Franchise Account Manager

Marks & Spencer Plc; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

20% colleague discount on M&S products

Holiday allowance

Discretionary bonus schemes

Pension and life assurance

Induction and training

M&S Choices portal

Family policies

Wellbeing support

Volunteer day

Job summary

Marks & Spencer Plc, in the United Kingdom, seeks a Franchise Account Manager to lead strategic partnerships across the Franchise estate, building growth and delivering customer outcomes.

Reporting to the Head of Franchise, you will own partner relationships, drive commercial performance, budgets and forecasts, and collaborate with Buying, Supply Chain, Marketing and Retail Ops to align with M&S priorities and sustain profitable growth.

Qualifications

• Proven experience handling commercial customer, partner or account relationships within a retail, FMCG or consumer-facing environment.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience handling budgets, forecasts, profitability and performance metrics.
• Experience developing and delivering business plans that build value for both customers and the wider business.
• Excellent partner management, influencing and negotiation skills, with the ability to build credibility at all level.

Responsibilities

• Build and handle strategic Franchise partner relationships, leading regular business reviews and joint business planning to drive sustainable growth
• Take ownership of partner commercial performance, delivering plans that achieve sales, profit and wider business objectives
• Act as the primary commercial representative for M&S, championing our brand, products and capabilities with Franchise partners
• Lead forecasting, budgeting and business planning activities, using data and insight to support decision making and see opportunities
• Collaborate with Buying, Supply Chain, Marketing, Retail Operations and wider business teams to deliver partner strategies and unlock long-term growth

Skills

Partner management

Negotiation

Data analysis

Budgeting & forecasting

Relationship building

Strategic thinking

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

At M&S, we're on a mission to make our Franchise business the most exciting food partner in the convenience channel. As a Franchise Account Manager, you'll be at the heart of that ambition, building strategic partnerships that drive growth, strengthen our brand presence and deliver exceptional customer outcomes across our Franchise estate.

Reporting to the Head of Franchise, you'll take ownership of key partner relationships, leading commercial discussions, business planning and performance reviews. You'll work across multiple functions to align partner objectives with M&S priorities, identify new growth opportunities and ensure we continue to deliver sustainable, profitable growth. This is a high-profile role with significant visibility across the business and direct exposure to senior partners.

We're looking for a commercially minded relationship builder who thrives on influencing, problem solving and bringing value through strong partnerships.

What you'll do

Your key accountabilities will include:

• Build and handle strategic Franchise partner relationships, leading regular business reviews and joint business planning to drive sustainable growth
• Take ownership of partner commercial performance, delivering plans that achieve sales, profit and wider business objectives
• Act as the primary commercial representative for M&S, championing our brand, products and capabilities with Franchise partners
• Lead forecasting, budgeting and business planning activities, using data and insight to support decision making and see opportunities
• Collaborate with Buying, Supply Chain, Marketing, Retail Operations and wider business teams to deliver partner strategies and unlock long-term growth

Who you are

Your skills and experience will include:

• Proven experience handling commercial customer, partner or account relationships within a retail, FMCG or consumer-facing environment
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience handling budgets, forecasts, profitability and performance metrics
• Experience developing and delivering business plans that build value for both customers and the wider business
• Excellent partner management, influencing and negotiation skills, with the ability to build credibility at all level
• A data-driven approach, using insight and analysis to inform decisions, challenge thinking and drive commercial outcomes

What's in it for you?

Working at M&S means being part of something bigger, helping to deliver quality, value and service to millions of customers every day. We're inclusive, fast-moving and always evolving, with a strong sense of purpose and a focus on doing the right thing.

Here are just a few of the benefits that make working here even more rewarding:

• 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third-party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you've completed your probation
• Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more
• Discretionary bonus schemes linked to your performance and ours
• Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future
• Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one
• Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal
• Market-leading family policies, including parental, adoption and neonatal leave
• 24/7 wellbeing support, including virtual GP access and mental health services
• One paid volunteer day a year to support a cause that matters to you

Everyone's welcome

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We're disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We're transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Join us and help shape the future of M&S Food Franchise.

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. If you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know when completing your application.