Our Client, a large food manufacturer are currently looking for an experienced National Account Manager, based in North Yorkshire, to help grow their business.
Job Purpose
Responsibility for the management & growth of a portion of the business, through first class trading relationships to achieve budgeted, volume and net sales growth.
This will be delivered through the creation and focused delivery of the annual joint customer business plan in liaison with the customer, NPD & Category Marketing team.
This annual plan is aligned by the site’s individual vision and supported by the site annual OKR plan and five-year strategy and underpinned by the trading relationship.
Main Duties:
- CUSTOMER
- Continued implementation of the joint business plan (incorporating trading terms) in conjunction with the Commercial controller customer marketing team to optimise performance (sales volume & profit) aligned with the business strategy.
- Weekly tracking, measurement, and evaluation of performance to ensure the plan is delivered.
- Accountable for the customer P&L across specific categories
- Ensure the forecast is accurate.
- Ensure any model price changes (e.g. overheads, Customer B2B model) are delivered in a timely manner.
- Ensure costing submissions are accurate and exceed site expectations.
- Regularly review ongoing product margins and instigate product PIP plans as required.
- Ensure the business maximises promotional opportunities profitably.
- Deliver supply chain excellence to the customer through close partnerships with the supply chain team, and through effective volume management.
- QUALITY
- Understand and deliver against the site strategy: develop and deliver a plan against each pillar (Consolidate, Expand, Diversify)
- Can determine whether a product is in or out of specification and pushes the quality agenda both internally & externally.
- Clear understanding of the site’s Quality Improvement Plan, key stakeholder in the cross-functional delivery team.
- In conjunction with the category marketing team produce and implement space and availability plans.
- VALUE
- Deliver against the sites budget: net sales, volume (packs), and profit before tax.
- Can articulate any variances to budget (both positive & negative)
- Analyses site P&L ('weeklies’) and compares vs costed standards
- Clear understanding of driving factory efficiencies; focus on maximising lines over 10k units per week
- Works closely with the innovation and NPD team to ensure new launches minimise bespoke ingredients and processes
- Challenges on weekly variances to costed standards.
- Participation in or management of special local or group projects to drive the business commercial agenda forward.
- Ensure all commercial administration is completed on time.
- Has a strong understanding of the business open-book model and manages it effectively. Capable of walking internal stakeholders and customer through the fundamentals of product costings through the model.
- Supports the creation, and has a strong understanding, of costings, with good knowledge of each element (i.e. can explain labour costs, relative prices and market dynamics of raw materials).
For more information on this exciting role please get in touch or apply with your CV today.
- INNOVATION
- Ensures all submitted products are aligned to the site strategy and are commercially viable for customer and site.
- Work closely with the category team to deliver tangible business wins through excellent insight.
- Create and deliver bespoke NPD sell in presentations and secure agreement to list through commercial and category rationale.
- Ensures launches land successfully and on time.
- Good understanding of the processes & machinery used within the factories.
- In depth awareness of product portfolio and competitor products.
- PEOPLE
- Oversees delivery of all key account commercially related projects.
- Communicates effectively across the business and with the customer.
- Escalates issues to line manager in a timely manner.
- Demonstrates effective management of cross-functional teams whilst allowing some autonomy in decision making.
- Completes detailed preparation for PDR.
- Recognises own strengths and opportunities.
- Owns PDP and ensures delivery against it.
- Engaged and role models personal development.
- Demonstrates mentoring of individuals within the business as required.
- Requirements, Experience and Person Specification:
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills
- Results focused
- Self-motivated
- Well-developed commercial acumen and numeracy
- Degree level – must be highly analytical
- Minimum 1-2yrs experience of National Account Management – ideally supplying M&S
- Experience of Joint Business Planning
- Good understanding of customer / strategy and ability to match needs of both
- Awareness of category management data sources, and the relative strengths and weaknesses of each
- Good project management skills
- Ability to work cross-functionally and at different levels
- Strong team player
- Must hold a valid driving license
- Key Relationships:
- Senior and Middle Managers across all Functions
- Customers (Buyers, Developers, Technologists)
- Sales Team
- Broader Commercial and Category Team
Additional Information:
- Role is based at site, some flexibility to work from home as necessary (max 1 day per week)