National Account Manager in Blackburn

Science In Sport Group is a world‑leader in sports and performance nutrition. We have two highly regarded brands; SiS, which combines world‑class science and innovation to provide optimal performance nutritional solutions for professional athletes, sports and fitness enthusiasts, and the active lifestyle community. This includes over 320 professional teams worldwide across a broad range of sports including Football, Rugby, Cycling, Athletics, Basketball, Netball, and Swimming. Brand ambassadors include former track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy and Eilish McColgan, who won gold in the 2022 Commonwealth Games 10,000 metres. PhD Nutrition is a premium, active‑nutrition brand for the active lifestyle community wanting intelligent nutrition to help them achieve their goals. With over 20 years of research and development, our products are designed to maximise performance in and out of the gym.

The two brands sell through the phd.com and scienceinsport.com digital platforms, third‑party online marketplaces including Amazon, as well as extensive domestic and international retail distribution. In 2022, the company opened a state‑of‑the‑art 160,000 square‑foot manufacturing and logistics facility in Blackburn, Lancashire, providing a significant advantage in product costs and customer response time, allowing Science In Sport to lead the way for quality standards. Science In Sport is the nutrition partner to globally recognised elite teams, including Tottenham Hotspur, Saracens Rugby, British Triathlon, Aquatics GB, British Cycling, England Netball, and Loughborough Sports.

We are recruiting a National Account Manager to play a pivotal role in executing our ambitious UK growth strategy. The role will play a key part in the UK team, account managing some of Science in Sport Group’s biggest UK customers including Holland & Barrett, Costco, and Home Bargains. Formulating and delivering sustainable growth plans across your sub‑channel and working cross‑functionally with supply chain, customer service, and brand teams, as well as strong retailer relationships will be key success indicators in this role.

Job Type: Full‑time, Permanent

Salary: Up to £65,000 per annum

Working Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 5:30 pm

Location: Field based with a requirement to travel regularly, including travel to our head office in Blackburn.

Benefits:

• Pension Scheme, employer contribution 4%
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Product Discount
• Birthday Annual Leave
• Eligible to participate in Sales Incentive Scheme (internal conditions apply)

Your Four Most Important Responsibilities:

• Commercial Strategy execution – co‑create and implement a comprehensive strategy for your accounts aligned to overall company objectives.
• Profitable revenue – collaborating brilliantly with retailers to drive profitable growth for both parties.
• Internal ambassador – representing your retailers across the Science in Sport business, providing regular updates to cross‑functional teams and articulating clearly how we win with them.
• Financial performance – leading the High Street & Discount P&L from forecast through to financial delivery.

Accountability – What You Are Responsible For Delivering:

• In line with Science in Sport commercial strategy, lead the creation and execution of ambitious annual business plans, optimising sales at every opportunity.
• Deliver the P&L from Net Revenue to Contribution Margin.
• Optimise JBPs with biggest customers, including pricing, investment, and payment terms.
• Build accurate, bottom‑up forecasts in collaboration with retailers and Science in Sport Group demand‑planning teams, using the data available.
• Own weekly, monthly, quarterly & annual sales numbers.
• Lead your defined sub‑channel across the Science in Sport business, ensuring you have the resources required to succeed, providing regular updates and being the category expert in that sector.
• Collaborate brilliantly with Science in Sport brand, innovation, supply, customer service, compliance & finance teams to bring about success.
• Negotiate terms agreements with High Street & Discount customers.
• Identify and unlock new strategic opportunities across High Street & Discount.

Capability – The Skills and Behaviours Required to Do This Job Well:

• High level of commercial acumen.
• Strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain long‑term and productive relationships with customers and colleagues.
• Energetic & enthusiastic approach enabling you to execute new business strategies.
• Analytical, data‑led approach to problem solving.
• Strong negotiation skills with a clear focus on the ‘win‑win’ outcome.
• Proven track record of successful account management within UK FMCG.

Performance – How You Will Know You Are Doing a Great Job:

• Deliver key P&L metrics such as revenue and profit.
• Grow market share of SiS & PhD brands in High Street & Discount.
• Improve forecast accuracy.

Specific metrics will be set when in role and will be reviewed and built upon regularly. Alongside this, you will be supported with a personal performance plan that will enable you to continue improving your own performance and impact.

Attributes – Experience and Mindset That Will Enable You to Do Well in This Role:

• Demonstrable commercial experience operating across FMCG categories & channels in the UK.
• Strategic focus on building brands in your sub‑channel.
• Clear understanding of category management.
• Strong reporting skills with the ability to disseminate data and articulate it clearly.
• Ability to remain resilient within a dynamic & fast‑paced business.