National Account Manager | On Trade

Ridgeview Wine Estate; Ditchling; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Ridgeview Wine Estate in the UK seeks an experienced National Account Manager to strengthen relationships with regional and national on-trade customers and grow premium English sparkling wine demand.

You will own a portfolio of important accounts, negotiating terms, driving distribution, and leading activations at tastings and events across the UK. This is a commercial, relationship-driven role requiring travel and collaboration across teams.

Qualifications

• Proven experience of managing national or key accounts within drinks, hospitality or fast-moving consumer goods.
• A demonstrable record of delivering growth across on-trade accounts.
• An established network across the UK on-trade sector.
• Strong commercial judgement and negotiation skills, including experience of managing pricing and profitability.
• Excellent relationship management and communication skills, with the ability to engage and positively influence customer networks.
• Strong organisational, planning and account management capability.
• A proactive and practical approach, with the ability to take responsibility and follow opportunities through to delivery.
• The ability to work collaboratively and effectively within a lean, entrepreneurial team.
• Good wine knowledge and a Wine & Spirit Education Trust qualification or equivalent.
• Experience of working with premium drinks brands, preferably within the wine sector.
• Experience of using digital and AI-enabled tools to analyse information and support commercial decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Manage and develop Ridgeview's relationships with key regional and national on-trade and route-to-market customers.
• Create and deliver strategic account plans that support Ridgeview's on-trade ambitions.
• Identify and secure new listings, menu placements and distribution opportunities.
• Deliver agreed volume, revenue and profit targets across your accounts.
• Lead pricing, contract and commercial negotiations.
• Manage account-level profitability, budgets and sales forecasts.
• Use customer, category and market insight to identify opportunities and improve performance.
• Work collaboratively with Ridgeview's marketing, operations and distribution partners to deliver customer initiatives.
• Build trusted relationships with buyers, category managers, wholesale sales teams and on-trade operators.
• Deliver training, tastings and engaging educational sessions for customers and trade partners.
• Represent Ridgeview professionally at customer meetings, trade tastings and industry events.
• Maintain accurate account, sales and pipeline information through Ridgeview's CRM systems.

Skills

Account management

Negotiation

Strategic planning

Relationship building

Commercial acumen

Team collaboration

Proactive approach

UK on-trade network

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

Shape the next stage of Ridgeview's growth in the UK on-trade

We are looking for an experienced National Account Manager to strengthen Ridgeview's relationships with leading regional and national on-trade customers.

This is an influential commercial role for someone who enjoys building trusted partnerships, creating opportunities and bringing an exceptional English sparkling wine brand to life.

You will take ownership of a portfolio of important accounts, including wholesalers, contract caterers, hospitality groups and other multi-site operators. Working closely with customers and colleagues across Ridgeview, you will grow profitable distribution, secure new listings and build long-term commercial partnerships.

The role combines strategic account management with hands-on delivery. You will have the opportunity to shape account plans, lead commercial negotiations, deliver engaging customer activations and represent Ridgeview at tastings and industry events throughout the UK.

What You'll Be Doing

• Manage and develop Ridgeview's relationships with key regional and national on-trade and route-to-market customers.
• Create and deliver strategic account plans that support Ridgeview's on-trade ambitions.
• Identify and secure new listings, menu placements and distribution opportunities.
• Deliver agreed volume, revenue and profit targets across your accounts.
• Lead pricing, contract and commercial negotiations.
• Manage account-level profitability, budgets and sales forecasts.
• Use customer, category and market insight to identify opportunities and improve performance.
• Work collaboratively with Ridgeview's marketing, operations and distribution partners to deliver customer initiatives.
• Build trusted relationships with buyers, category managers, wholesale sales teams and on-trade operators.
• Deliver training, tastings and engaging educational sessions for customers and trade partners.
• Represent Ridgeview professionally at customer meetings, trade tastings and industry events.
• Maintain accurate account, sales and pipeline information through Ridgeview's CRM systems.

About You

You will bring:

• Proven experience of managing national or key accounts within drinks, hospitality or fast-moving consumer goods.
• A demonstrable record of delivering growth across on-trade accounts.
• An established network across the UK on-trade sector.
• Strong commercial judgement and negotiation skills, including experience of managing pricing and profitability.
• Excellent relationship management and communication skills, with the ability to engage and positively influence customer networks.
• Strong organisational, planning and account management capability.
• A proactive and practical approach, with the ability to take responsibility and follow opportunities through to delivery.
• The ability to work collaboratively and effectively within a lean, entrepreneurial team.

It would also be helpful if you have:

• Good wine knowledge and a Wine & Spirit Education Trust qualification or equivalent.
• Experience of working with premium drinks brands, preferably within the wine sector.
• Experience of using digital and AI-enabled tools to analyse information and support commercial decision-making.

TRAVEL AND WORKING HOURS

This role is based at Ridgeview Wine Estate in East Sussex and involves frequent travel to customer sites throughout the UK.

A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle are required due to customer travel and attendance at trade events. Ridgeview will consider reasonable adjustments where appropriate.

Some evening and weekend work will be required for customer events, trade tastings and other business activities. Wherever reasonably possible, these commitments will be planned in advance.

INCLUSION AT RIDGEVIEW

Ridgeview is committed to building an inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of our communities. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and value the different experiences and perspectives each person brings.

We are a Disability Confident Committed employer. If you need a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know.