Senior National Account Manager – Convenience - UK
We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior National Account Manager to lead and drive the growth of our Spirits portfolio within the convenience retail sector. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in account management, strategic planning, and relationship building within the alcohol or FMCG industries. You will be responsible for managing key national accounts and delivering profitable sales growth through effective business planning, negotiation, and execution.
Key Responsibilities:
Account Management:
- Manage and develop key national convenience accounts, ensuring growth in sales, market share, and profitability.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with buyers, category managers, and other key stakeholders.
- Negotiate contracts, trading terms, and promotional agreements to drive mutual business success.
Sales & Growth Strategy:
- Develop and implement a robust national account strategy that aligns with overall business objectives.
- Identify and capitalize on new business opportunities, driving incremental growth through product listings, promotional activity, and category development.
- Monitor market trends, customer performance, and competitor activity to inform decision-making.
Cross-functional Collaboration:
- Work closely with the marketing, supply chain, and category management teams to ensure alignment of commercial strategies and optimize product availability.
- Collaborate with the field sales team to ensure excellent in-store execution of plans and promotions.
Financial & Performance Management:
- Achieve and exceed annual sales, revenue, and profitability targets.
- Manage the P&L for assigned accounts, ensuring effective forecasting budgeting, and cost management.
- Provide detailed reporting and analysis of account performance and present findings to senior management.
Customer Insights & Data Analysis:
- Use data and insights to build compelling business cases for new product listings and range extensions.
- Regularly review performance metrics, such as sales data, ROI on promotions, and customer feedback, to drive continuous improvement.
Key Requirements:
Experience:
- Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in national account management, ideally within the alcohol, beverage, or broader FMCG sector.
- Proven success in managing top 5 grocers and convenience retail accounts (e.g., convenience stores, forecourts, and independent retailers) would be ideal.
Skills:
- Strong commercial acumen with the ability to manage P&L and drive profit.
- Excellent negotiation and influencing skills with senior stakeholders.
- Ability to develop and execute strategic account plans.
- Strong analytical skills with experience in using data to drive decision-making.
Competencies:
- Self-motivated, results-driven, and able to work under pressure.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
- Strong organizational and project management capabilities.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
- Experience in negotiation would be a given.