STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER (NORTH)

Beeswift Limited; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Beeswift Limited, based in Birmingham, is seeking a Strategic Account Manager to drive sales growth and profitability within the PPE category. You will manage a portfolio of premier accounts and work with customers, suppliers, and the area sales team to deliver value-led solutions.

The role requires a proven track record in strategic account management or technical sales, strong negotiation and presentation skills, and willingness to travel across the UK.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in strategic account management, business development or technical sales.
• Experience within the PPE, safety, industrial distribution, workwear or related sectors.
• Strong commercial and negotiation skills.
• Ability to understand technical product specifications and translate them into customer solutions.
• Willingness to travel extensively throughout the UK, with occasional overseas travel.
• Excellent presentation, communication and influencing skills.
• Full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Manage and develop a portfolio of premier accounts, ensuring exceptional customer service and long term partnership growth.
• Develop and execute account plans to increase sales, profitability, customer retention and share of wallet.
• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders, decision makers and procurement teams within customer organisations.
• Identify and convert new business opportunities within existing accounts and targeted prospects.
• Conduct regular business reviews with customers to demonstrate value, performance and growth opportunities.
• Negotiate commercial agreements within Company guidelines and profitability targets.
• Deliver product training, technical guidance and customer presentations.
• Support customer site visits, product trials, wearer assessments and solution recommendations.
• Work closely with suppliers and manufacturers to ensure technical expertise remains current.

Skills

Strategic account management

B2B sales

PPE industry knowledge

Negotiation skills

Relationship management

Presentation skills

Travel flexibility

CRM systems

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

We understand that our people are what makes us successful in our goal of being the leading global provider of PPE, workwear and safety solutions. You’ll be joining a company where personal growth is promoted and where equal opportunities for progression are offered to all members of staff. We strive to create a supportive working environment for all of our employees. It’s our integrity, passion and work ethic that brings the Beeswift team together.

Beeswift is a manufacturer and wholesaler of personal protective equipment, workwear and medical supplies. As a leading supplier and manufacturer within our industry, we provide quality PPE from head to toe, offering customers superior durability and improved comfort. From our 144,000 sqft Headquarters in Birmingham, we distribute globally from stock. We pride ourselves on our ethical standards, holding a number of accreditations and associations including the Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI), EcoVadis (Gold standard), members of Sedex, BSIF (British Safety Industry Federation), RSSS (Registered Safety Supplier Scheme) and BHTA (British Healthcare Trade Association). We also hold ISO 9001:2015 and 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018 certifications.

About the role

The Strategic Account Manager is responsible for driving sales growth, profitability and market share within their designated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) category, whilst managing and developing a portfolio of strategically important customer accounts. The Strategic Account Manager will work closely with customers, suppliers, and the area sales team to identify opportunities, provide technical guidance, and deliver value-led solutions that support both customer needs and business objectives.

Requirements

• Proven track record in strategic account management, business development or technical sales.
• Experience within the PPE, safety, industrial distribution, workwear or related sectors.
• Strong commercial and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrable ability to manage and grow key customer relationships.
• Ability to understand technical product specifications and translate them into customer solutions.
• Excellent presentation, communication and influencing skills.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Willingness to travel extensively throughout the UK, with occasional overseas travel for trade shows, exhibitions and supplier or industry events.
• Understanding of relevant PPE regulations, standards and workplace safety requirements.
• Experience supporting field sales teams with technical product expertise.
• Familiarity with CRM systems and sales performance reporting.
• Customer Focus
• Commercial Acumen
• Strategic Thinking
• Technical Expertise
• Relationship Building
• Results Orientation
• Problem Solving
• Effective Communication

Essential

• Proven track record in strategic account management, business development or technical sales.
• Experience within the PPE, safety, industrial distribution, workwear or related sectors.
• Strong commercial and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrable ability to manage and grow key customer relationships.
• Ability to understand technical product specifications and translate them into customer solutions.
• Excellent presentation, communication and influencing skills.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Willingness to travel extensively throughout the UK, with occasional overseas travel for trade shows, exhibitions and supplier or industry events.

Desirable

• Understanding of relevant PPE regulations, standards and workplace safety requirements.
• Experience supporting field sales teams with technical product expertise.
• Familiarity with CRM systems and sales performance reporting.

Key Competencies

• Customer Focus
• Commercial Acumen
• Strategic Thinking
• Technical Expertise
• Relationship Building
• Influencing & Negotiation
• Collaboration & Teamwork
• Results Orientation
• Problem Solving
• Effective Communication

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Achievement of sales and margin targets within designated category.
• Growth of premier account revenue and profitability.
• Category penetration and share of wallet growth.
• New business opportunities generated and converted.
• Area sales team engagement and support activities delivered.
• Customer retention and satisfaction levels.
• Accuracy of pipeline forecasting and CRM management.
• Supplier and strategic partner engagement outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Account Management

• Manage and develop a portfolio of premier accounts, ensuring exceptional customer service and long term partnership growth.
• Develop and execute account plans to increase sales, profitability, customer retention and share of wallet.
• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders, decision makers and procurement teams within customer organisations.
• Identify and convert new business opportunities within existing accounts and targeted prospects.
• Conduct regular business reviews with customers to demonstrate value, performance and growth opportunities.
• Negotiate commercial agreements within Company guidelines and profitability targets.

Category Leadership

• Maintain expert knowledge of products, market trends, legislation, standards and emerging technologies relevant to the category.
• Support the development and execution of category growth strategies aligned to Company objectives.
• Identify opportunities to expand the category across existing and prospective customers.
• Provide insights on competitor activity, market trends and customer requirements to inform business decisions.

Sales Growth & Business Development

• Deliver category sales, margin and growth targets.
• Work collaboratively with the area sales team to generate opportunities and convert projects into sustainable revenue.
• Support strategic sales initiatives, campaigns and product launches in collaboration with the Marketing department.
• Identify customer needs and recommend appropriate PPE solutions that improve safety, compliance and value.
• Develop and maintain a strong pipeline of category and account opportunities.

Technical Support & Sales Enablement

• Serve as the primary technical resource for the area sales team within the assigned product category.
• Deliver product training, technical guidance and customer presentations.
• Support customer site visits, product trials, wearer assessments and solution recommendations.
• Assist in resolving technical queries and product related issues.
• Work closely with suppliers and manufacturers to ensure technical expertise remains current and best practice is shared across the sales organisation.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Build strong working relationships across Area Sales Managers and the wider Company.
• Collaborate with suppliers to maximise category opportunities, promotional activity and customer engagement.