The Role

The role of Head of Key Accounts is to deliver the business strategies and objectives with all UK Key Accounts to achieve volume, sales, market share and profit objectives and to ensure alignment to the execution and marketing strategy. This is a senior leadership role (a team of 30 people), with joint responsibility for IMB UK profit / volume, requiring strategic co-ordination and motivation of the key accounts team.

As a senior leader, responsibility is to inspire, drive and accompany the team through the transformation from combustibles to Next Generation Products / Vape. They will also play a key role in accompanying / bringing our customers on the journey to deliver IMB strategy.

The Head of Key Accounts will build outstanding relationships at a senior level within the customer base and oversee the overall creation, development, and implementation of world class business plans across the key account universe. They will contribute towards the formulation of, and fully understand the strategic aims of the business and align these by overseeing the delivery of ambitious customer commercial and activation plans.

Principle Accountabilities

• Drive through the team (and take overall accountability) for strategic planning of key initiatives to assist in the delivery of IMB UK volume/profit/MS and brand objectives.
• Lead negotiations across UK’s biggest customers. Understanding and delivering on Key Account Trade Investment Excellence aligned to UK and IMB revenue growth management strategy and principals, sustainable investment and securing internal sign off.
• Total accountability for the leadership of all key accounts, through co-owning the trade prioritization process and the overall delivery and implementation of all trade Customer Development Plans in order to maximize volume, profit, and market share performance.
• Establish exceptional working business relationships with senior management contacts in key accounts in order to gain high levels of trade support and loyalty whilst enhancing the understanding of the trade environment.
• Lead, develop, coach and manage an efficient and effective team of Account Directors, Key Account Managers, and Key Account Executives, through training, engagement and career development.
• Lead the team with regard to proactive business development, identifying ways to drive incremental brand value and gaining sustainable profitable competitive advantage.

Skills and Experience Required

• Background in branded FMCG sales with a level of complexity and where standards of performance are high.
• Outstanding track record of success at account director level (Account Director/ NAM level) across a number of trade channels. Including consistent delivery of sales and profit numbers.
• Excellence in negotiation and Revenue Growth Management building and delivering internal and external proposals to support sustainable investment.
• Prepared to challenge conventional thinking and brings both experience and energy to bear in the role.
• Commercial and sales oriented – with an understanding of how and where to make money, coupled with an intimate understanding of the margin value chain within the channel.
• A passion for working with customers in real partnership – the ability to stand your ground but to do so with a sense of mutual partnership is critical.

What We Offer

In return for playing your part in building our future, you will receive a comprehensive compensation package with salary, bonus scheme and many extras including a great pension scheme, generous holiday entitlement and hybrid/flexible working opportunities as well inspiring places to work and collaborate with purpose. Here at Imperial we will give you the opportunity to grow and learn, innovate at pace and be a part of our purpose to forge a path to a healthier future for moments of relaxation and pleasure for our consumers.

Everyone Belongs

Everyone belongs in Imperial. We are proud of being a truly inclusive organisation. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, disabilities, sexual orientation, religions or beliefs and of neuro divergence. We give fair and equal consideration to all our applicants. Please contact us at recruitment@impbrands.com to let us know if we can provide support in helping you complete an application and/or attend an interview.

About Us

We're a truly international company, fourth largest in our industry and operating across 120 markets. An inclusive, innovative global FMCG business supported by 25,000 employees. As we embrace a new era of growth, we are transforming. Our ways of working and culture are driven by a challenger mindset, constantly questioning the status quo where people can bring their best selves to work. Our agility and collaboration are driving our ambitions, innovation and success all supported by our award-winning development programmes that creates exciting and rewarding career opportunities for all.  Encouraging inclusion at local levels and supporting a developing and robust diversity agenda globally, we’re fully committed to creating and maintaining an environment that celebrates and respects difference.