Key Account Manager (Hotels) - AFH - Field Sales

We believe amazing things can happen over a cup of coffee. Everyone’s coffee experience is unique and we’ve been innovating since 1753. Our coffee has been loved for generations and a career with us will mean you’ll be playing your part in shaping the future of coffee. When we grow, you grow. If you have a thirst to be part of our journey, you’ll be exposed to the full spectrum of your field of work. We value potential. We create opportunity to help you grow as a professional, surrounded by amazing people. Our goal is simple but ambitious: Jacobs Douwe Egberts, a coffee for every cup.

JDE is a €5 billion global business retaining a start-up feel and containing some of the leading brands in Coffee and Tea – Kenco, L’OR, Tassimo and Douwe Egberts to name a few. The UK represents a top 5 global market for JDE and continues to be a growth engine for the category, driving premiumisation by leading the single-serve portion with the Tassimo brand and premiumising the instant coffee segment through Kenco, L’OR and the Douwe Egberts brands.

The Out of Home (OOH) business unit is aligned with the ‘on the go’ consumption of our brands including customers such as offices, hotels, cruise ships, hospitals, and stadia.

As a vital member of the National Accounts sales team, the Key Account Manager will drive the long-term growth strategy within the Hotels Sector. This role is responsible for nurturing existing client relationships and managing current contracts to ensure continued success and satisfaction.

In addition to maintaining established accounts, the Key Account Manager will collaborate closely with the New Business Key Account Manager to identify and secure new business opportunities. Success in this role requires a collaborative approach, working cross-functionally with teams across Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, Demand Planning, and Finance to align with our strategic goals and deliver on our growth agenda.

• Customer Management: Manage and grow an existing portfolio of customers across all product categories, identifying opportunities to drive volume growth in line with the Annual Operating Plan. Build and maintain strong relationships with key end-customers, including major hotel groups such as Marriott Hotels and Village Hotels. Develop compelling, customer-specific sell-in stories for new product launches and premiumisation initiatives.
• Annual Operating Plan Delivery: Ensure high levels of forecast accuracy and minimal bias swing for both ingredients and machines. Proactively develop mitigation strategies to address potential risks to plan delivery. Collaborate on the development of long-term plans aligned with the company’s 5-year growth strategy.
• Segment and Customer Strategy: Contribute to the development and execution of the National Accounts strategy. Partner with cross-functional teams—including Marketing, Finance, and Operations—to refine go-to-market strategies and build winning propositions for the Hotels segment, including full-service solutions and ingredient supply. Act as a subject matter expert in the Away From Home coffee category, staying informed on trends and insights.
• Negotiation Framework: Strategically plan and execute customer negotiations to optimise both volume and value, in line with agreed terms, business potential, and timing. Define the scope and approach for local customer negotiations to ensure alignment with broader commercial objectives.

Qualifications

• Essential: Proven sales experience within a professional B2B environment. Demonstrated success in driving NOS (Net Operating Sales), Gross Margin, and EBIT growth. Strong track record in prospecting, negotiating, and securing new business wins. Structured and strategic approach to account management. Excellent leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence and inspire. Commercially astute, with a solid understanding of P&L management and the ability to leverage key business metrics. Confident negotiator, capable of engaging effectively at all organizational levels. Strong stakeholder management skills, both internally and externally. Exceptional planning, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities. Brings fresh thinking and innovative ideas to the table.
• Desirable: Good working knowledge of the coffee category, particularly within the Away From Home market.