Chief Executive Officer

About Lilliput Trading Co and Role Overview

Lilliput Trading Co is a renowned artisan food wholesaler known for its dedication to sourcing and distributing high-quality, authentic foods. The company boasts a strong market reputation grounded in passion for exceptional products, robust relationships, and excellent service. It is currently positioned to embark on significant growth and transformation.

We seek a seasoned, commercially savvy, and actively engaged Chief Executive Officer to steer the company through its forthcoming expansion phase. This role offers a captivating leadership opportunity to enhance an ambitious organization by balancing its entrepreneurial roots with the operational and cultural structure needed for scalable success.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement a clear growth-oriented strategic plan for the company's next developmental phase.
• Drive the scaling and professionalization of the business by modifying organizational structures to meet growth demands.
• Define and implement explicit roles, responsibilities, reporting channels, and accountability measures.
• Introduce and maintain effective systems, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and performance metrics to optimize operational efficiency.
• Cultivate a strong, positive workplace culture where employees understand and contribute to the company vision.
• Guide, develop, and empower the management team to foster ownership and accountability.
• Enhance sustainable revenues and profitability while ensuring financial discipline and commercial rigor.
• Explore and develop new business opportunities, markets, customer bases, partnerships, and growth routes.
• Enhance and protect the company’s premium positioning through robust B2B customer and supplier relationships.
• Ensure the operational infrastructure and workforce capabilities are adequate for effective scaling.
• Collaborate closely with founders and the Board to translate vision into operational strategies.
• Maintain active involvement in daily operations, readiness to lead decisively when necessary.
• Uphold and promote company values, reputation, and passion for artisan food throughout its growth trajectory.

Candidate Profile

• Extensive senior leadership experience within food, FMCG, wholesale, distribution, or related industries.
• Proven success in scaling businesses and managing periods of dynamic growth or transformation.
• Strong expertise in introducing organizational frameworks, processes, SOPs, and accountability structures.
• Excellent commercial insight with ability to identify and secure sustainable growth prospects.
• Capable of building and nurturing high-performance management teams.
• Demonstrated ability to foster a positive, accountable, and high-achieving corporate culture.
• Sound financial and operational knowledge, with skill in translating strategy into results.
• Experience facilitating transition from entrepreneurial/founder-led models to more structured organizations.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, engaging effectively with founders, Boards, employees, and commercial partners.
• Ability to balance strategic vision with hands-on operational execution.

Leadership Approach

The ideal leader will combine strategic acumen with visible, hands-on involvement. This person will be accessible, inquisitive about daily operations, able to challenge constructively, and willing to engage directly when needed. They will provide structure without bureaucracy, accountability while maintaining agility, and uphold entrepreneurial values alongside ambition. They must inspire others through change by creating clarity on vision, success metrics, and individual contributions.

Additional Information

This leadership position represents a rare chance to influence an established company at a pivotal growth stage. The CEO will have significant impact on strategy, organizational development, and people management to set the foundation for future expansion.

Application Process: Candidates should submit an updated CV and a cover letter highlighting relevant leadership experience, achievements in scaling businesses, organizational development expertise, team leadership, and a track record of hands-on commercial leadership. Applications will be treated confidentially.

Eligibility: Applicants must reside in Ireland and hold a valid work permit; otherwise, their application may not be considered. The company is committed to equal opportunity employment.