- Lead an established, family-owned B2B distribution business through its next phase of growth
- Circa $20m turnover on growth path to $30m plus
- National team

The opportunity

Our client is a long-established, family-owned Australian business and one of the country’s respected distributors of consumer lifestyle products, supplying independent retailers, specialty stores and major retail groups throughout Australia and New Zealand. Partnering with leading Australian and international suppliers, the business moves thousands of products through an extensive retail network and has built a strong reputation over many years.
This is a rare opportunity to take broad leadership of a well-run, profitable business and lead it through its next phase of commercial improvement and growth, working closely with, and with the full backing of, the owners.

The role

Reporting to the Directors, the General Manager will lead the day-to-day operations of the business across sales, operations, customer service and finance, while progressively assuming full ownership of its commercial performance. You will join ahead of the peak trading period, so your early focus will be to understand the business, its people, customers, suppliers and seasonal trading cycle before leading meaningful improvement.
Following a period of changing market conditions, the Directors are seeking a commercially minded leader to strengthen business development, improve accountability, build organisational capability and identify opportunities for growth through new customers, new market sectors, additional routes to market and acquisitions. The longer-term objective is to approximately double the size of the business over the next three to five years, through a combination of sustainable organic growth and strategic initiatives.
Key areas of responsibility include:

- Taking full ownership of the Profit & Loss, budget and overall business performance.
- Leading, developing and inspiring the team across sales, operations, customer service and finance.




- Strengthening business development and identifying growth through new customers, new sectors and new routes to market.
- Returning the business to a sustainable organic growth trajectory while delivering the annual budget.
- Participating in the evaluation of acquisitions and leading the integration and ongoing management of completed acquisitions.
- Developing strong relationships with key suppliers.
- Building a stable, positive culture where people want to come to work.

About you

We are deliberately open-minded about the sector you come from. What matters most is your leadership, your commercial judgement and a proven ability to run a successful business well. You will be a rounded general manager from a business-to-business, product-based background who can bring that capability to this business and learn its market quickly.

- Rounded general management experience, with a track record of leading and running a successful business or business unit and carrying full Profit & Loss ownership.
- Tertiary qualified, with formal business qualifications.
- A background in a business-to-business, product-based organisation. We welcome candidates from a wide range of B2B sectors, including wholesale and distribution, consumer goods and FMCG, import and agency businesses, industrial, trade and building products, equipment and machinery, packaging and similar.
- Experience managing inventory and working capital and selling through or into a retail or trade channel, across both major accounts and a base of smaller customers, will both be highly regarded, though neither is essential.
- Strong financial literacy with demonstrated Profit & Loss responsibility.
- Experience leading and inspiring teams,



and comfortable working hands-on within a lean, owner-led business.
- Experience managing supplier relationships, including overseas suppliers, with exposure to agency, import or exclusive-distribution arrangements an advantage.
- Exposure to eCommerce and business systems, particularly where technology has been used to improve customer experience, operational efficiency or business performance, would be advantageous.
- A demonstrated ability to drive growth, lead change and think differently to deliver improved business outcomes.
- Comfortable working across sales, operations and commercial functions, and within a family-owned business.
- Based in Brisbane and able to work from the office full time, with availability for occasional interstate travel for trade events, customer and supplier meetings.

What’s on offer

- Broad leadership responsibility across the whole business, working closely with the owners to shape its future direction.
- The opportunity to lead an established, profitable, family-owned business through an ambitious phase of growth, including new markets and acquisitions.
- A genuine mandate to strengthen the business, develop its people and build long-term value.
- An attractive remuneration package, including base salary, superannuation and bonus.

How to apply

Please apply via Seek, or for a confidential discussion, please contact Kerrie Miralles at Arete Executive on 0450 277 *** or *******@areteexecutive.com.au. Applicants must hold full working rights in Australia. Reference and pre-employment checks will form part of the recruitment process.

Arete Executive specialises in the Search & Recruitment of Leadership & Executive roles throughout Australia. We offer cost effective headhunting services from 10% with guaranteed results delivered in under 20 days. Candidate confidentiality is assured with all applications, with your privacy being our utmost priority. Partner with us for fast, reliable, and impactful recruitment solutions.

📌 General Manager | Wholesale Distribution | Retail Supply (Brisbane)
🏢 Arete Executive
📍 Brisbane