A leading UK food manufacturer is seeking a commercially astute Retail Account Manager to take full ownership of a c.£20m retail account with one of the UK’s largest grocery retailers.

This is a high-impact, P&L-owned role where you’ll drive sales growth, margin delivery, and strategic account development while acting as the primary commercial contact for the retailer.

If you’re a senior food & drink professional with a track record of managing major UK retail accounts, leading category growth, and delivering profitable NPD, this is your chance to shape the future of a dynamic, fast-growing business.

Role Overview & Key Responsibilities

As the first point of contact for all commercial queries, you’ll own the end-to-end management of the retail account, from strategy and pricing to project delivery and relationship building.

Commercial & Account Management

• Take full P&L responsibility for the account, delivering agreed sales and profit targets.

• Drive new business opportunities and growth within the retail account and across other retail/foodservice channels.

• Lead category management, range reviews, and optimisation to maximise distribution and profitability.

• Own pricing strategy, promotional planning, and investment decisions in collaboration with finance and operations.

Project & NPD Delivery

• Attend NPD sessions and stay ahead of all projects and discussions concerning the retail account.

• Produce and manage critical paths for all new products and projects, defining timelines and responsibilities.

• Work closely with the NPD team to support presentations, providing indicative pricing and market data.

• Brief the commercial team with volumes, timeframes, and product specifications to ensure accurate pricing.

Data, Insight & Performance

• Use a data-driven approach to understand sales forecasts, actuals, and promotional activity.

• Complete quarterly business reviews covering sales, profits, NPD, and future targets.

• Carry out product and range reviews to maintain an accurate, relevant database for the retail account.

• Analyse KPIs and customer data to deliver actionable improvement plans.

Stakeholder & Technical Collaboration

• Maintain active working relationships with relevant personnel across the business and retailer.

• Liaise with the Technical Team to manage, assess root cause, and close out complaints.

• Manage stocks where applicable and ensure optimal availability and cost efficiency.

Skills, Qualifications & Experience

This role is ideal for a senior account manager or national account manager from food & drink manufacturing with a proven record of managing major UK retail accounts (ideally including discounters or value retailers).

Essential Experience

• 5+ years in retail account management within FMCG/food manufacturing.

• Full P&L ownership and commercial negotiation experience with major UK retailers.

• Strong category management, NPD, and range optimisation background.

• Data-literate with the ability to translate sales insight into action.

• Excellent relationship-building skills at buyer and category manager level.

Personal Attributes

• Commercially driven, proactive, and growth-minded.

• Confident presenter and negotiator.

• Highly organised with strong project management skills.

• Collaborative team player who thrives in cross-functional environments.

What’s on Offer

• £50,000 basic (flexible for the right profile)

• £550/month car allowance

• Uncapped bonus: 10% on first £500k, 12.5% on next £500k, 15% thereafter, and 20% on anything over £1.5m

• Opportunity to work with a fast-growing, innovative food manufacturer

• High autonomy and direct impact on business growth

• Based in Hertfordshire with flexibility as required

How to Apply

If you’re a senior food & drink professional ready to take ownership of a major retail account and drive commercial growth, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your CV and a brief covering note outlining your retail account management experience and key achievements.

This role is anonymised to protect client confidentiality. Full details will be shared at interview stage.

Note: This role is working with a well-established UK food manufacturer supplying major retailers. The business is known for its innovative product range and strong growth trajectory.