Key Account Director

DropWorks Rum Distillery; Worksop; Remote; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary and benefits

Job summary

DropWorks Rum Distillery in the UK is seeking an ambitious Key Account Director to scale wholesale, off-trade retail and private label channels. This remote role offers easy access to London and Nottingham and reports to the Chief Executive Officer.

You will own negotiations, joint business planning and major account development, build strong relationships, drive promotional activity and use data to forecast performance.

Qualifications

• Experience in alcoholic drinks industry preferred.
• Ability to communicate and develop premium commercial propositions.
• Proven track record of delivering sales growth through new business development.
• Experience managing wholesale and retail accounts.
• Strong negotiation skills with pricing, promotions and margin.
• Analytical skills with data-driven decision making.
• IT and digital skills; proficiency with CRM systems and sales reporting tools.
• Highly organised with ability to manage multiple accounts and priorities.
• Excellent communication, presentation and influencing skills.
• Entrepreneurial, proactive approach with ownership from idea to execution.
• Energy, resilience and determination to win.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead wholesale and off-trade relationships and private label growth.
• Negotiate commercial terms, promotions and trading terms; build joint business plans.
• Grow distribution, improve presence and lead brand activation across channels.
• Maintain a healthy sales pipeline and provide accurate forecasts.
• Collaborate with distribution partners to optimise route-to-market.
• Ensure excellent customer service and clear communication of requirements.

Job description

Are you commercially driven, entrepreneurial and interested in joining a young, dynamic, fast-growing business where you can make a real difference? Launched in 2023, DropWorks Rum is now looking to recruit an ambitious Key Account Director.

We’re looking for a commercially sharp, hands-on salesperson to build and lead our presence across wholesale, off-trade retail and private label channels. A balance of strategy and execution, you’ll own the relationships end-to-end; from first pitch and commercial negotiations through to customer joint business planning and execution.

DropWorks Rum was launched in 2023 to disrupt the global rum market through the introduction of a quality British-distilled rum brand that challenges many of the traditional rum orthodoxies. Crafted at our own distillery, the largest rum distillery in Europe, located in the beautiful surroundings of Welbeck, we launched in the UK to positive acclaim and, since then, have built a strong distribution base across prestige and premium on-trade accounts. The next step on our journey, requires us to scale the business fast; a significant step-change in revenues across UK wholesale, off-trade retail and private label channels prior to international expansion.

Job Title: Key Account Director

Location: Remote (with easy access to London & Nottingham)

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer

Role Purpose

To further establish and grow the DropWorks brand within the wholesale and off-trade channels and step change the business’s private label revenue stream. Build strong customer relationships, secure new listings, expand distribution and increase brand visibility. The role is responsible for identifying new business opportunities, negotiating commercial agreements and delivering and executing account growth plans. We are a young business looking to scale up; the commercial focus is on revenue growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Wholesale: Further develop our solid foundation across national and regional wholesalers. Grow distribution, improve presence and visibility through effective promotional plans and build strong relationships. Work with our sales distribution agency, Glass Half Full to ensure that we have the optimum route to market to support our on-trade ambition.
• Off Trade Retail: Establish DropWorks within the off-trade channel. Build a stronger distribution platform across premium retail and launch the brand in premium grocery. Develop a compelling commercial story, negotiate trading terms and agree a joint business plan that builds brand presence and generates significant sales. Create powerful case studies for future listings within the channel.
• Private Label: Step-change our private label business by leveraging the production capacity of the DropWorks Distillery; the largest premium rum distillery in Europe. Identify and land new private label customers (across spirits and RTD categories) to provide a consistent incremental revenue stream (alongside our branded sales).
• Business Development: develop existing accounts; win new customers that align with the business’s commercial strategy and maintain a healthy pipeline of new opportunities.
• Customer Management: own the relationship with key customers; develop a deep understanding of their strategic priorities and create powerful growth driving plans.
• Commercial Management: lead customer negotiations (pricing, promotions, margin, trading terms) and ensure all customer activity delivers sustainable profitable growth.
• Brand Activation: build trade and consumer engagement and increase brand visibility across all channels through the execution of strong promotional plans and events.
• Performance Tracking: monitor sales, distribution and rate of sale; use customer and market data to identify opportunities and risks; provide accurate sales forecasts and regular reporting to the wider business and keep a close eye on competitor activity.
• Operational Excellence: work closely with the wider team to ensure excellent customer service; clearly communicate customer requirements and resolve any issues quickly.

Key Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in a KAD role or similar – must have alcoholic drinks industry experience.
• Good understanding of how to communicate and develop premium commercial propositions.
• Strong track record of delivering sales growth – existing and new business development.
• Experience managing major retail and/or wholesale accounts (working with buyers).
• Strong negotiation skills, with a clear understanding of pricing, promotions and margin.
• Excellent analytical skills; using data to identify opportunities and inform decisions.
• Strong IT and digital skills; confidence using CRM systems and sales reporting tools.
• Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple customers, projects and priorities.
• Excellent communication, presentation and influencing skills (both verbal and written).
• Proactive, entrepreneurial approach; taking ownership from idea through to execution.
• High levels of energy, resilience and determination with a genuine desire to win.
• Experience within premium spirits would be an advantage (although not essential); as would an established network of relevant customers.

Qualifications

• Degree-level education or equivalent commercial experience
• Further qualifications in sales, marketing or retail (desirable but not essential)
• Full UK driving licence
• Competitive base salary and benefits package

• Plus, a significant performance-related bonus opportunity