Regional Account Manager

Overview of role

Reporting to the Area Manager of the South/Central on-trade regional sales team, this is an exciting role and will suit someone who is looking to progress in sales management, giving them the ideal opportunity to 'own and develop' the agreed region.

The candidate will ideally have a track record in sales / sales management with excellent relationship building skills and a proven ability to over-deliver against stretching targets. Ideally, they will have a knowledge and passion for wine, great presentation and analytical skills and the ability to negotiate are essential. Experience writing wine lists will be ideal.

The role is to specifically grow business across the on-trade sales sectors (restaurants, gastro and traditional pubs, hotels, brasseries and independent retail), treating the agreed sales area as your own and achieving the agreed Regional Sales goals.

Developing strong links internally with all E & C functions such as Customer Orders, Sales Operations BDM's, Area Managers, Finance, Supply Chain, Trade Marketing/Brand Managers and our Logistics team.

This role offers the opportunity to work with some fantastic wine producers, and some of the best and most exciting customers in the South. The successful candidate will be joining a friendly and very supportive team.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

Current accounts

• Manage and develop existing business through having active customer plans which provide marketing and promotional support, training and other relevant initiatives which will ensure customer retention and, where relevant, increase Enotria&Coe's share of their business.
• Work with other Account Managers, BDM's, Key Account Managers and Directors of Sales to ensure full coverage of all accounts in a given area.
• Ensure an appropriate level of service for a given channel in a given area, based on the service level agreement, and intervene to ensure any issues are addressed.
• Visit accounts at an appropriate frequency for their value to ensure competitors do not take over the account.
• Maximise the value of the account through pricing versus volume trade-offs.
• Grow the portfolio listings, including category conversions and new product introductions .
• Provide product advice to the account, including choices to maximise consumer value, appropriate menu structure, product portfolio management and product quality differentials.
• Organise and coordinate tailored services and engage category expert support to deliver the services.

New Business

• Draw on new business leads for the region during key tenders.
• Share customer leads in a cooperative and proactive manner as makes best sense for the Company amongst relevant colleagues.
• Identify and secure new customers through building relationships, constructing, and presenting a motivating proposition bespoke to each prospect, and back it up with a commercial deal appropriate to the scale and potential of the customer which meets margin expectations for that category of customer.

General

• Develop the channel network and intelligence.
• Reinforce and develop channel expertise and skills.
• Achieve financial targets, whilst planning to exceed targets.
• (Snr) Coach Sales Account Managers in the team
• Prepare and present proposals to current and potential accounts.
• Provide the relevant departments with ongoing volume forecasts in a timely manner for all key group customers and details of promotional lines, list changes etc. for key customers in order to ensure stock availability.
• Work proactively with the Marketing department on how to develop and present Enotria&Coe, both in a pitch situation and to improve the Company's on-going point of difference versus competition.
• Work with the Finance department on all commercial and analytical aspects of customer management and to work closely with the Credit Control team to minimise bad debts, which are deducted from margin for performance evaluation and bonus calculation.

Person Specification

Qualifications/ Training

• Good education, minimum GCSE English, and Maths or equivalent
• WSET Level 2-3 or equivalent qualification

Knowledge/ Experience

• Minimum 2 years in a similar role in the drinks industry
• In-depth industry expertise

Skills/ Abilities

• Great influencing and communication skills
• Excellent commercial awareness
• Strong selling skills with an ability to build relationships.
• Proven negotiation skills and ability to close deals in a timely manner.
• Good PC skills
• Self-motivator with a pro-active attitude
• Strong presentation skills
• Understanding of the various 'levers' available to add value to, and invest in, customers.
• Understanding of margin management
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy
• Strong communication and organisational skills
• A team player

Salary - Negotiable – Dependant on experience