At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the Walkers brand portfolio and drive growth in Bestway Retail.
- Company: Join Bestway Group, a leader in the retail and wholesale sector.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career development, and dynamic work environment.
- Other info: Fast-paced role with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on the snack industry with innovative strategies.
- Qualifications: Experience in FMCG account management and strong negotiation skills.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.
As the National Account Manager for Bestway Retail, you will be responsible for leading one of the most strategically important customers within the Impulse channel. The National Account Manager (NAM) for Bestway Retail is responsible for delivering sustainable growth, distribution, and visibility for the Walkers brand portfolio across the Bestway Retail estate. This role combines strategic joint business planning with day-to-day commercial execution to maximise volume, value share, and profitability within the retail environment. You will act as the primary commercial interface between Walkers and Bestway Retail, leading the agenda for impulse snacks, identifying growth opportunities, and executing best-in-class customer activation. The accounts will also include Retail Club members and create Wholesale Retail partners centre of excellence blueprint. This role will also be the day-to-day contact for any new business ventures, including the potential new channel listings.
Responsibilities
- Lead the commercial relationship with Bestway Retail for the Walkers portfolio.
- Build, negotiate, and deliver the annual Joint Business Plan (JBP), including pricing, investment strategy, promotions, and distribution targets.
- Ensure alignment with internal stakeholders including category, finance, revenue management, and field sales teams.
- Deliver against volume, net revenue, profit, and share targets.
- Manage trade investment responsibly, ensuring ROI and strong financial control.
- Lead promotional planning across Bestway Retail fascias (e.g., Bargain Booze, Costcutter, Select Convenience) ensuring compliance and effectiveness.
- Use shopper insights and category data (e.g., Circana and store EPOS) to create compelling category stories and recommendations.
- Drive distribution gains for core ranges and NPD, ensuring Walkers is visible, available, and recommended across the Bestway estate.
- Work with Bestway’s category and retail teams to optimise planograms, merchandising, and store execution.
- Partner with PepsiCo Field Execution teams to deliver flawless implementation in-store.
- Collaborate with supply chain to ensure accurate forecasting, improved availability, and efficient stock flow.
- Work closely with marketing to deliver impactful customer-specific activation.
- Build strong relationships with Bestway Retail’s buyers, trading teams, and operational leads.
- Influence at multiple levels internally and externally to drive commercial agendas forward.
- Provide accurate forecasting of weekly, monthly, and annual performance.
- Analyse EPOS data to identify opportunity gaps, risks, and success drivers.
- Report performance and insights to senior stakeholders with clear recommendations.
Qualifications
Essential
- Strong experience in FMCG account management, ideally within impulse, wholesale, or convenience channels.
- Proven ability to deliver commercial results in a competitive category.
- Strong negotiation, influencing, and customer management skills.
- Competence in using commercial data sources (Market data, EPOS, forecasting tools).
- Ability to manage complexity and competing priorities across a wide customer base.
- Strong financial and analytical acumen.
Desirable
- Experience working with Bestway, or other wholesale/retail groups.
- Exposure to snacks, impulse categories, or FMCG in retail.
- Understanding of revenue management principles (promo strategy, pricing, investment).
Personal Attributes
- Commercially curious with a growth mindset.
- Confident, persuasive communicator.
- Collaborative and highly relationship driven.
- Entrepreneurial, with the ability to identify and turn insights into action.
- Resilient, adaptable, and energised by working in a fast-paced environment.
What Success Looks Like
- Achievement of annual revenue, profit, and market share targets.
- Increased Walkers availability, visibility, and distribution in Bestway Retail.
- A strong, credible partnership with Bestway’s commercial team.
- High-quality store execution and sustained performance through NPD cycles.
- Clear contribution to the wider Walkers/PepsiCo commercial strategy.
Bestway Group Retail National Account Manager in Reading employer: Pepsico
Contact Detail:
Pepsico Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Bestway Group Retail National Account Manager in Reading
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join relevant groups on social media, and don’t be shy about reaching out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand Bestway Retail’s values and how they align with your own. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you’re genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or family to get comfortable with common questions. Focus on showcasing your experience in FMCG account management and how you can drive results for Bestway Retail.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and take the initiative to reach out directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Bestway Group Retail National Account Manager in Reading
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the National Account Manager role. Highlight your experience in FMCG account management and any relevant achievements that showcase your ability to deliver commercial results.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Use it to demonstrate your understanding of the Bestway Retail landscape and how you can drive growth for the Walkers brand.
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role involves a lot of data analysis, make sure to mention your competence with commercial data sources. Share examples of how you've used data to identify opportunities or drive decisions in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and get you on the path to joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Pepsico
✨Know Your Numbers
Make sure you’re familiar with key metrics related to FMCG account management, especially in the impulse and wholesale sectors. Be ready to discuss how you've used data like EPOS and market insights to drive commercial success in previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Negotiation Skills
Prepare examples of successful negotiations you've led, particularly those that resulted in profitable outcomes. Highlight your ability to influence stakeholders and how you’ve built strong relationships with customers in the past.
✨Understand the Walkers Brand
Do your homework on the Walkers brand portfolio and its positioning within the Bestway Retail estate. Be prepared to discuss how you would enhance visibility and distribution for Walkers products, using specific strategies tailored to the retail environment.
✨Demonstrate Your Growth Mindset
Be ready to talk about how you approach challenges and identify growth opportunities. Share examples of how you've turned insights into actionable strategies, showcasing your entrepreneurial spirit and adaptability in fast-paced settings.