National Account Manager

As a National Account Manager within the Commercial Team, you are responsible for sales and availability of both branded and private label product lines for the customers under your management.

Our client is a supplier of quality pork, bacon and poultry products to Grocery Multiples, Wholesalers and Foodservice customers in the UK and Ireland. Their branded growth has been driven by NPD and value for money for the customer.

We are looking for a talented and experienced Business Account Manager with a strong grasp on the FMCG market in Ireland, production, commercials, and an absolute commitment to delivering excellent customer service.

The role involves proactively managing national accounts to achieve sales, margin, and retailer category growth targets through optimisation of current listings and new product development.

The role also includes responsibility for developing and executing sales plans to deliver profitable and sustainable sales with B2B customers and the foodservice channels. The accounts being managed are all existing retail, convenience, B2B or foodservice ones.

You will be required to grow all existing accounts to agreed targets and will be supported by the company’s office and sales team daily. Commercial support will be available from Senior Management when required also.

Responsibilities include;

1. Develop and negotiate annual Joint Business Plans (JBP) and Long-Term Agreements (LTA) with key retail and convenience customers.
2. Gather, analyse, and provide insight on the category through consultation with key accounts and relevant industry bodies.
3. Liaise with members of Senior Management in developing weekly, monthly, quarterly action plans and category plans for customers that are in line with the annual account plan and the overall company strategic plan.
4. Work on product pricing model for submission of pricing to customers at tender time.
5. Report on the sales and profitability and account initiatives to grow sales in your accounts on a weekly basis.
6. Liaise with planning department and logistics on a weekly basis regarding forecast planning.
7. Develop planograms with retail customers.
8. Implement, develop, and manage a new field sales team to ensure all brand activation plans at store level and customer planograms are being followed. Develop and audit their daily routes and manage their time accordingly.
9. Submission of customer promotion plans per cycle or as required.
10. Manage the costs associated with doing business with each of the key accounts.
11. Develop a relationship with each relevant member of the trading and supply chain teams in each of the key accounts. Also build relationships with managers of key stores at a local level.
12. Work closely with production and quality departments in New Product Development. Key for existing private label customers and company branded growth. Delivery of NPD to your own accounts immediately after launch.
13. To control debtors in conjunction with the financial controller.
14. Visit all customers on a regular basis.

Skills and experience required;

• Third level qualification.
• Minimum 1-2 up to 10 years’ experience working in FMCG Sales / Business Development.
• Ability to manage numerous key accounts and divide time correctly between small, medium, and large accounts.
• Strong numeric & commercial acumen to proactively manage major accounts to maintain product margin and meet account targets.
• Demonstrate previous exposure to own-label categories ideally gained in chilled foods, ready meals, meats, cooked meats, or other chilled food categories with regular NPD activity.
• Experience collating Joint Business Plans and negotiating Long Term Agreements essential.
• Excellent communicator with exceptional presentational skills.
• Very proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Excellent people skills.
• Leadership Skills.