Description:
This is far more than a traditional Senior National Account Manager position.
Reporting directly to the CEO, you will have significant visibility across the business and play an important role in shaping the wider commercial strategy.
You will take ownership of major UK grocery customers, but you will also contribute to decisions around distribution expansion, route to market, new business development, pricing strategy and the development of the wider commercial function.
For somebody currently operating within a large FMCG organisation, this offers the opportunity to move closer to the decision-making process and see the direct commercial impact of their work.
For somebody already experienced within a challenger brand or SME, it provides the chance to join a business with genuine scale, retailer traction and further headroom for growth.
The Role
You will take end-to-end commercial ownership of a portfolio of major UK grocery customers.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Owning senior retailer relationships across buyers, category teams and senior stakeholders
- Leading the commercial strategy across allocated major grocery accounts
- Driving range reviews, promotional planning and significant new product launches
- Taking full responsibility for customer P&Ls
- Managing pricing, trade spend, promotional ROI and margin delivery
- Building commercially compelling joint business plans
- Leading CPI, trading-term and high-value customer negotiations
- Identifying opportunities to increase distribution and grow market share
- Working alongside the CEO on wider commercial strategy
- Supporting decisions around new channels, route to market and business development
- Working closely with marketing, finance, supply chain and manufacturing
- Using category insight and market data to strengthen customer strategy
- Mentoring and developing junior members of the commercial team
- Representing the business at senior retailer meetings and industry events
The Candidate
We are looking for an accomplished grocery commercial professional with:
- 5–7+ years’ experience within National Account Management in FMCG / food & drink
- Experience at Senior National Account Manager level or clear readiness to step into this level of responsibility
- A strong track record managing major UK grocery retailers
- Evidence of delivering meaningful year-on-year account growth
- Full P&L ownership
- Strong pricing, margin and trade-investment capability
- Experience leading complex CPI and trading-term negotiations
- Confidence operating with senior retail stakeholders
- Strong knowledge of Nielsen, IRI, Kantar or equivalent category data
- Excellent presentation and negotiation skills
- The ability to operate autonomously within a fast-moving environment
- An entrepreneurial mindset alongside strong commercial discipline
- Full UK driving licence
- Ability to commute to the Surrey office 3 days per week