Key Accounts Director
Location: Home‑based with UK travel
Salary: Package of £100k+ (including base salary, commission and car allowance)
Contract Type: Full Time, Permanent
What We Can Offer You: 25 Days Annual Leave (Pro‑Rata for Part‑time & Fixed‑Term Roles), Additional Holiday Purchase, Hybrid Working, Life Assurance, Vitality Private Healthcare, Subsidised Gym Memberships, Cycle to Work scheme, Discount Vouchers and Access to Wellbeing Resources
Mercia Group (part of Wilmington plc) are looking for someone who knows how to build strong, lasting commercial relationships and turn them into meaningful, long‑term revenue. You likely come from an accountancy or professional services background, or have significant experience selling into regulated sectors such as legal services, education or financial services. You handle complex conversations and apply sound commercial judgement where credibility matters.
Main Purpose of the Role
Take ownership of Mercia’s largest and most strategically important clients and partners, including leading accountancy firms, heads of groups and networks, and key industry partners such as software providers, training organisations and professional education bodies. Maintain and grow these relationships, spot opportunities for expansion and ensure long‑term client retention while supporting the Senior Leadership Team and sales/marketing colleagues to develop new partnerships aligned with Mercia’s growth plans.
Key Tasks and Responsibilities
- Drive the growth and retention of revenue across your portfolio.
- Develop and leverage commercial and strategic partnerships to contribute to Mercia’s wider growth strategy.
- Work closely with a designated Client Success Manager to ensure world‑class service for strategic clients and partners.
- Build and maintain strategic B2B partnerships; demonstrate solution‑selling expertise in regulated industries (accountancy, legal services, or education).
- Manage your time and workload efficiently to meet activity targets.
- Line‑manage and support a small team of Key Account Managers.
- Prioritise activity across your portfolio to maximise the potential and long‑term value of each account.
- Negotiate commercially with clients, partners and procurement teams to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes, consulting legal teams as necessary.
- Build and maintain a pipeline of opportunities that grows year on year.
- Collaborate with the product division on new solutions, pricing and go‑to‑market materials.
- Support the wider sales team in commercial negotiations, proposals and client contracting.
- Accurately capture and record client and partner interactions in Salesforce and other systems.
- Convert proposals into successful deals and track performance metrics (conversion rates, pipeline growth, revenue retention/win).
- Log client feedback, requests and insights with the Product Department.
What Is the Best Thing About This Role
You will be at the heart of Mercia’s strategic growth, shaping partnerships with some of the biggest names in the accountancy profession while leading a small team and influencing the wider sales strategy.
What Is the Most Challenging Thing About This Role
Managing a high‑value portfolio with multiple stakeholders and complex negotiations requires commercial agility, proactive problem‑solving, and the ability to balance long‑term strategy with day‑to‑day operational demands.
Qualifications
- Proven experience selling solutions within a regulated environment such as accountancy, professional education or training.
- Demonstrable experience managing a portfolio of high‑value key accounts – typically up to 30 clients – with a focus on retention, growth and long‑term value.
- Experience operating at senior leadership level, engaging credibly with SLT, board‑level stakeholders and executive decision makers, both internally and externally.
- Previous line‑management and coaching experience with a Key Accounts or senior sales team.
- Strong understanding of the commercial realities of the business, spotting opportunities for strategic partnerships and longer‑term growth.
- Positive, thoughtful and disciplined approach to sales, focused on understanding client needs and solving problems rather than transactional selling.
- Collaborative mindset and willingness to share insight, best practice and experience with colleagues across the sales function.
- Flexibility to travel across the UK to meet clients and partners, with occasional travel further afield, and ability to attend regular internal meetings in Leicester and London.
- Must have permission to work in the UK by the start of employment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous sales experience in the accountancy industry.
About Mercia Group
Mercia Group, part of Wilmington plc, is a leading provider of information, education and networking services. We support accountancy firms across the UK with high‑quality training, content and resources, fostering curiosity, collaboration and continuous growth.
As a Disability Confident employer, we shortlist all applicants who meet the essential role criteria and guarantee an interview for candidates with disabilities who meet these criteria. For reasonable adjustments or to apply under our interview guarantee scheme, please use the contact details provided once you have clicked apply.
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