This is a fantastic opportunity to join a fun, ambitious, and competitive team, working with an exciting mix of brands and a consistent pipeline of innovation. It will be hands-on across all areas of the business, bringing a positive, proactive mindset and a genuine appetite to learn, grow, and take on increasing responsibility for customer relationships.
Key Account Manager - B2B Sales
Location - Flitwick Office (Hybrid)
Reporting to - National Account Manager / Senior Account Manager
Role Description
The Key Account Manager is responsible for owning and delivering growth across a defined portfolio of lower-complexity customer accounts, while also supporting the delivery of larger strategic accounts as part of a wider account team. The role represents the natural progression from Sales Executive to National Account Manager, combining independent account ownership with supported exposure to more complex customers and negotiations.
This is a fantastic opportunity to join a fun, ambitious, and competitive team, working with an exciting mix of brands and a constant pipeline of innovation. It will be hands-on across all areas of the business, bringing a positive, proactive mindset and a genuine appetite to learn, grow, and take on increasing responsibility for customer relationships.
Role Scope & Accountability
End-to-end ownership of a portfolio of Tier 3 customers and selected Tier 2 customers
Defined responsibility for supporting Tier 1 accounts on specific stages or tasks within the sales process
Revenue and Direct Gross Profit (DGP) accountability for owned accounts
Shared accountability with NAMs for preparation quality and execution on supported accounts
Strong cross-functional working with Sales, Supply & Demand Planning, Marketing, Product and Finance
Core Responsibilities
Stage 1 – Account Strategy & Pre-Season Planning
• Own seasonal account plans for Tier 3 and assigned Tier 2 customers
• Support preparation of Tier 1 account plans through data, offer construction and risk identification
• Build strong understanding of customer priorities, constraints and competitive context
• Define selling propositions and commercial hypotheses ahead of engagement
• Prepare structured proposals covering range, pricing, volume and margin logic
Stage 2 – Seasonal Preview & Commercial Negotiation
• Lead seasonal previews and negotiations independently for Tier 3 customers
• Lead or co-lead previews for assigned Tier 2 customers with NAM support
• Support Tier 1 negotiations through follow-ups, objection tracking and scenario refinement
• Manage buyer objections and trade-offs with clear commercial rationale
• Maintain clarity on agreed, indicative and rejected elements
Stage 3 – Commitment & Forecast Management
• Secure commercial commitments for owned accounts in line with agreed timelines
• Maintain accurate, time-phased forecasts for Tier 3 and assigned Tier 2 customers
• Support forecast discipline for Tier 1 accounts including change tracking and risk highlighting
• Escalate risks, late changes or confidence issues appropriately
Stage 4 – In-Season Execution & Performance Management
• Manage in-season performance for owned accounts including forecast vs actual and OTIF
• Support in-season execution for Tier 1 accounts through performance tracking and escalation
• Maintain clear communication with customers and internal teams
• Protect margin and delivery credibility through disciplined execution
Stage 5 – Post-Season Review & Continuous Improvement
• Lead post-season reviews for Tier 3 and assigned Tier 2 customers
• Support Tier 1 reviews with analysis and insight
• Capture learning and embed into future account planning
Competency Expectations
Strategic & Analytical Thinking
• Applies customer and market insight to shape account plans
• Understands and manages key commercial drivers
• Begins to evaluate trade-offs and scenarios independently
Executional Rigour
• Delivers work with consistency, accuracy and discipline
• Manages multiple accounts without loss of quality
• Maintains high standards of planning and documentation
Relationship Management & Leadership
• Builds credible buyer relationships
• Influences internally through clarity and reliability
• Takes increasing ownership for outcomes
Experience & Capability
Experience in B2B sales, account management or commercial roles
Demonstrated progression from Sales Executive or equivalent
Experience of customer interaction and negotiation
Strong commercial and numerical capability
Confident user of Excel, PowerPoint and Word
Full driving license
Personal Attributes
Confident, organised and commercially curious
Comfortable operating with increasing autonomy
Effective in a seasonal, deadline-driven environment
Motivated to progress toward National Account Manager Responsibility
Development Path
This role is the primary progression step towards National Account Manager, providing independent account ownership, exposure to more complex negotiations and increasing leadership responsibility.