National Account Manager

National Account Manager – GroceryThe Opportunity

An established European food group is looking to appoint a National Account Manager to help manage and grow a portfolio of major UK grocery retail customers.

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious National Account Executive or Junior National Account Manager who is ready to take the next step and assume greater commercial responsibility.

You’ll join a supportive and experienced retail team where the emphasis is as much on attitude, enthusiasm and business fit as it is on having every element of the required experience. The company is prepared to invest in the successful candidate’s development and provide the support needed to progress into a fully established National Account Manager.

The business manufactures an innovative range of chilled and frozen convenience foods across the UK and Europe. With annual group sales of approximately €250 million, it offers the scale and capabilities of an international manufacturer alongside the autonomy and pace of a close-knit UK commercial team.

Its core product categories include party food, vegetarian products, value-added snacking, dairy-based products and pizza.

The Role

Reporting to the Director of Retail, you will support the management and development of a portfolio of UK grocery multiple retailers. The specific customers will be determined according to your existing experience, strengths and development needs.

You will:

• Help manage and develop relationships with major grocery retail customers
• Support the delivery of customer strategies, account plans and commercial objectives
• Prepare for and participate in customer meetings and commercial negotiations
• Analyse sales performance, promotional activity and customer data
• Identify opportunities for new listings, range extensions and incremental growth
• Work closely with NPD to support the development and launch of new products
• Assist with pricing, forecasting, budgets, margins and account profitability
• Collaborate with supply chain, technical, operations, finance and marketing
• Develop your commercial ownership and gradually assume greater responsibility for customer accounts

About You

You are likely to be working as a National Account Executive, Junior National Account Manager or in a similar commercial role within an FMCG food business.

You will ideally have:

• Up to two or three years’ experience within grocery account management
• Experience working with UK grocery multiple retailers
• Food industry experience
• Some exposure to private-label or retailer own-brand products
• Good commercial, numerical and analytical skills
• Experience working cross-functionally with NPD, supply chain or operational teams
• The confidence and ambition to develop into a National Account Manager
• A proactive approach and genuine enthusiasm for food, products and customers

You do not need to arrive with every aspect of the role fully developed. The business is particularly interested in finding someone with the right personality, energy and potential who is keen to learn and build a long-term career within the group.

Experience within chilled, frozen, snacking or convenience foods would be advantageous, although candidates from broader food categories will also be considered.

The Package

• Salary circa £50,000
• Discretionary annual bonus of up to 20% of basic salary
• Company car or car allowance based on £450 per month
• 33 days’ annual leave, comprising 25 days plus eight bank holidays
• 8% total pension contribution – 4% employee and 4% employer
• Life assurance of twice your annual salary when enrolled in the pension scheme
• Structured development into a fully established National Account Manager
• Career progression within a growing international food group

Location

The role will combine home-based working with an expectation of spending two days per week at the company’s head office in Blaenavon, South Wales.

Next Steps

For more information or a confidential discussion, please contact:

Aidan Goodall

FMCG Selection

01943 667280

aidan@fmcgselection.co.uk