COO – Food Services Division

Trading International Group is a diverse group of companies operating across Dominica, St. Lucia, and Sint Maarten/St. Martin.

Chief Operating Officer (COO) – Food Services Division

Location: Dominica or St. Lucia

We are looking for a hands-on, people-focused Chief Operating Officer to help us grow and run our Food Services Division. The COO will be at the heart of shaping and scaling our supermarket operations, spin-off businesses, distribution network, and quick-service restaurant (QSR) brands.

This role will be about spotting opportunities, building systems that actually work in the real world, and leading a team that feels supported and motivated. Reporting to the MD/ Owner, you will work closely with other leaders across the Group.

Core Responsibilities

• Running daily operations and sales across our food division — from supermarkets and spin-offs to distribution and QSRs
• Keeping a close eye on performance, jumping in with solutions when things go off track, and giving clear, simple reports and forecasts
• Helping shape sales and marketing plans — including pricing, revenue targets, and budgets — in a way that makes sense for each part of the business
• Deciding where to put our resources (people, equipment, money) to hit our goals without overcomplicating things
• Finding smart ways to manage costs and spending so we grow profitably
• Leading teams across distribution, supply chain, procurement, health & safety, and quality — making sure everyone knows what’s working and what needs to change
• Coaching regional and sales managers so they feel confident managing performance and distributor relationships
• Building strong, genuine relationships with vendors and partners (no corporate fluff – just honest, useful collaboration)
• Turning big-picture plans into clear, practical steps that teams can actually follow
• Spotting and chasing new opportunities — new markets, partnerships, products, or even whole new business ideas
• Leading expansion efforts, including investments, acquisitions, and alliances that make sense for our food division
• Looking at potential business deals, weighing up risks, and helping negotiate contracts in a fair, straightforward way
• Encouraging continuous improvement using lean thinking and Kaizen — but in a way that feels helpful, not bureaucratic
• Supporting the MD with fundraising and keeping stakeholders engaged and informed
• Setting up a simple, effective Stakeholder Relationship Management program that actually gets used

The ideal candidate should have:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Management, Accounting, Finance, or a related field 
• At least 10 years of management experience in FMCG, ideally with exposure to supermarkets, distribution, and fast food (KFC or similar brands is a bonus)
• Solid understanding of budgets and financial statements (you don’t need to be an accountant, but you should be comfortable with the numbers)
• Enjoyment of team coaching and real, two-way communication
• Good with MS Office and very open to new tech
• Excellent English reading, writing, and speaking skills — Spanish or French would be a nice plus, but not essential