National Account Manager

Department: Commercial

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Manchester

The National Account Manager at REFY owns a defined International Account portfolio: the retailer relationship, the sales out, the Joint Business Plan, the ROI, the presentations and the day to day success and long term strategy of your accounts.

You will be in front of buyers/merchandisers constantly. Presenting the range, selling the launch in, negotiating the plan and driving REFY’s growth. You will be commercially savvy and relationship driven.

You will forecast an NPD launch at SKU level, aligning JBP on both newness and core. You will know your sales by door inside out and will have a constant alignment with the Commercial Planning team on demand to ensure you can drive your account.

Around 80% of the role is selling out, trading the JBP and forecasting. You will be measured on sales-out growth, JBP delivery, forecast accuracy and margin, with a direct focus on ROI.

• 1. Sales Out Delivery
  • Own the sales-out number for your accounts, by door, by SKU, by week.
  • Trade the accounts weekly; promotional activity, stock, GWP and trading.
  • Grow rate of sale per door, not just distribution.
  • Grow REFY’s ranking within the category in every account you own.
  • Build recovery plans where performance is behind budget and take them to the retailer.
• 2. Joint Business Planning
  • Build the annual JBP for your accounts: growth targets, ranging, space, investment and activation.
  • Run the quarterly business review with the retailer and reforecast off the outcome.
  • Track JBP investment against the sales it delivers. Every pound has to earn a return.
  • Build the case for terms, pricing and new doors.
• 3. Forecasting & Forecast Accuracy
  • Own the sales-out forecast for your accounts at SKU level.
  • Deliver weighted forecast accuracy of 85%+
  • Hold overall forecast accuracy for your accounts within 10%
  • Reforecast monthly with Commercial Planning.
  • Forecast every NPD launch and every promotion, aligning cross-functionally on how to hit your plans.
• 4. Commercial Acumen & Margin
  • Own the account P&L view: gross margin, trade investment, markdown and deductions.
  • Protect margin and own your retailer P&L.
  • Challenge retailer deductions, chargebacks and returns line by line before they are accepted.
  • Model every proposal in Excel before it goes to the retailer & know your margins.
• 5. Stock & Availability
  • Deliver 97% on-shelf availability on the top 20 SKUs by value and 95% across the range.
  • Work with Commercial Planning on stock cover, phasing and allocation.
  • Flag stock risk to Planning before it becomes a lost sale, not after.
• 6. Range, Launches & In-Store Execution
  • Own the range plan and line forms for your accounts and land NPD on the critical path.
  • Sell the launch in, then own the sell-out for the first 12 weeks.
  • Work with the Field team on gondola standards, VM and in-store execution.
  • Check what is actually in store against what was agreed.
• 7. Relationships & Presenting
  • Own the relationship with buying, merchandising and marketing in your accounts.
  • Build and present the sell-in: range, launch and JBP. Tell the story with the numbers behind it.
  • Run retailer meetings, kitchen sessions and marketing days with a clear agenda and pre-work.
• 8. Reporting & Cross-Functional Work
  • Report weekly on sales-out, forecast, availability and risk. Outcome first, detail after.
  • Work with Commercial Planning, Operations, Field, Brand, CRM and Product on your accounts.
  • Feed retailer insight into range, NPD and pricing conversations.
  • Lead Tuesday trade meetings.
• THIS ROLE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
  • Sales-out and net sales delivery for a defined UK and Ireland account portfolio.
  • JBP build, delivery and in-year trading within the signed plan.
  • SKU level forecast accuracy for those accounts.
  • On-shelf availability in every door.
  • Gross margin and trade investment return on the accounts owned.
  • Recommending terms, pricing and new doors.
• SUCCESS MEASURES
  • Sales-out growth ahead of the category in every account.
  • Weighted SKU forecast accuracy of 85% across your SKUs.
  • 97% on-shelf availability on the top 20 SKUs by value.
  • JBP delivered in full, with investment return tracked and evidenced.
  • Gross margin at or ahead of plan.
  • REFY ranking held or improved in every account + sales targets achieved.

Essential:

• 6+ years in a National Account Manager or National Account Executive role in beauty, premium FMCG or prestige retail.
• Major International Accounts Experience
• Proven record of growing sales-out in a…