National Account Manager

Only candidates based in the UK will be considered for the role.

NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER - GROCERY

BACKGROUND

CafePod was set up in 2011 by 2 friends to bring some much-needed change to the world of coffee. Consumer coffee habits were in the throes of being upended & they saw this as a great opportunity to take the lead in coffee at home.

Over the last few years, we've created a solid base of advocates who love our great award-winning products. Covid has changed the world & the coffee landscape & with more people than ever drinking coffee at home, we are well positioned & excited to help usher in new era. Our ultimate ambition is to be the UK's go-to brand for coffee at home.

THE ROLE

We want someone who is excited to work in a fast growth, entrepreneurial company.

We are looking for a Sales Superstar to manage our UK Grocery business (Tesco, Ocado & Waitrose) as well as open new accounts with other National Retailers.

This role plays a pivotal part in the business - helping to drive sales and working directly with other departments on a day-to-day basis (including marketing, operations, and finance). We are looking for those with initiative and energy to make a difference.

Championing our grocery accounts you will take full P&L responsibility for your accounts and challenge the organisation to give you what you need for success. Keep up to date with the channel's ever-changing landscape and optimise plans to maximise growth.

Working closely with your customers you will develop a strategic relationship and set joint business plans in line with business expectations. You will work collaboratively with the wider commercial team and share best practice. The role is homebased, with an expectation to visit customers and head offices when required.

LOCATION

We are a UK-based fully remote team. We used to have an office. We gave it up during Covid and have never looked back Now, the team is spread up & down the country. By being a remote team, we've got the great opportunity to work with talented people across the UK.

KEY OUTPUTS

• Execute and agree sales plans/ JBPs with customers to deliver budgeted volume, profit, and ROI (P&L responsibility); be resourceful and employ innovative sales and marketing solutions to deliver value, gross margin and volume targets for your customers.
• To achieve the Grocery Commercial Sales, Margin & Profit Targets
• Monitor weekly sales, ensure the sales performance meets the annual business plan, including promotions, trade marketing activity and other sales driving initiatives.
• Continual evaluation of customer product mix to drive improved profitability.
• Responsibility for managing product cost prices to maximise contribution including the implementation of cost increases when required.
• Use hierarchy to analyse portfolio & build sustainable distribution, sales & profitability of existing and NPD lines within the customer; translate category / brand presentations into pitches to accounts to successfully introduce new products / gain incremental distribution.
• Develop & execute a spend savvy promotional plan for your customers working to determine ROI of key activity and use commercial / category insight to influence future plans.
• Lead contact plan within accounts to ensure maximum breadth and depth.
• Understand Category, Market, Customer and Consumer dynamics.
• Work with Marketing, Finance and Procurement departments to develop and implement strategies for new products, to apply marketing strategies and to forecast sales accurately.
• Work with marketing team to activate a BTL brand strategy and 'win in store'; be the lead on trade marketing point of contact within accounts.
• Provide data driven, accurate / timely inputs to demand planning to enable S&OP process & accurate forecasts.
• Focus on driving online aspect of Grocery retail.
• Identify and attract prospective strategic customers in the UK, managing a active sales pipeline with the objective of gaining new distribution within National Retailers.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• 3 years' experience as a National Account Manager working with UK Grocers, and ideally in ambient foods categories and UK Grocers and wholesalers/ distributors.
• P&L management of a Top 4 Grocer
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to work with others to deliver a specific customer strategy; strong networking capability and cross-functional relationship building skills.
• Proven track record of resilience and managing complex commercial conversations.
• Ability to demonstrate NSV growth achievement and a strong ability/restlessness to seek out further growth.
• Evidence of growing sales and launching new products.
• Competence at full business and P&L diagnosis
• Ability to deal with ambiguity, lack of data and at ease with difficult and demanding customer conversations.
• Excellent communication skills and record of accomplishment of building strong relationships with customers.
• A keen eye for detail & analytical
• Ability to prioritise and manage expectations.
• Strong Excel skills essential
• You'll love devising the right plans for your customers and brand and be confident in coming up with the right solutions then implementing them.
• Financial planning skills to create / deliver 1 yr customer budget, sales / demand forecast.
• Working knowledge of supplier / retailer operational requirements / systems / constraints
• Enthusiastic and energetic
• Proactive and resilient

WHAT WE VALUE

Our values are our principles & guidelines that govern how we conduct ourselves at CafePod. Whether it's interacting with other team members or customers, or making decisions, or an approach to a task – our Values set the tone for our culture, our work ethic & the type of business we are creating. Our Values are the behaviours we value in our team & the people we work with.

Boldness: Boldness in our thinking & actions, taking us beyond our comfort zones. A willingness to take risk & act innovatively with confidence & courage. Boldness in ambition to achieve something & to move forward, both in our personal & professional lives.

Ownership & accountability: Owning our own thoughts, actions, choices & taking responsibility for them.

Curiosity: The desire to learn, to know, to solve, to want to expand horizons. The ability to ask why, & then ask it again. And again.

Empathy: Empathy underpins everything. It is at the core of being able to understand all the stakeholders of the business, especially the customer. What does life look like standing in their shoes?

Persistence: The ability to keep going on, progressing towards the vision in spite of the challenges, the knocks & the sceptics. Persistence is the secret weapon of many successes.

Diligence: Doing what needs to be done at the right level of quality & not being tempted by short cuts.

REMOTE WORKING REQUIREMENTS

The role does require you to have the appropriate space and environment at home to perform the role to the required standard. Equipment and tools required to perform the role will be supplied by us.

You will be required to travel monthly to meet with the team in London. You will also be required to travel to visit customers & suppliers in the UK when needed.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Competitive salary (£40k - £45k DOE)
• 25 days annual leave
• Private Healthcare
• Gym Membership
• Coffee Machine + lots of coffee
• Pension