Job Title: Account Manager
Reports to: Commercial Manager
Based: HQ in Huntingdon (with some hybrid working at manager's discretion PLUS
Ad-hoc UK client visits once-twice/month max as and when required)
Hours: Full-time (37.5hrs/wk) 8:55am-5:00pm Mon–Thursday,
8:55am-4:30pm on Friday with 30min lunch break.
Holiday: 26 Days paid annual leave plus bank holidays
Term: Permanent contract (standard UK employment '3 month probation' applies).
Basic Salary: £30,000-£35,000 depending on experience / proven track record & commission
Primary Target: Manage, maintain and grow existing accounts incl key accounts
Secondary Target: Assist Commercial Manager with client development
Job Purpose: Pro-active management of allocated clients which predominantly currently spend <£100,000 to ensure growth, whilst offering an unparalleled customer service. In addition some Top 48 clients will also be allocated, so key account management will also be necessary. The successful candidate will be focused on truly understanding every item of packaging their clients procure and why.
Key Drivers for role success: Personality, proactivity & excellent customer service, alongside being highly self-motivated in taking ownership of growing supply to an existing client base
Company overview:
Still 100% owned by the Lill family Est 1983, we invented the packaging Amazon uses today and are proud to be Europe's largest independent producer of ecommerce packaging for Europe's largest internet retailers. There are 100+ of us operating from our Huntingdon manufacturing HQ (150,000 sqft) generating in excess of £20m Turnover, growing 20% p.a.
Please join us on our mission to eradicate plastics from ecommerce. We're on track to be Europe's first NET-ZERO Carbon packaging manufacturer by 2030, twenty years ahead of the Paris agreement. We want to inspire clients to follow our greener path. Our new panoramic 3 floor HQ (Jun22) is one of the best office spaces in Huntingdonshire.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
1. Growth of existing accounts including some key accounts whilst identifying new opportunities and upselling.
2. Price, propose, negotiate, draft, sign: contracts & stock holdings for your clients.
3. Client visits (as / when required) eg. upselling, new product launches (ie demo packaging) or problem solving
4. Meticulous planning and XLS forecasting of clients to ensure peak supply (Oct-Dec)
5. Full accountability of client once handed-over from Business Development Team.
6. Holiday cover for account management team: coordinating daily team meeting
& tasks, and covering team members as / when required.
1. Assist the team with client issues as and when required
Other Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
• Day to day processing of clients: emails/enquiries/orders/deliveries/artworks.
• Attend daily virtual meetings with colleagues & clients (zoom / teams)
• Respond to clients within 24 hours (ideally <2 hrs), ensuring no task goes neglected.
• Update clients on production schedules and stock holdings
• Follow Commercial Manager's direction to optimise team and client satisfaction.
• Resolve client complaints to the mutual satisfaction of both client and company.
• Attend relevant training courses & develop knowledge, techniques and skills.
• Adhere to policies & procedures relating to Health & Safety, Quality Management.
In order to help in the efficiency and smooth running of the Company, you must recognise
and fully accept that the Company may require you to work in any section carrying out other duties within your capabilities, as the workload so requires.
Person Specification
Job Title: Account Manager
• A great sense of humour and positive 'can do' approach, even to routine tasks, in keeping with our 'mail happy' slogan.
• Ability to turn any client interaction into a positive one.
• Highly motivated and able to work effectively under own initiative.
• A background in corrugated packaging is preferred but not essential.
• Comfortable communicating with directors and prestigious blue chip companies.
• Good presenter/communicator: virtual meetings (zoom/teams)/ phone/ e-mail.
• Pro-active work ethic
• Business Acumen
• Confident and able to engage with internal and external stakeholders.
• A natural forward planner who critically assesses own performance.
• Quick thinker
• Team Player
• Very strong interpersonal skills.
• Organised and efficient.
• Ability to work in a changing environment.
• Good computer skills : MS Office: Outlook/Excel/Teams/Word/Powerpoint
• Educated to a minimum standard of 5 GCSEs grade A-E.
• Able to commute reliably to HQ in Huntingdon and clients nationally (ad-hoc).
• Familiarity with our MIS IT system 'Shuttleworth' preferred but full training given.
Literacy and Numeracy:
A good level of literacy & numeracy are required.
Must be a competent writer of communications and excel spreadsheets.