It's not about cold-calling, rather negotiating at head office with buyers, understanding and interpreting the feedback and motivating your team about new product development.
National Account Managers need to be able to analyse consumer research data and realise how they can use it to their advantage, which means being comfortable around numbers. The job usually involves collating sales forecasting and availability and anaylsing which in-store promotion works.
Typical jobs are often account manager or customer manager and part of the job will involve negotiating with tough customers and respoding to a continually changing environment. There are always targets to meet, which means added pressure, which wouldn't appeal to everyone.
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Our 100 Consultants are all from relevant sales backgrounds themselves and seek to offer both candidates and clients tailored solutions in their respective searches.
Spanning both the corporate and the recruitment viewpoint, our Consultants have an outstanding track record of knowledge and experience in the FMCG market National Account Manager UK header agreements Give a quick run down of your career to date: How did you get into your current role? How do you describe to your friends what you do? What is the most challenging aspect of your job? What do you love most about your job? What frustrates you about your job? What are the perks? What is the biggest issue you have dealt with in the past 12 months? What skills do you use the most?I'VE GOT THAT JOB:
David Harrison - Mars Drinks
I joined Mars Drinks as a business development manager (BDM) in 2005. The opportunity to work for a worldwide business like Mars Inc really excited me. I had 18 months in this role, giving me a good grounding to work within the sales industry – I was even made Sales Person of the Year. In 2007 I moved into the national accounts team. My current role involves looking after many of our key accounts that require both national account management and co-ordinated sales team activity.
It was a rigorous selection process, which included a panel day with external and internal candidates. My ambition led to my getting the job.
I look after key accounts and their vending requirements, which is a really important role.
Having enough time in the day!
Within Mars Drinks you are given real freedom in your job to develop within your role. Ideas are always valued which makes me feel an important part of the team.
Contracts can be a little frustrating as they can take a bit of time.
Working for a global company like Mars there are a tremendous number of perks and career progression opportunities.
Retaining a key customer whose contract was up for renewal and winning large new accounts this year in the face of competition.
Core skills include strong communication, proactive customer service, effective planning and determination.
