National Account Manager - Grocery

About us

At Accolade Wines, our purpose is to enrich everyday moments through our amazing wine brands. As one of the world’s leading wine companies, our award-winning portfolio includes loved brands such as Hardys, Grant Burge, St Hallett, Petaluma, Croser, Banrock Station, Mud House, Jam Shed, Tatachilla, Brookland Valley and many more. As one of the world’s leading wine companies, our award-winning portfolio includes beloved brands such as Hardys, Grant Burge, St Hallett, Mud House, Jam Shed and many more.

About the role

As a National Account Manager, you will be responsible for driving the performance and profitability of a key customer portfolio, delivering the budgeted P&L for your accounts. You will build and maintain strong relationships, positioning Accolade Wines as the wine partner of choice.

A key focus will be developing and executing Joint Business Plans with one of Accolade’s major customers, ensuring alignment on mutual goals and growth opportunities. Additionally, you will identify and capitalise on incremental opportunities within your account base, maximising value and driving long-term success for both the customer and Accolade Wines.

You will report directly into the Senior National Account Manager for Morrisons and will have no direct reports, working within an ambitious and motivated team of individuals.

Please note that this is a 12-month fixed term contract for maternity cover.

Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting the Senior National Account Manager to deliver the Volume, Net Sales & Gross Profit annual targets.
• Developing, negotiating, and executing of the annual joint business plans and promotional program.
• Engaging with key customer counterparts to develop, align and execute promotions, activations, and sales strategies to deliver against targets.
• Supporting Demand Planning process, focusing on baseline forecasting and promotional uplifts to deliver against internal and customer supply chain KPl’s.
• Working with marketing, trade marketing and category stakeholders to develop, sell-in and execute against strategies and tactics.
• Securing new listings and increase distribution to aid in achieving goals for Accolade’s priority brand portfolio.
• Ensuring we are the partner of choice for all of our customer stakeholders.
• Holding yourself and your peers accountable to always living Accolade values.

Further accountabilities:

• Building and owning customer relationships – demonstrate deep understanding of the needs of their customers at a strategic level and builds into short-, medium- and long-term strategies.
• Updating and managing weekly sales reports to review performance and create action plans if required.
• Actively demonstrating teamwork internally and externally.
• Timely and efficient administration demonstrated by self.
• Able to take on additional responsibility as required by the business.

What you’ll bring:

• Degree level.
• A minimum of 2-3 years’ experience in a commercial or sales role, in an FMCG environment.
• Experience in building and maintaining strong customer relationships.
• Proven track record of delivering volume and value growth within previous customer accounts, using the various levers at your disposal.
• Preferably able to demonstrate understanding of the wine category and consumer dynamics.
• Prepared to travel within the UK with overnight stays.
• Flexible on hours dependent on workload

Your Skills & Behaviours

• Communication and Influencing – is able to present and persuade in both written and verbal forms to internal and external stakeholders.
• Cross functional team working – can work as part of a wider team to achieve shared company goals.
• Commercial acumen – has a clear understanding of the impact of actions on volume, revenue, and profit.
• Creative problem solver – demonstrates an openness to new ideas and others perspective or views specifically from broader business and peers.
• Is proactive, self-motivated, flexible, and adaptable.
• Has the ability to work effectively and maintain resilience in a fast-paced challenging environment.

Functional

• Planning, project management and organisational skills – ability to develop and maintain reports, spreadsheets, and presentations to meet AW and customer objectives.
• IT and digital skills – Competent in Microsoft Office; Excel in particular

What you can expect:

Accolade Wines will provide the ideal climate and a hand-picked rewards package for you to make a difference in our successful and growing business.
You will also have access to:

•    Wine allowance and access to unique wine specials
•    Flexible working
•    Paid Parental Leave
•    Start your weekend early with our Fast Friday finishes!
•    Loyalty Leave
•    Accolade Wines Anniversary day off
•    Go Beyond Day – making a different in your local community
•    Access to an extensive online learning library
•    Employee Assistance Program
•    Various exclusive employee discounts

Please note you will be required to travel within the UK, Ireland and other key markets within Europe, including overnight stays from time to time.