National Account Manager

Advocate Group; Haydock; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Aimia Foods is recruiting a National Account Manager for Contract Catering and Travel & Leisure. The role is home-based with regular travel to customers and the Haydock HQ, supporting major partnerships and opening new opportunities across the UK.

You will combine strategic account development with new business, managing senior stakeholders, negotiating renewals, and shaping propositions with Marketing and NPD to grow distribution and SKU penetration across our brands.

Qualifications

• Experience in National Account management within Foodservice, Contract Catering, Travel & Leisure.
• Proven track record growing existing customers via distribution, listings or range expansion.
• Demonstrable new business capability and ability to convert opportunities.
• Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills.
• Commercial curiosity and confidence engaging senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop major Contract Catering partnerships and grow distribution and category penetration.
• Build relationships across customer organisations from senior commercial stakeholders to ops teams.
• Create and deliver strategic account growth plans.
• Drive new business in Travel & Leisure across airlines, rail, travel hubs and leisure venues.
• Identify opportunities to convert competitor business and gain new branded listings.
• Lead negotiations, renewals and customer investments.
• Collaborate with Marketing and NPD to develop compelling propositions.

Skills

National Account Mgmt

Foodservice

New Business

Relationship building

Stakeholder engagement

UK travel

Job description

National Account Manager – Contract Catering / Travel & Leisure

Home Based | Regular travel to customers & HQ in Haydock

We’re proud to be exclusively partnering with Aimia Foods on a key hire within their growing Aimia for Professionals division.

Home to well-known brands including Galaxy Hot Chocolate, Drink Me Chai, Bubbleology and Shmoo, Aimia has an established presence across the Out-of-Home market and ambitious plans to grow its footprint across Contract Catering, Travel & Leisure.

They’re now looking for a commercially driven National Account Manager to develop major existing catering partnerships while unlocking new opportunities across some of the UK’s most exciting travel and leisure environments.

The Role

This is a varied commercial role combining strategic account development with new business, with an approximate 70% existing account / 30% new business split.

Within Contract Catering, you’ll take ownership of established relationships with major national operators, identifying opportunities to increase distribution, grow SKU penetration and expand Aimia’s brands into new areas of existing customer estates.

Alongside this, Travel & Leisure will be a key growth focus, giving you the opportunity to target new partnerships across areas including airlines, rail, travel hubs, theme parks and leisure attractions.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Developing major Contract Catering partnerships and identifying opportunities to grow distribution, range and category penetration
• Building relationships across customer organisations, from senior commercial stakeholders through to operational teams
• Creating and delivering strategic account growth plans
• Driving new business across Travel & Leisure, targeting a defined pipeline of high-potential customers
• Identifying opportunities to convert competitor business and secure new branded listings
• Leading commercial negotiations, renewals and customer investment
• Working closely with Marketing and NPD to develop compelling customer propositions and broader hot beverage solutions
• Representing Aimia in the market through regular customer visits, industry events and exhibitions

About You

We’re looking for someone with the energy and commercial drive to both grow established partnerships and open new doors.

You’ll ideally bring:

• National Account Management experience within Foodservice, Contract Catering, Travel & Leisure or a related OOH channel
• A strong track record of growing existing customers through increased distribution, listings or range expansion
• Demonstrable new business capability and the tenacity to convert targeted opportunities
• Excellent relationship-building, presentation and influencing skills
• Commercial curiosity and the confidence to engage senior customer stakeholders
• A proactive, high-energy approach and willingness to be visible in the market
• Flexibility to travel regularly across the UK, including customer meetings, exhibitions and occasional overnight stays

Direct Contract Catering or Travel & Leisure experience would be advantageous, but mindset and commercial capability are equally important. Aimia is open to strong Foodservice talent who can quickly learn the channel.

The role is home based but highly customer-facing, with regular UK travel and attendance at Aimia’s Haydock HQ.

Candidates based across the North West, Midlands or within reasonable travelling distance of Haydock would be particularly well suited.

Interested?

If you’re a commercially ambitious Foodservice professional who enjoys developing major customers but still gets a buzz from opening doors and winning new business, this is a brilliant opportunity to put your stamp on a growing channel and an established drinks portfolio.

The Advocate Group is the sole and exclusive talent partner for Aimia Foods. All direct or third-party applicants will be forwarded to The Advocate Group for processing.