Prestige Key Account Manager – Midlands

Hi-Spirits; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the spirits industry is seeking a Key Account Manager to manage key accounts and drive brand visibility. The role involves building strong relationships with retailers and implementing strategic initiatives to achieve growth in the prestige market. Ideal candidates will have a strong spirits background and at least 3 years in account management.

Qualifications

• At least 3 years of Key Account Management experience in the spirits industry.
• Strong understanding of brand building and commercial delivery.
• Broad knowledge of UK trade and commercial experience ideally within spirits.

Responsibilities

• Manage accounts to deliver the brand building plan and activation.
• Implement the Lighthouse strategy to embed brands within key retailers.
• Achieve preferred partner status with key outlets.

Skills

Influencing skills

Negotiation skills

Relationship management

Presentation skills

Business acumen

Education

Degree level education

WSET qualification Level 2

Job description

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Client:

Hi-Spirits

Location:

London, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

ce88f8cfc07f

Job Views:

5

Posted:

02.06.2025

Expiry Date:

17.07.2025

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Job Description:

Key Responsibilities and Critical Success Measures:

• Manage a core number of accounts within a territory to deliver the Sazerac UK Prestige brand building plan and activation programme. (Perfect Serve, Sampling, Tailored Competitions, Menu Presence, permanent unique brand visibility, Single Cask Sales, Whisky Shows.)
• Deliver incremental profit from this super premium portfolio within the UK prestige on and off trade, focused on the Midlands.
• Implement and cultivate “Lighthouse” strategy to embed our brands within the most influential operators of prestige and specialist on and off trade retailers. Grow distribution and activation to increase visibility and advocacy for the portfolio of brands within venue. Create a community of external brand ambassadors within these customers to drive engagement and fame our brands amongst the trade key opinion leaders.
• Achieve preferred partner status with key outlets by developing tailored solutions to meet consumer needs and establishing expert status through advice on the Spirits Category, (with a focus on premium/super premium) proposing range by segmentation.
• Adopt a consultative approach to deliver real value for your customers through brand training and education, access to unique and exclusive products.
• Manage budgets to deliver KPIs.
• Effectively plan and manage the working day to ensure coverage is achieved at key trading times of customers. This will involve evening work and a requirement to live within reasonable travelling distance of the core area.

Functional Competencies:

• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Self-motivated to take ownership and drive sales direction of the prestige portfolio with credibility and creativity.
• Organisational Agility: Build constructive, collaborative and long term internal and external relationships of genuine depth. Able to demonstrate a comprehensive current network of relationships within the Prestige sector.
• Planning: Demonstrates an ability to plan, organise and execute activities using own initiative. Action and results orientated with strong ability to prioritise and act with pace and conviction within a high growth business environment.
• Presentation Skills: Expresses self in a clear, succinct and compelling manner in both individual and group situations.
• Customer Focus: Knowing, understanding and delivering a high level of quality service to both internal and external customers. A whole business mindset, building advocacy in the prestige environment to enable broader portfolio sales opportunities within that environment and other sales channels.
• Business Acumen: Has a comprehensive understanding of own business area and its impact on the wider organisation. Ability to develop and negotiate partnership agreements with new and existing customers.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Broad knowledge of UK trade and strong commercial experience ideally with a Spirits background.
• Comprehensive understanding and working knowledge of brand building with the ability to balance commercial delivery.
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills with the ability to develop and maintain relationships at all levels.
• Experience of activating brands in the On Trade is essential.
• Financial acumen.
• Strong understanding of balance between commercial delivery and brand building agenda.
• Strong IT skills and able to use data to interpret insights.
• Strong presentation skills and experience at delivering training / presentations.
• At least 3 years of Key Account Management within the spirits industry.
• Awareness of the prestige market and industry trends.
• A strong interest in super premium spirits.
• Ideally educated to degree level.
• Ideally WSET qualification Level 2. General certificate in Distilling (GCD) preferred.

Personal Characteristics:

• Ability to demonstrate professionalism, credibility, trust and respect both internally and externally.
• Comfortable presenting to large groups of people. Ability to tailor presentations to suit customer/consumer level.
• Creative with an entrepreneurial spirit and passion to build and develop the prestige business.
• Strong relationship management skills.
• Ability to influence at a variety of levels.
• Adaptable and resilient.
• Works to add value.