Customer Business Manager

AkzoNobel; Slough; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading paints and coatings company is seeking a Customer Business Manager to drive growth in its retail and e-commerce sectors. This role involves managing key accounts, developing strategies to achieve sales targets, and collaborating with various teams. Ideal candidates will have experience in account management and strong negotiation skills. The position is home-based with weekly travel to Slough.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Market leading benefits package

Company car

Qualifications

• Proven experience in account or business management, ideally within retail or e-commerce channels.
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills, with confidence to engage senior stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven mindset.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage day-to-day relationships with key accounts across SSO Independents and Amazon.
• Develop and implement account-specific strategies that align with business goals.
• Negotiate commercial agreements, promotional activity, and category management initiatives.

Skills

Account management

Negotiation skills

Commercial acumen

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Job description

About AkzoNobel

Since 1792, we’ve been supplying the innovative paints and coatings that help to color people’s lives and protect what matters most. Our world class portfolio of brands – including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and use our expertise to sustain and enhance the fabric of everyday life. Because we believe every surface is an opportunity. It’s what you’d expect from a pioneering and long-established paints company that’s dedicated to providing sustainable solutions and preserving the best of what we have today – while creating an even better tomorrow. Let’s paint the future together.

For more information please visit www.akzonobel.com

© 2024 Akzo Nobel N.V. All rights reserved.

Customer Business Manager – SSO Retail & E-commerce

Location: Home-based – Travel to Slough once per week

Competitive salary plus market leading benefits package plus company car

We’re looking for a Customer Business Manager to drive growth and build strong commercial relationships across our SSO Independents and Amazon channels. Prepare and implement account specific strategies in conjunction with business goals to ensure sales and profit targets are achieved across the SSO channel and E-commerce with a account portfolio GIV value circa £25million GIV.

At AkzoNobel, we’re proud of our market-leading brands and our customer-first approach. You’ll be part of a collaborative, forward-thinking team where your insight, negotiation skills, and customer expertise will make a real difference to how we deliver value across our retail and e-commerce channels.

What you’ll do:

• Own and manage day-to-day relationships with key accounts across SSO Independents and Amazon.
• Develop and implement account-specific strategies that align with our business goals and deliver against sales and profit targets.
• Manage account P&L, including GIV, margin, R&A’s, and fixed costs, ensuring commercial targets are achieved.
• Negotiate commercial agreements, promotional activity, range reviews, and category management initiatives.
• Build strong relationships with senior customer stakeholders – from business owners and buyers to category and supply chain managers.
• Lead customer communication and contact strategy, acting as the expert interface between AkzoNobel and the customer.
• Drive operational excellence and identify opportunities to improve forecasting, promotional planning, and execution.
• Develop supply chain strategies that maximise availability and support category growth.
• Use insight and market knowledge to identify opportunities for mutual business wins.
• Collaborate effectively with Finance, Marketing, Category, and Supply Chain teams to deliver on strategic priorities

What you bring:

• Proven experience in account or business management, ideally within retail or e-commerce channels.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including experience managing account P&Ls.
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills, with the confidence to engage senior stakeholders.
• A strategic thinker who can balance short-term delivery with long-term growth ambitions.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven mindset.
• Experience working cross-functionally with marketing, supply chain, and category teams.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal.
• Proactive, self-motivated, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Who you are:

• Commercially sharp, customer-focused, and confident managing complex relationships.
• Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable balancing multiple priorities.
• Collaborative and credible, able to influence internally and externally.
• Results-driven with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.

Ready to lead the way in shaping the success of our retail and e-commerce partners?

Apply now and help us deliver category growth and outstanding value for our customers.

Closing date for applications is COP 27th November 2025.

At AkzoNobel we are highly committed to ensuring an inclusive and respectful workplace where all employees can be their best self. We strive to embrace diversity in a context of tolerance. Our talent acquisition process plays an integral part in this journey, as setting the foundations for a diverse environment. For this reason we train and educate on the implications of our Unconscious Bias in order for our TA and hiring managers to be mindful of them and take corrective actions when applicable. In our organization, all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age or disability.