National Account Manager – Waitrose
Location: Flexible / Hybrid (Bedfordshire)
Successful Food/FMCG Producer
Reporting to: Head of Commercial
Up to £60k + car allow + 20% bonus + benefits
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced and commercially driven National Account Manager to take ownership of one of our most strategic retail partnerships – Waitrose
This is a high-profile role responsible for developing and executing the commercial strategy for the account, delivering sustainable sales growth, maximising profitability, and building a best-in-class customer relationship. Working cross-functionally with Category, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance and NPD, you will ensure the successful delivery of joint business plans and new product launches while identifying opportunities to expand our presence within the retailer.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the commercial relationship with Waitrose, acting as the primary point of contact.
- Develop and implement annual Joint Business Plans (JBPs) aligned with both customer and company objectives.
- Deliver sales, profit and market share targets across the account.
- Lead all customer negotiations including pricing, promotional planning, terms and annual trading agreements.
- Manage the full P&L for the account, ensuring profitable and sustainable growth.
- Analyse EPOS, Kantar, Circana/Nielsen and customer data to identify commercial opportunities and drive performance.
- Collaborate with Category and Marketing teams to develop compelling category-led selling stories.
- Work closely with NPD teams to identify innovation opportunities and successfully launch new products.
- Forecast demand accurately and work alongside Supply Chain to ensure excellent service levels.
- Monitor competitor activity and market trends to identify risks and opportunities.
- Prepare and deliver compelling customer presentations and business reviews.
- Build strong internal relationships to ensure flawless execution across all customer initiatives.
- Maintain a thorough understanding of the grocery retail landscape and Waitrose strategy.
Key Performance Indicators
- Achievement of sales and profit targets
- Gross margin performance
- Distribution growth
- Promotional ROI
- Successful delivery of JBPs
- Forecast accuracy
- Customer satisfaction and relationship development
- Innovation launch success
Skills & Experience
Essential
- Proven experience as a National Account Manager within the UK FMCG Food & Drink sector.
- Demonstrable experience managing major grocery retail accounts, ideally Waitrose.
- Strong commercial acumen with experience managing account P&L
- Excellent negotiation and influencing skills.
- Strong analytical capability with experience interpreting retail and consumer data.
- Experience developing and delivering Joint Business Plans.
- Outstanding relationship-building skills with both internal and external stakeholders.
- Highly organised with excellent project management skills.
- Strong presentation and communication abilities.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint skills.
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