Business Development Manager - National Accounts

Position: Business Development Manager  - National Accounts
Business Development Manager - National Accounts

Competitive Salary + Car Allowance + Bonus | Location Cheltenham | 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Are you a commercially driven Business Development Manager who thrives on opening doors, winning major new customers and turning opportunities into long-term, profitable partnerships?

This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious sales professional to take a leading role in driving new business growth for an established and expanding organisation.

With a strong focus on winning new National Accounts, you'll have the opportunity to build your own pipeline, develop relationships with senior decision-makers and turn prospects into significant, long-term customers.

This isn't a role for someone who simply wants to maintain an existing account base. We're looking for someone who enjoys the chase, knows how to uncover opportunities and has the commercial instinct, credibility and determination to turn conversations into profitable business.

The location for this position is flexible, with travel required to meet customers and attend company locations when needed.

What you'll be doing

Your responsibilities will include:

Identifying, prospecting and winning profitable new National Accounts
Building and maintaining a strong pipeline of high-value new business opportunities
Taking ownership of the new business journey from initial prospecting and relationship building through to negotiation and account win
Opening doors and developing relationships with key decision-makers within national organisations
Creating compelling commercial proposals and delivering professional customer presentations
Achieving and exceeding new business, sales and cash margin targets
Negotiating commercial agreements that deliver sustainable and profitable growth
Developing commercial plans and strategies for prospective and existing customers
Managing and developing a portfolio of high-value National Accounts
Growing retained customer sales and margins
Developing and delivering joint business plans with key customers
Identifying new product, category and commercial opportunities
Working with internal teams and suppliers to create solutions tailored to customer requirements
Supporting product development and customer menu cycles where required
Driving customer campaigns and commercial initiatives
Maintaining regular and purposeful contact with customers and prospects
Monitoring sales, margin, profitability and customer performance against targets
Maintaining accurate CRM records, proposals and pipeline information
Using commercial data and market insight to identify opportunities and shape your sales strategy
Building your profile and network within your target market
Working collaboratively across the wider business to ensure new accounts are successfully won, implemented and developed
What we're looking for

We're looking for a confident, credible and commercially sharp sales professional who can demonstrate genuine success in winning new business.

Proven track record of winning profitable new business with national customers
Previous experience as a Business Development Manager, National Account Manager, Senior National Account Executive or similar
Strong prospecting and pipeline development experience
Experience managing and developing high-value customer relationships
Excellent commercial awareness and business acumen
Strong understanding of sales, cash margin and profitability
Confident negotiating commercial agreements and protecting margin
Ability to build credibility and influence senior decision-makers
Excellent presentation, communication and relationship-building skills
Strong account and business planning capability
Proactive and self-motivated with the drive to create opportunities rather than wait for them
Strong understanding of customer retention and account development
Highly organised and comfortable managing multiple opportunities at different stages of the sales cycle
Confident using CRM, reporting and commercial data to manage performance
Experience managing product development or customer menu cycles would be beneficial

Experience with in food service, food, FMCG or a similar…