Hays
Sales Manager
Requirements
Proven experience as a Sales or Account Manager within the FMCG sector, preferably in food and grocery. Requires strong commercial awareness, negotiation skills, and the ability to manage major retail stakeholders.
Job Description
Your new company
Our client is an award-winning manufacturer of premium food products with a strong presence across the UK grocery sector. Renowned for quality, innovation and exceptional customer engagement, they have built a loyal customer base and continue to experience growth within the FMCG market. The business offers a fun, vibrant and collaborative working environment where passion, personality and enthusiasm are highly valued.Due to an impending maternity leave, an exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Sales Manager to join the business on a 13-month fixed-term contract.
Your new role
As Sales Manager, you will be responsible for managing and developing relationships with key grocery and supermarket accounts, driving sales performance and identifying opportunities for growth across an established customer base.This is a fully office-based position where the focus is on account management and relationship development rather than cold calling. You will work closely with internal teams to ensure outstanding customer service, successful promotional activity and continued commercial success.Your responsibilities will include:
- Managing a portfolio of major supermarket and grocery accounts
- Building and maintaining strong relationships with key retail stakeholders
- Driving sales growth through account development and strategic planning
- Negotiating commercial agreements, promotions and product listings
- Producing sales forecasts, reports and performance analysis
- Identifying market opportunities and monitoring competitor activity
- Working collaboratively with marketing, operations and customer service teams
- Representing the business at industry exhibitions and trade shows (typically 2-3 per year)
- Ensuring customers receive a best-in-class service and partnership experience
What you'll need to succeed
To be considered for this role, you will have:
- Proven experience in a Sales Manager, National Account Manager or Key Account Manager role
- Essential FMCG experience
- Previous Food & Grocery sector experience would be highly advantageous
- Experience managing major supermarket or retail accounts
- Strong commercial awareness and negotiation skills
- Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder management abilities
- A proactive, energetic and personable approach
- Outstanding communication and presentation skills
- Strong analytical and reporting capabilities
- A genuine enthusiasm for quality consumer products
- The ability to thrive in a fast-paced and collaborative environment
What you'll get in return
- Salary of £55,000 - £58,000 per annum depending on experience
- 13-month fixed-term maternity cover contract
- Immediate start opportunity
- Exposure to major UK grocery retailers
- A fun, friendly and vibrant company culture
- Opportunity to work with an established and successful FMCG brand
- Supportive and collaborative team environment
- Career-enhancing experience within a growing business
What you need to do now
If you're an experienced FMCG sales professional with a background in grocery retail account management, and you're looking for your next challenge, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply now or contact Hays for a confidential discussion about this opportunity.
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Skills
About Hays
At Hays, we believe that the right job can transform a person's life - and the right person can transform a business. From career‑defining opportunities to complex workforce strategies, we connect ambition with opportunity - helping people and organisations reimagine what’s possible. Every year we place over 200,000 professionals into new roles. Whether it’s a permanent role or a temporary contract, our specialist consultants provide tailored advice and market intelligence to accelerate careers, from emerging talent to executive leadership. For organisations, our expert teams build recruitment and workforce solutions shaped by real-time market insights, local expertise and the scale of a world leading specialist in white collar hiring. With operations in 30 countries, over 200 offices and 9,500 colleagues worldwide, we fill around 1,000 roles every working day. The future of work isn’t something we’re waiting for. We’re creating it every day.