trafficking, prostitution, and drug dealing.
As such, reducing illicit trade is about much more than brand protection but also about human rights, safety, and social equity.
And this is what we do, every day.
Our people are our most important asset, and their mental well-being and happiness are core to our success. We love our diverse workforce, actively embrace flexible working (even pre-pandemic!) and encourage a healthy work-life balance. We have been recognised as one of the most diverse SME workplaces in the UK and are holders of the Scottish Business Pledge which exists to promote a fairer Scotland. We have also just been included in the 2021 Culture Leaders Top 25 – an accolade of which we are very proud!
We are a fully inclusive and nurturing employer and, despite being in tech, the majority of our team are women, leading to accolades in the Computing Magazine Women in IT Awards and the Amazon Growing Business Awards. We currently represent 15 nationalities and speak 20 languages. Age is no barrier, and we recruit for attitude, providing and encouraging appropriate learning and training for each and every role.
We are also proud members of IP Inclusive, a network of professionals working to make the intellectual property industry more diverse.
We deliver purpose-driven work from an extremely welcoming environment near the City Centre. We actively encourage the responsible use of resources, from using public transport to reuse, recycling, and, of course, a minimal impact office environment. We have benefited from the advice of the Energy Saving Trust and Resource Efficient Scotland. Our waste contractor also provides us with a monthly report on volumes and types of material and the carbon emissions avoided through recycling.
Over 80% of our employees can walk or cycle to The Lair and, pre-pandemic, 10% were using public transport as their normal daily commuting mode. Without doubt, online meetings will replace considerable miles, going forward, saving resources, time and energy. Where possible, when possible, the train remains our preferred option.
As well as working in close collaboration with our clients, and the online marketplaces, we are active members of groups that have been established to combat illicit trade. These include the Scottish Anti-Illicit Trade Group, the European Intellectual Property Office, The Scottish Business Resilience Centre, the Anti-Counterfeiting Group, and the China Britain Business Council. Members of our senior management sit on the boards of ACID (Anti-Copying in Design), the Scottish Ministerial Trade Board, and the European Union Intellectual Property Office’s Observatory Panel for SMEs, amongst others.
Each team member nominates good causes or charities that are supported on both an individual and corporate basis. Wherever possible, we support the employee’s involvement whether through time or fundraising events.
James has a decade of experience within the FMCG sector where he has partnered with a wide range of businesses placing key appointments at all levels including Director/ Board level. Driving growth across our Manufacturing & Engineering function, James specialises in Production, Operations, Engineering, Quality, HSE, Technical, NPD and Supply Chain. With his passion and expertise in these areas, James supports candidates and clients by working closely to understand their needs and wants providing exceptional service.
