Head of U.S. Commercial

Company Overview

Al Safa Foods is a leading North American halal food brand, offering a broad portfolio of convenient halal food products across ethnic and mainstream retail channels in Canada and the United States. As we continue to expand our U.S. presence, we are seeking an experienced commercial leader to drive sustainable, profitable growth and strengthen our commercial capabilities.

Position Summary

The Head of U.S. Commercial will lead Al Safa Foods’ U.S. commercial strategy across both Ethnic and Mainstream channels. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role will be responsible for U.S. sales performance, distributor strategy, commercial forecasting, pricing and trade investment, key customer relationships, and development of the U.S. sales team. This is more than a sales leadership role: the successful candidate will combine market leadership with commercial and financial discipline to drive profitable, sustainable growth.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Strategy & Growth

· Develop and execute the U.S. commercial strategy across channels, customers, territories and products.

· Deliver revenue and profitable-growth objectives while identifying geographic, channel and customer opportunities.

· Lead annual commercial planning, establish KPIs and translate market insights into actions.

Sales, Forecasting & Distributor Management

· Own U.S. sales and commercial performance across Ethnic and Mainstream channels, including revenue, commercial margin, pricing, trade investment, promotional effectiveness and forecast accuracy.

· Develop and lead the U.S. route-to-market and distributor strategy, including market coverage, performance expectations and recommendations to develop, restructure or replace distributor relationships where required.

· Lead key distributor and retailer relationships, negotiations, business reviews and growth initiatives.

Pricing & Commercial Performance

· Lead recommendations on pricing, trade terms, promotions and customer investment with Finance and the CEO.

· Evaluate trade and promotional investments, effectiveness and ROI.

· Maintain discipline around customer terms, collections and credit exposure; recommend actions to protect profitability.

Market & Seasonal Growth

· Lead commercial planning for Ramadan, Eid and other key seasonal periods.

· Identify new geographic, channel, customer and portfolio opportunities.

· Partner with Marketing on initiatives that strengthen brand presence and measurable growth.

Team Leadership

· Lead, coach and develop the U.S. commercial team with clear objectives and accountability.

· Build capabilities in customer management, negotiation, analytics, forecasting and commercial planning.

· Foster a high-performance culture of ownership and continuous improvement.

Cross-Functional Leadership

· Represent the U.S. commercial perspective and partner with Finance, Procurement/Supply Chain and Marketing.

· Align commercial plans with profitability, inventory, supply and brand objectives.

· Provide leadership with insights and recommendations and strengthen commercial decision-making processes.

Qualifications & Experience

· Bachelor’s degree in Business, Commerce, Marketing or related field; MBA an asset.

· 10+ years of progressive commercial, sales or business development experience, preferably in food, CPG/FMCG or consumer products.

· Experience leading a significant regional or national commercial business in North America, with demonstrated success in distributor-led or indirect route-to-market models, ideally in food or CPG/FMCG.

· Proven distributor and key customer leadership; strong pricing, trade spend, promotion and forecasting experience.

· Strong financial acumen, analytics, negotiation, communication and people leadership skills.

Work Location & Travel Requirements

· This position is based at Al Safa Foods’ Oakville head office, with regular in-office presence when not travelling.

· Extensive and frequent business travel throughout the United States is an essential requirement of the role.

· Candidates must possess a valid passport and the appropriate U.S. visa or other authorization permitting travel to the United States, as applicable.

· Candidates must be willing and able to meet the ongoing cross-border travel requirements of the position.

Core Competencies

Strategic & Commercial Thinking • Profitable Growth • Customer & Distributor Leadership • Financial & Analytical Acumen • People Development • Negotiation & Influence • Cross-Functional Leadership • Accountability & Execution

What We Offer

· The total compensation for this role is CAD 150,000 - 180,000.

· Competitive compensation with performance-based incentives and comprehensive health benefits.

· Paid vacation, birthday leave and recognized religious holidays.

· Professional development and the opportunity to lead U.S. growth for a North American halal food brand.