National Account Manager

Zest Food Jobs; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Zest Food Jobs is seeking a commercially minded National Account Manager to own a portfolio of strategic UK grocery retailer accounts. You will drive revenue, margin and growth while coordinating with NPD, Marketing, Planning, Supply Chain and Operations to deliver agreed plans.

The role requires strong relationship skills, robust commercial acumen, and the ability to operate in a fast-paced FMCG environment.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in National Account Management within FMCG or food manufacturing.
• Proven track record with major UK grocery retailers.
• Strong commercial, negotiation and influencing skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholder engagement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of designated retail accounts and develop them into long-term strategic partnerships.
• Deliver revenue, margin and growth objectives across the account portfolio.
• Develop and implement Joint Business Plans aligned with customer needs and company strategy.
• Identify opportunities for account development, category growth and incremental revenue.
• Maintain regular engagement with key customer contacts and internal stakeholders.
• Lead commercial discussions covering pricing, promotions and terms with customers.
• Support NPD and Marketing teams to introduce relevant products and propositions.
• Monitor category developments and competitive activity to identify opportunities.
• Track performance against budgets, forecasts and objectives; prepare updates for senior management.

Skills

National Account Management

FMCG

Retail Accounts

Negotiation

Category Management

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Contract: Full Time | Predominantly Office Based

About the Business

Our client is a well-established and highly successful food manufacturing business supplying a broad portfolio of premium products to some of the UK's leading grocery retailers.

The business has built a strong reputation through a combination of product quality, innovation, customer service and long-standing retailer partnerships. Operating in a dynamic and commercially focused environment, the organisation continues to invest in its product portfolio, customer relationships and future growth.

The Opportunity

We are looking for an ambitious and commercially minded National Account Manager to join the commercial function and contribute to the continued development of the company's retail customer base.

Reporting to the Head of Sales, the successful individual will take ownership of a portfolio of strategically important retail accounts, developing customer relationships while delivering agreed sales, margin and growth objectives.

The role will involve close collaboration with teams across NPD, Marketing, Planning, Supply Chain and Operations. You will play a key role in identifying commercial opportunities, developing customer propositions and ensuring agreed plans are delivered effectively.

This position would suit an experienced FMCG account manager who combines strong commercial judgement with excellent customer relationship skills and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

National Account Management

• Take ownership of relationships with designated retail customers and develop them into long-term strategic partnerships.
• Deliver agreed revenue, margin and growth objectives across the account portfolio.
• Develop and implement Joint Business Plans aligned with both customer requirements and company strategy.
• Identify opportunities for account development, category growth and incremental revenue.
• Maintain regular engagement with key customer contacts and ensure appropriate internal stakeholders are aligned.

Commercial & Negotiation

• Lead commercial discussions covering pricing, promotions, annual terms and other customer agreements.
• Identify opportunities to improve account profitability and maximise commercial returns.
• Develop a detailed understanding of each customer's strategy, priorities and commercial requirements.
• Prepare persuasive customer proposals using relevant commercial, market and category information.
• Balance customer expectations with operational capability and overall business objectives.
• Support the development of account strategies and commercial plans.

Category & Innovation

• Partner with NPD and Marketing teams to develop and introduce relevant new products and propositions.
• Support customer presentations, range reviews and innovation meetings.
• Monitor category developments, consumer trends and competitive activity to identify potential opportunities.
• Manage the commercial aspects of new product launches, range changes, promotions and product transitions.
• Ensure customers receive timely communication regarding relevant product and business developments.

Reporting & Performance

• Track account performance against budgets, forecasts and agreed objectives.
• Analyse sales and customer data to identify risks, opportunities and areas for improvement.
• Monitor relevant customer KPIs and take appropriate corrective action where required.
• Prepare regular account updates and performance reviews for senior management.
• Proactively manage customer issues and ensure they are resolved efficiently and professionally.

Experience & Skills

• Demonstrable experience in National Account Management within FMCG, food manufacturing or a closely related environment.
• Previous experience managing relationships with major UK grocery retailers.
• Strong commercial, negotiation and influencing skills.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain senior customer relationships.
• Strong analytical capability with good commercial understanding.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, projects and customer requirements simultaneously.
• Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills.
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail.
• Confident user of Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and the wider Microsoft Office environment.
• Experience within chilled, fresh, deli, convenience or related food categories.
• Understanding of category management principles and retail category dynamics.
• Experience managing NPD, range reviews and promotional programmes.

About You

You will be a commercially driven and motivated account management professional who enjoys developing meaningful customer relationships and converting opportunities into measurable business results.

You will be comfortable working in a high-energy retail environment where priorities can evolve quickly and where successful outcomes depend on effective collaboration across multiple functions.

Above all, you will have a genuine interest in the FMCG sector and be motivated by delivering commercially successful solutions, developing customer partnerships and supporting ongoing business growth.