Key Account Manager

Bidfood UK; Bicester, Bedford; Remote; GBP 35,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Pension with employer matching

Life cover

Confidential support / counselling

Health plan for you and family

Exclusive discounts program

Early access to pay (up to 20%)

Job summary

Bidfood UK is looking for an ambitious Account Manager with a focus on growing existing customer share and winning new business across wholesale and group accounts. The role is 60% account management and 40% new business.

You will work closely with depot telesales teams, NAMs and manufacturers to secure leads from consortia and NHS frameworks, building account value for Bidfood to reach its potential. The position requires strong relationship-building, presentation and negotiation skills, plus

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE standard, preferably to A level.
• Sales experience preferred in a wholesale environment.
• Experience dealing with group accounts.
• PC skills in Excel, PowerPoint and Word; numerate and literate.
• Strong presentation, communication and negotiation skills.
• Proven margin management experience and strong customer relationships.
• Self-starter with ability to work remotely in the field.

Responsibilities

• Manage customer base and achieve budgeted sales and cash targets.
• Maximise share of wallet through meetings, exhibitions and proposals.
• Provide pricing information and manage power/contract pricing where applicable.
• Communicate customer needs clearly to NAMs and cross-functional teams.
• Prepare regular business activity updates and presentations.
• Collaborate across regions to grow profit opportunities.
• Develop and present category-based commercial solutions.
• Deputise for regional colleagues when needed.
• Support NAMs in joint business planning.
• Share best practices with teams.

Skills

Sales experience

Strong communication

Negotiation skills

Presentation skills

Self-starter / independent

Relationship building

Education

GCSE / A level

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Job description

About the role

To win, retain and develop new customers and grow existing customer share of wallet, including group consortia and regional accounts. To maximise the full business potential and cash return for Bidfood UK. The role is 60% account management and 40% new business.

To work closely with the depot telesales teams, Specialists, FTM NAM’s and manufacturers (where appropriate) to secure leads from FTM consortium, regional group accounts and build account value for Bidfood to full potential. You will exclusively work with consortia groups such as Pelican, Solutions for Care and frameworks such as NHS & TUCO including many other consortia / buying groups working with Bidfood.

To work closely with FTM national account managers to deliver agreed business objectives and to exceed budget expectations. To develop, support, drive and deliver individual and regional FTM business plans by offering creative solutions to meet and exceed customer needs thereby growing volume items, sales and cash contributions.

Accountabilities

1. Management of Customer base and achievement of budgeted sales and cash targets with focus on existing and the development of significant (£50k+) new end user accounts across individual and multi- site operations
2. To maximise Bidfood share of wallet potential in each portfolio account through business meetings, presentations, exhibitions, concept development, menu support, manufacturer liaison, and other business / marketing support initiatives. To understand the optimum position for Bidfood and the Customer. Ensure Bidfood value proposition is at the forefront of actions.
3. To provide all relevant information to commercial support in order to produce profit studies where required and manage and take ownership of power pricing and contract pricing where applicable, at customer level, communicating effectively when changes are required.
4. To be an excellent communicator with regard to customer needs and operational requirements, including any messages requested by NAMs for group business. Adapting own style to maximise results and using appropriate tactics and methods to build rapport with customer.
5. To provide regular business activity updates to both customers and internal stakeholders, including where necessary presentations at internal meetings and external meetings. Gain feedback from the customer and internally, with the ability to evaluate major activities.
6. To be the key link between the customers, the national account manager and telesales execs, plus other depot stake holders. All key contacts within your customer remit should be known to you and for you to understand their roles in order to offer appropriate solutions. Working cross functionally to identify profit growth opportunities within the customer.
7. To be able to produce and understand commercial propositions in order to implement activity effectively at unit level. Create and present category based commercially viable solutions that are tailored to the customers overall strategic goals and Bidfood account plan.
8. Be capable of deputising for colleagues within your region where required if they are on holiday or out of the business for any other reason.
9. To accompany NAM’s where appropriate in jointly creating effective business plans design to grow share of wallet across the group and the individual sites.
10. To share best practice across your own team and other regional teams where appropriate.

Company accountabilities

• To have read and understood company policy documents which outline our standards in all areas of corporate governance including, but not limited to;
• Comply with the Company Health & Safety Policy ensuring all on line training is completed and tests passed
• Comply with all verbal and written instructions in matters pertaining to your conduct as a Bidfood employee
• Working within GDPR rules and governance
• Social media policies and guidance
• To complete accurate mileage and expenses returns on time providing the full information required to ensure processing

Measures & Key Performance Indicators:

• Items, Sales and Cash and MPI vs budget
• Key category penetration and solution provision, including reviews of product pillar mix
• Review to ensure cost to serve is at a level consistent with turnover (ie average spend per drop, delivery frequency, reduction of split case purchases etc)
• Average order value and average spend per customer
• New account performance / wins
• Uptrading and Downtrading account plans including number of buying customers as part of portfolio review
• Business development plans as agreed with line manager designed to maximise business opportunities

Challenges/Decision making:

Typical challenges faced in the role and decisions needing to be made by jobholder:

Commercial awareness to understand drivers of profitability for Bidfood including drop profile, frequency, drop profitability, product mix effect, cost to serve and market sizing. This will also include effective management and maintenance of power pricing, or contracts (where appropriate) based on value of purchase.

Understand and be able to identify potential solutions for customers enabling them to develop their own offering and business in terms of sales and cash thereby improving the return for Bidfood. To ensure on site visits appropriate to customer spend, including contact at all levels of customer key stakeholders.

Time management and business planning skills to be at a developed stage to ensure maximum return vs time invested.Jobholder requirements (Knowledge, skills and key behaviours)

Requirements for qualifications, specialist knowledge, skills or key behaviours the jobholder will need to demonstrate to do the job effectively:

• Educated to GCSE standard, preferably to a minimum of A level
• Sales experience preferred in a wholesale environment
• Demonstrable ability to deal with group account
• PC skills to a good level in Excel Powerpoint and Word, numerate, literate,
• Developed presentation and communication skills, proven sales and negotiation skills, proven margin management experience
• Proven strong relationships with customers, good industry and product knowledge and an ability to be a self starter and work remotely ie in the field.

Full Current Driving Licence

About us

Our journey began back in 1929. Since then, we’ve continued to build a strong and resilient business with a great future. It's why we believe we’re the best foodservice provider in the country.

A journey that gives back

We want your career with us to be as rewarding as possible. So, you’ll get lots in return for your hard work. That includes benefits that can support your wellbeing and financial security, and give you peace of mind.

The essentials

• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays) as a minimum and the opportunity to buy more
• A pension - contribute 4% and we’ll match you (after year 1, we’ll match your contributions up to 6%).
• Life cover that you can increase.
• Access to confidential support and counselling, when you need it.
• A health plan that gives you money back on everyday medical costs for all the family, as well as access to a digital GP.

The extras

• Exclusive range of high street discounts including cinema, tech, travel, fashion, food and drink.
• Get paid as you earn - access to up to 20% of your pay before payday.
• Opportunity to buy dental cover and critical illness cover.

We want everyone to join our journey

We’re on a journey towards creating the best possible workplace. We’ve got some way to go, but we’re building a diverse and caring workforce. One that’s filled with forward-thinking people who each bring unique talents and skills. So whatever your life experience, we want you to join us - and you really can come as you are!