National Account Manager

Overview

The National Account Manager is a demanding but very exciting role. Reporting to the Deputy General Manager, the National Account Manager will be a key member of the Care Homes team, responsible for delivering accelerated growth in their territory. We aim to accelerate growth to £5m+ by 2025.

We are looking for an ambitious individual with a growth mindset, entrepreneurial flair, and the ability to engage from kitchen to the boardroom. Within the agreed strategy for the Care Homes Business Unit, the National Account Manager will set out clear objectives to accelerate growth and deliver outstanding execution of these. We expect the National Account Manager to act with speed and agility.

The National Account Manager will work in partnership with two other National Account Managers (1 new business & 1 retention) and the Deputy General Manager who spearheads this huge opportunity.

Who we are

apetito is the UK's leading supplier of food to the health and social care sectors. Partnering with over 400 hospitals and 600 care homes, we produce delicious, consistent, and sustainable meals for people at home or in care.

As a family-owned business, our values sit at the very heart of what we do. We pride ourselves on being a business that 'makes a real difference', committed to producing 'great food to be proud of' while developing a range of products designed to 'enhance health and wellbeing' for all our customers. We are proud supporters of British food and farming and focus on using the best 'ethical and sustainably' sourced produce.

We are driven by a 'passion for service', dedicated to feeding some of the UK's most vulnerable people.

Responsibilities

Drive Sales Growth - £500k PA

The National Account Manager will be responsible for identifying and targeting a number of care home groups from which they will need to deliver a minimum of £500k in year sales, which works out at 1-2 groups per year. The new business will need to adhere to strict margins/AOV and contract obligations. The candidate will need to be a self-starter and show excellent commercial skills consistent with operating a growing and successful business.

Collaborate on retention

Develop a strong working relationship with your fellow NAMs to ensure a smooth transition with all partnerships. Detail must be collated on all senior stakeholders, their drivers/challenges, KPIs to demonstrate success, and a clear business plan must be in place. Close working relationships with the NAM (retention) will be essential.

Ambassador for the care homes division

The National Account Manager will be required to work with our strategic partners to be a brand ambassador for the care homes business unit. The National Account Manager will need to own and work closely with Marketing and PR to ensure we are leveraging the external partnerships to their full potential. This will ensure we are viewed as the experts and natural choice when it comes to making a decision on catering for a national care home group.

Developing our proposition

The National Account Manager will need to review and continuously build on our proposition to ensure that we offer a bespoke approach to all national accounts.

About you

Essential:

• Proven experience of winning large volume business in a B2B environment
• Experience of negotiating at board level
• Proven experience of achieving and exceeding sales targets - a focus on target achievement
• Extensive experience of managing large accounts and complex customers
• Previous success in coordinating & managing large projects and implementation of key actions/decisions
• Extensive commercial experience in a B2B environment
• Agile communication and presentation skills - able to engage and build trust at all levels of the business, from board room to kitchen
• Demonstrate great team working (internally and externally)
• Proactive approach to time management and prioritisation to manage a complex workload effectively
• Ability to think strategically and implement key actions/decisions
• Formal Sales training
• Valid UK driving license

Desirable:

• Understanding of nutrition and catering systems within the NHS
• Advanced Food Hygiene

Personal Qualities:

• Demonstrates a passion for service.
• Empathy and understanding of our culture of 'making a real difference'.
• Driven to deliver on short term goals and long term visions.
• Diplomatic, but assertive with a pragmatic approach.
• An individual with the vision to take the role to another level
• Driven by building strong long-term business and financial targets
• Self-motivated and resilient, able to reflect and learn
• Able to inspire and motivate others
• A team player: works with others to achieve optimum results in their own role and for the business as a whole

As this role involves working with elderly and vulnerable customers, it is exempt from The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and requires a Basic DBS Disclosure.

This role is home-based covering operational sites and Head Office locations across the whole of the UK, so will involve early starts, late finishes, and overnight stays. As such, a company car is provided.

Company Benefits

• Competitive salary - accredited Living Wage employer
• Company car
• 25 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays
• Option to purchase up to 5 additional days holiday per year
• Generous annual bonus scheme
• Pension scheme - employer matched contributions up to 5%
• Life assurance scheme worth 2x annual salary
• Free turkey or voucher at Christmas
• apetito perks scheme including salary sacrifice options and retail discounts

Our Values

As a family-owned business, we take great pride in being a company that makes a real difference and is dedicated to creating outstanding meals to be proud of. We develop a range of products designed to enhance health and well-being for all our customers. We are driven by a passion for service and dedicated to feeding some of the UK's most vulnerable people. We proudly support British food and farming, focusing on using the best ethical and sustainable produce in alignment with our goal to reach Net Zero by 2040. Our ethical standards are recognised by the ETI and we are an accredited Living Wage employer. We embrace inclusion, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds. Our commitment to making a real difference extends to customers, communities, and staff, and we're on a mission to build an inclusive workplace where everyone reaches their full potential.