National Account Manager - Boots at PZ Cussons

Job Purpose:

The National Account Manager is responsible for managing and growing customer relationships at a national level for our Boots Account across defined PZ Cussons brands. You will drive sustainable and profitable sales growth by developing and executing joint business plans, securing product listings, and optimising promotional strategies in line with brand and commercial objectives. Acting as the key point of contact between the business and the customer, you will ensure that our products are effectively positioned in the market while meeting the specific needs of the retailer.

Key Duties and Responsibilities  

Internal

• Collaborate with the Senior National Account Manager (SNAM) to develop and execute the retailer strategy, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives.
• Deliver accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual sales forecasts, highlighting risks and opportunities to enable effective business planning.
• Analyse weekly retailer sales reports and share insights to inform strategic decision-making and performance improvement.
• Negotiate annual Joint Business Plans (JBPs) with retailers to secure mutually beneficial commercial agreements.
• Achieve agreed sales and profit targets to contribute to the company’s overall growth and financial success.
• Manage trade spend effectively to maximise profitability while increasing brand awareness in the marketplace.
• Build and deliver account budgets to ensure disciplined financial planning and performance tracking.
• Coordinate promotional planning with the Marketing team to drive profitable growth, maximise NPD support, and maintain brand integrity.
• Conduct monthly promotional performance reviews with the Finance team, providing recommendations to improve return on future promotional investment.
• Oversee the supply chain within the account through accurate forecasting and delivery, ensuring product availability and minimising stock issues.
• Represent the account in key business meetings (e.g. forecast validation, NPD, and brand updates), sharing performance reviews, identifying risks, and proposing opportunities.
• Support sales growth through the execution of ad hoc activities aligned to account and business needs

External

• Lead the development and performance of the category within the retailer to strengthen market presence and deliver brand growth.
• Conduct regular cross-functional monthly meetings with retailers to review account performance and align on action plans.
• Drive profitable EPOS sales by building brand visibility and delivering initiatives that resonate with consumers and customers.
• Build strong networks and collaborative partnerships across all key departments within each retail account to support long-term business relationships.
• Deliver best-in-class service to retail partners, ensuring consistency, responsiveness, and professionalism in all interactions.
• Co-create and implement JBPs with retailers to ensure shared goals, aligned plans, and commercial success.
• Monitor sell-out performance and take timely action to address issues or capitalise on opportunities.
• Track and report on market and competitor activity within accounts to inform internal strategy and maintain competitive advantage.

Criteria 

• Collaborative Team Player: Works effectively with others, contributing to a positive team dynamic and shared goals
• Prior experience of National Account Management
• Analytical & Detail-Oriented: Strong ability to interpret data and focus on accuracy, ensuring high-quality outputs and informed decision-making
• Effective Communicator: Demonstrates clear and confident written and verbal communication skills, adapting style to suit different audiences
• Operational Excellence: Highly efficient in managing day-to-day processes and driving execution to deliver results
• Presentation Skills: Capable of creating and delivering engaging, insight-led presentations tailored to a range of stakeholders
• IT Proficiency: Skilled in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word, to support data analysis, reporting, and communication
• Strong Negotiation Skills: Experienced in leading commercial negotiations that deliver mutually beneficial outcomes
• Highly Organised: Maintains structure and manages multiple priorities effectively, ensuring deadlines and objectives are consistently met