National Account Controller

🟣National Account Controller- Retail / Grocery

🟣Location: Home-Based/ Southern HQ

🟣Remuneration: £Six Figures + Benefits

The Business

Our client is one of the world's most successful and respected food groups, generating multi-billion-pound revenues across international markets and operating a portfolio of category-leading brands that are loved by consumers across the globe.

Their brands enjoy exceptional household penetration, market-leading awareness, and powerful impulse purchase dynamics that continue to drive growth across multiple retail channels. Few businesses can match their combination of brand strength, consumer loyalty, innovation capability, and commercial excellence.

Innovation sits at the heart of everything they do. Through substantial investment in consumer insight, NPD, shopper marketing, category development, and customer partnerships, they continue to redefine what success looks like within their categories.

Their philosophy is built around long-term growth rather than short-term wins. As a result, they have developed some of the strongest customer partnerships within UK Grocery, working collaboratively to create sustainable growth plans that deliver value for both retailer and supplier alike.

Today, the business is entering another exciting phase of growth. Significant investment is being deployed across brands, people, capability, and innovation, creating an exceptional opportunity for an ambitious commercial leader to join the organisation at a pivotal moment in its journey.

The Opportunity

This is one of the most significant customer leadership opportunities within UK FMCG.

As National Account Controller, you will take ownership of a strategically critical grocery partnership representing in excess of £100 million in branded retail sales value.

This is not simply a customer management role.

You will become one of the key architects of the long-term growth strategy between two industry-leading organisations, helping shape how some of the UK's most recognisable brands continue to win with shoppers, grow categories, and create substantial value for both businesses.

Working alongside senior customer stakeholders and best-in-class internal teams spanning Marketing, Category, Revenue Growth Management, Shopper Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, and Innovation, you will help define and execute ambitious multi-year growth plans across multiple categories and shopper missions.

The scale, visibility, and strategic nature of this role provide a level of commercial exposure rarely found outside of Channel Director and Commercial Director positions.

Importantly, this role is viewed internally as a key stepping stone towards future Channel Director leadership opportunities. For ambitious individuals seeking to accelerate their progression, the platform, visibility, and development opportunity on offer are exceptional.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and lead one of the company's largest and most strategically important grocery partnerships
• Manage a branded portfolio exceeding £100 million in retail sales value
• Develop and execute a multi-year customer growth strategy focused on sustainable sales, share, and profit growth
• Build deep, senior-level customer relationships, positioning the business as a trusted strategic partner
• Lead annual negotiations, Joint Business Planning processes, and long-term customer development plans
• Identify and unlock new growth opportunities through category development, innovation, shopper insight, and customer collaboration
• Work cross-functionally to ensure flawless execution across forecasting, supply chain, activation, and NPD delivery
• Influence major investment decisions through strong commercial leadership and customer understanding
• Coach, develop, and inspire members of the wider commercial team
• Act as a key contributor to the future commercial strategy of the UK business
• Support the creation of long-term category growth plans that strengthen the partnership between customer and supplier

Why Apply

✔️ Lead one of the most important customer relationships within a world-class FMCG organisation

✔️ Manage a branded portfolio worth over £100 million in retail sales value

✔️ Work with category-leading brands that consumers know, trust, and actively seek out

✔️ Become a key architect of a long-term strategic growth partnership between two market-leading businesses

✔️ Operate at the centre of commercial strategy, innovation, category development, and customer leadership

✔️ Influence investment decisions, innovation agendas, and long-term business planning

✔️ Gain exposure and responsibility typically associated with Channel Director and Commercial Director positions

✔️ Join an organisation renowned for developing exceptional commercial talent and future business leaders

✔️ Build a genuine platform towards future Channel Director, Commercial Director, and General Management opportunities

Candidate Profile

We are seeking an exceptional commercial leader with a proven track record of success within Blue Chip Branded FMCG.

• Strong experience managing major UK grocery customers within a leading branded FMCG organisation
• Proven ability to develop and execute strategic customer plans that deliver sustainable growth
• Strong commercial and financial capability with experience managing large and complex P&Ls
• Excellent negotiation, influencing, and stakeholder management skills
• Deep understanding of category growth, shopper behaviour, customer strategy, and brand building
• Comfortable operating within sophisticated matrix organisations
• Natural leader who inspires confidence both internally and externally
• Able to balance strategic thinking with strong commercial execution
• Currently operating at National Account Controller, Senior National Account Manager, Head of Sales, or equivalent level and seeking a larger strategic platform
• Experience within Blue Chip Branded FMCG is essential

This is a rare opportunity to combine the excitement of managing iconic brands, the scale of a £100m+ customer partnership, and a clearly defined pathway towards future Channel Director leadership.