Sales Account Manager

Whitbread; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dynamic Sales Account Manager to drive B2B sales and enhance client relationships. This role focuses on developing strategic account plans, identifying growth opportunities, and managing complex sales cycles to maximize revenue. You'll collaborate with various teams to deliver exceptional service and ensure client satisfaction while implementing innovative strategies to reduce churn. Join a company recognized for its commitment to inclusion and employee satisfaction, where your contributions will play a crucial role in shaping business success and client experiences.

Benefits

Generous performance-based bonus

Private healthcare

Up to 60% discount on Premier Inn stays

25% discount in Whitbread Restaurants

Qualifications

• Understanding of rate structures and negotiated corporate contracts.
• Experience managing complex sales cycles and client retention.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for B2B sales strategy and tracking progress.
• Build strong relationships with B2B clients and manage revenue growth.

Skills

B2B Sales Strategy

Client Relationship Management

Market Analysis

Negotiation Skills

Revenue Growth Strategies

Customer Retention

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Business or related field

Tools

CRM Tools (Dynamics, Opera, Power BI)

Job description

Sales Account Manager – Whitbread – Dunstable

Salary: £30,000 - £35,000 + Competitive Bonus

Location: Hybrid 3 days a week in the office, with 1-2 days a week visiting customers/working from home - office location, Whitbread Court, Dunstable (LU5 5XE)

We’re Whitbread the UK’s largest hospitality business with over 1,200 hotels and restaurants across the UK but we’re more than that. We’re the 38,000 people who make everyday experiences special that delight over 5 million guests every month.

We are proud to have been recognised as a Top Employer for 14 consecutive years, voted a top apprenticeship employer by Department of Education and Rate my Apprenticeship, this year we placed #10 in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index for our commitment to LGBTQIA+ inclusion at Whitbread and have been awarded as a Top 25 Exemplary Employer in the Investing in Ethnicity Parliamentary Matrix as the only hospitality company leading the way in terms of Inclusion.

We are now recruiting a Sales Account Manager who will report to our Senior Sales Manager. We are on a journey to grow our business (and are investing in growing our Account Management team) whether that be through new acquisitions or by leveraging the relationships that we already have with other business and clients. We have an ambitious plan and need our Account Managers to work with our customers (B2B) to consolidate and grow our business to enable a win-win outcome for Premier Inn and our customers. You will work together with the Customer Excellence team to ensure your B2B accounts have a seamless customer experience, with regards to the on-boarding process, making bookings, invoicing, and ensure our customers fully understand our business products (both Business Account and Business Booker).

There are many opportunities to be had with your Accounts, so this should feel like a rewarding opportunity once you’ve started developing them.

Why you’ll love it here:

• Bonus: Enjoy a generous bonus based on your performance
• Private healthcare: For yourself
• Discounts: Up to 60% discount on Premier Inn stays in the UK and abroad and 25% discount in our Whitbread Restaurants

What you’ll do:

• Responsible for B2B sales strategy for each of your corporate clients (e.g. discounts, rebates etc), and tracking progress
• Build and implement strategic account plans to expand market share and revenue.
• Analyse market trends and client feedback to identify new business opportunities and areas for improvement
• Identify and pursue growth opportunities with compelling negotiated commercials and incentives to maximise profit
• Build strong relationships and understanding of your B2B clients, including quarterly face to face account reviews.
• Directly manage and grow revenue from large corporations through market leading account management
• Develop and implement strategies to reduce customer churn, such as loyalty incentives and targeted offers
• Proactively discuss renewals well in advance of contract end dates.
• Spotting trends in customer spend and adapt accordingly in terms of messaging and sales play
• Forecast, track and report on the status of accounts, sales metrics, and key performance indicators
• Create, provide, and educate the customer of their usage, areas where improvements can be made to maximise their travel program.
• Research competitor service offerings to be informed and one step ahead.

What you’ll need:

• Understanding of rate structures, negotiated corporate contracts, market segmentation, and service level agreements (SLAs).
• Experience managing complex sales cycles, predicting revenue growth, and implementing best practices for client retention, upselling, and cross-selling.
• Proficiency in CRM tools (e.g., Dynamics, Opera, Power BI) to manage accounts, sales pipelines, and performance analytics.
• Ability to articulate business impact and ROI to customers, aligning solutions with their strategic objectives.
• Proven track record of driving revenue growth, identifying new revenue streams, expanding accounts, and increasing market penetration within a sales environment.
• Experience managing corporate accounts, maintaining long-term partnerships, and negotiating corporate contracts.
• Skilled in conducting Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), presenting performance insights, and ensuring a seamless client experience.
• Strong ability to work with marketing, product, operations, and finance teams to develop compelling value propositions and scalable account expansion plans.
• Demonstrates leadership behaviour in delivering key tasks and driving account growth strategies.