National Account Manager in Manchester

Office-based | Full-time | Central Manchester, with UK&I customer travel

We’re looking for a commercially sharp, highly resilient and relationship-led National Account Manager who can take ownership of major retail and wholesale customers, turn insight into action, and lead cross-functional teams to deliver strong commercial outcomes.

This role will suit someone who is energised by pace, complexity and accountability; someone who can balance strategic thinking with brilliant execution, challenge constructively, and build trust quickly with customers and internal teams.

Where and how you’ll work

This is a full-time, office-based role in Central Manchester, alongside travel to customer sites across the UK&I.

Travel may include client meetings, presentations, product tastings and customer activations.

The role is expected to be office or client-site based five days a week.

You’ll report to the Sales Director and work closely with colleagues across Brand, Category, Operations and Finance to deliver an exceptional customer experience and maximise commercial opportunities.

• Relevant experience from FMCG, wholesale, retail or consumer goods, and you use that experience to make thoughtful, commercially grounded decisions.
• You take ownership without waiting to be asked, follow through on commitments, and are comfortable being accountable for outcomes.
• You stay calm and resilient when priorities change, using good judgement to keep momentum and bring others with you.
• You build trust quickly by listening well, communicating clearly and adapting your style to customers and colleagues.
• You are confident enough to challenge constructively, ask better questions and offer a point of view even when the answer is not obvious.
• You turn insight into action, using data, shopper understanding and category knowledge to solve problems and spot opportunities.
• You work well through others, creating clarity, aligning cross-functional teams and helping people move towards a shared outcome.
• You are curious, proactive and keen to keep learning, while contributing positively to the energy and success of the wider Sales team.

What you’ll be trusted to do

Own and develop key customer relationships, which may include major retail and wholesale customers.

Represent the business professionally and operate with strong commercial judgement, ensuring activity remains aligned to GSCOP, Competition Law and Brand Owner Contracts.

Build and deliver customer plans that support both our commercial goals and the customer’s objectives.

Use a consultative selling approach, supported by strong category, shopper and consumer understanding, across areas such as:

• JBP management
• NPD listings and management / Range review process
• Brand days
• Winning new customers, including potential Retail & Wholesale opportunities where relevant (Business Development)
• Promotional planning in line with guidelines

Manage the detail brilliantly, ensuring account administration, analysis, forecasting and reporting are completed accurately and on time, including:

• Templates and plans
• Financial analysis and reporting including Trade Process
• NPD set up
• Performance analysis
• Promotional proposals, analysis and reporting
• Volume forecasting through S&OP process
• New Line Forms

Lead the annual budgeting and business planning process for your customer(s), working closely with your Finance Business Partner.

Continuously look for better ways of working, make recommendations for improvement, and play an active, vocal and constructive role within the Sales team.

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