Grocery Account Manager in England

As the fastest growing brewery in the UK for 3 years running, Hawkstone is growing rapidly, building strong consumer awareness and earning a reputation for producing award-winning beers and ciders that resonate with shoppers. The opportunity now is to convert that momentum into meaningful retail growth. That means securing additional distribution, winning incremental shelf space, driving stronger promotional support and unlocking sustainable growth across key customers including Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Waitrose and Co-op.

Success in this role requires more than account management. This is about leading strategic customer relationships with commercial rigour and the ability to influence at every level, securing premium visibility, stronger partnerships and sustainable growth. You're not just servicing accounts; you're running a business inside a business.

You'll have full ownership of the customer P&L, with a deep understanding of sell-through, margin performance and promotional effectiveness. You'll lead quarterly business reviews, using insight and influence to protect distribution, secure additional space and unlock incremental growth opportunities. You'll identify gaps in the customer's range, build compelling category-led propositions and bring new formats, seasonal variants and NPD to market in a way that creates value for both the customer and the brand.

You'll own the commercial plan end-to-end—from shaping promotional calendars and ensuring operational excellence, to building trusted relationships with the key decision-makers who determine distribution, visibility and growth. And you'll be backed in an award-winning off trade team, recognised by retailers and industry peers.

What you'll actually be doing:

• Managing Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Waitrose, and Co-op accounts owning growth targets and P&L
• Working quarterly business reviews, increasing space, driving RoS and awareness
• Collaborating with their category teams on planograms, promotional calendars, and range strategy
• Spotting gaps in the range and pushing new NPD or formats aligned to mutual strategies
• Building relationships with commercial managers, buyers, and planogram teams
• Ensuring compliance (delivery SLAs, promotional mechanics, invoicing accuracy)
• Identifying promotional opportunities that drive sell-through and market share

You.

You've managed major multiple retail accounts before in the drinks industry. You've sat across from a buyer and actually won shelf space. You know how promotional calendars work. You understand and can translate category data. You understand margin, sell-through and velocity. You've hit targets in a structured environment. But you're not a box-ticker. You actually enjoy the complexity of managing these relationships.

You get that a Waitrose shopper wants something different from a Morrisons shopper. You can pitch why a seasonal variant makes sense for Q4. You know how to read a buyer and when to push vs. when to listen. You're commercially sharp but you're also a relationship builder. You don't just manage accounts — you actually build partnerships. The kind of partnerships where buyers will ring you up and ask your opinion on something.

You don't need to have sold beer specifically. If you've crushed it in drinks, spirits, wine, premium soft drinks and you understand how major multiples think — you're ready.

The business.

Hawkstone started life in 2005 as Cotswold Brewing Company. They rebranded in 2021, when Jeremy Clarkson invested in the brewery and momentum soon followed. They produce multi award-winning beers and ciders. They're in hyper growth mode, the fastest growing brewery in the UK right now and for the third consecutive year. They're building a team of experts and they're disrupting the drinks industry. They're also in a great position: they've got brand recognition and strong engagement, but they need to convert that into sustained retail growth. That's where you come in.

Get in touch with Jake Merrick-Wren — How can we make the recruitment process more accessible for you? We’re always open to adjustments and welcome feedback on how we can improve the experience. Feedback matters. We aim to respond to all applications as quickly as possible because clarity, communication and respect should be a given. Responding makes us human.