Customer Development Manager (Wholesale/Food Service)

Job Title: Customer Development Manager

Location: Home based plus, weekly time spent in London (Head Office), UK-wide Travel

Contract: 1 Year Fixed Term Contract (with view to extension)

Overview:

HRA Global are working on behalf of one of our key clients, a large international Dairy Co-operative, to recruit a Customer Development Manager. You will be employed by HRA Global, but you will be reporting directly to our client’s Business Unit Lead to help develop wholesaler relationships that drive new food service channel opportunities and sales for their range of products and brands. HRA Global will support you during your contract and provide access to our team and range of expertise in insights and strategy.

Purpose of the job:

As a Customer Development Manager, you will play a pivotal role in expanding this well-known dairy brand’s footprint across the UK.  You will be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with wholesalers, specifically Bidfoods and Brakes, in order to increase listings with their clients and open up new business opportunities.  This role requires an in-depth knowledge of this sector and you must be a strategic and quick thinker, with a passion for customer development and negotiation.

Whilst some of your time will be spent home-working, you will also be expected to work at our client’s head office in London, in order to connect with the wider team, and you will need to travel across the UK* as required to meet suppliers and potential targets.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong leadership in creating and executing business strategies, developing long-term partnerships, negotiating commercial terms, and increasing market share within the competitive dairy sector.

Key Responsibilities:

• Open New Sales Channels: Identify and evaluate new distribution channels and opportunities, to expand market reach and increase brand presence. Develop and implement strategies to penetrate these channels, ensuring alignment with overall business goals and maximising revenue potential
• Grow Market Share: Identify and develop growth opportunities within the UK market by expanding into new territories and developing strategic partnerships with key customers and building physical distribution, availability and visibility of the client's products
• Develop New Accounts: Proactively seek out and establish relationships to expand our customer base and increase revenues.
• Account Management & Strategy: Create and execute bespoke account plans and activation programmes for key customers, focusing on long-term partnership growth and profitability
• Range Portfolio & Promotions: Collaborate with customers to agree on effective product range portfolios and implement promotional strategies that drive sales while ensuring brand integrity.
• Negotiate Contracts: Lead commercial negotiations with customers ensuring mutually beneficial agreements
• Sales Data Analysis: Regularly analyse sales performance data to identify trends, measure the success of promotional activities, and inform decision-making for future business development.
• Ensure Strong Margins: Monitor pricing, promotional investments and cost structures
• Customer Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders, ensuring the highest levels of customer satisfaction and collaboration.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with internal teams, including marketing, supply chain, and product development, to ensure alignment and effective delivery of account objectives.
• Travel & On-Site Client Visits: Frequently travel across the UK to meet with clients, attend business reviews, and represent the company at trade shows and industry events as necessary.

Person Specification:

Experience & Skills:

• National Account Management Experience: Demonstrated success in managing large national & regional accounts, ideally within the FMCG or dairy sector (though experience in other sectors will be considered).
• Channel experience: the ideal candidate will have direct experience of opening up and maintaining contracts with wholesaler and foodservice channels
• Strategic Planning: Strong experience in developing and executing strategic account plans that deliver against sales, profitability, and growth targets.
• Sales & Negotiation Expertise: Proven track record of negotiating and securing commercial deals, with the ability to build win-win partnerships.
• Commercial Acumen: Strong understanding of key business drivers and ability to analyse financial data to inform commercial decisions.
• Customer Relationship Management: Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective, long-term relationships with key customers at all levels of the business.
• Excellent Communication Skills: Clear and persuasive communicator, both written and verbal, with strong presentation and influencing skills.
• Analytical Thinking: Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales data, identify trends, and make data-driven recommendations.
• Resilience, Tenacity & Perseverance: Demonstrated ability to influence and build new relationships, overcoming challenges and setbacks to drive successful outcomes.
• Adaptability & Flexibility: Able to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with a willingness to travel across the UK as required.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Comfortable working with internal teams across various functions (sales, marketing, supply chain) to deliver against customer needs.
• Self-Motivated & Goal-Oriented: Able to work independently, remotely, and as part of a team, with a focus on achieving and exceeding targets.
• Travel Requirement: Willingness to travel extensively across the UK, including frequent overnight stays where necessary.  You must have a valid UK driving license and access to a car.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Certifications such as Strategic Sales Management, Business Analytics, Negotiation Mastery or Communication is desirable but not essential

Remuneration package:

• This role offers a competitive salary of between £55-65K (depending on experience) and includes pension contributions, car* and phone data allowance
• All reasonable travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed

Application Process:

1. Applicants that include a cover letter will be prioritised.  Closing date 7 March 2025
2. First round 30-minute interviews will be online with HRA Global.  You will be asked to discuss a situation (using the STAR) where you applied a consultative rather than transactional approach to selling.
3. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed online by our client’s Business Unit Lead mid to end March
4. A small selection of candidates will be invited to a face-to-face interview with our client in London end March/beginning April
5. The successful recruit will need to provide evidence of a right to work in the UK along with 2 industry references

*Note:

Access to a car that you can use for work purposes and a full UK Driving license is essential for this role as you will be expected travel

About HRA Global:

HRA Global is a strategy and management consultancy, born out of a love and a desire to improve and innovate the global food and drink industry.  We work up and down the value chain using strong project management, commercial analysis and market research capabilities. Our client base includes brands, retailers, producers and processors in over 20 countries worldwide.