Head of Key Accounts

Job title: Head of Key Accounts UKI

Department: UK&I Sales

Location: The Vision Centre, Nursling, Southampton

Working hours: 37.5 hrs weekly, with 3 days a week in office

A brighter future awaits you

CooperVision is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of soft contact lenses with a presence in over 100 countries. Being part of CooperVision means helping improve the way people see each day. It’s more than making contact lenses, it’s about giving lens wearers freedom and confidence to move about their daily lives. We’re all about bright futures – for our people and those who wear our contact lenses.

Job summary – What to expect: 

The Head of Key Accounts UKI is responsible for leading CooperVision’s UK & Ireland National, Key Accounts and Independents business, managing a team of 6 people. The role reports to the Senior Regional Director (GM/Country Manager) and will be an active member of the UK&I Leadership Team. The UK&I business forms part of the EMEA Region.

The Head of Key Accounts UKI is responsible for a portfolio of major national retail and healthcare accounts, including several of the organisation's largest strategic customers – this includes approx. six key accounts representing significant revenue contribution and growth opportunities. The role also has ownership of relationships across a broad network of independent customers, including a top-tier portfolio of over 100 accounts, as well as leadership of distributor partnerships.

Through a driven and well developed approach to leadership the job holder will lead the Strategic Customer team, and will design and implement an annual strategy for the team in line with UK&I plan to deliver sales through excellent customer partnerships.  The role will manage the day to day activities of the team to deliver financial performance and operational excellence - collaborating with peers and UK&I team members (matrixed and UK&I) to ensure all are working effectively in the same direction. 

Essential Functions & Accountabilities

• Deliver Category Growth

• Create dynamic collaborative partnerships with customers

• Lead the building and execution of best-in-class joint business plans with our customers

• Drive Myopia management growth

• Forecasting, budgeting, financial reviews, KPI setting & measurement 

• Achieving revenue and profit targets

• Controlling costs/expense targets (Training, T&E etc)

• Cross company collaboration with: UK&I Finance; UK&I Marketing; Global Key Accounts EMEA Sales Operations; UK&I Field Sales; UK&I Professional Services ; UK&I Customer Services ; Supply Chain and Distribution teams to deliver implementation of strategies and initiatives. 

• Providing strong leadership for the team responsible for National and Key Account Management, creating a collaborative team environment and driving an entrepreneurial, challenger mindset.

• Ensuring that all aspects of dealings with National and Key Account customers are conducted in line with EMEA channel strategy, pricing, legal, financial, and operational guidelines.

• Responsible for ensuring ROI measured and achieved on customer facing activities

Travel: The role is based out of the Vision Centre in Nursling, Southampton. Approximately 30% UK travel, to customer meetings, team meetings, National Sales Meetings, and time spent in the field alongside sales colleagues. Occasional international travel for conferences, training, and business meetings. Some limited weekend travel may be required in execution of the role.

About you:

We are looking for someone with:

Required

• The ability to provide strong leadership, and motivate successful teams

• Strong people management capability, and the ability to create high performance culture

• Strong organizational skills to deliver on execution.

• Ability to build excellent customer relationships

• Delivering true partnership-oriented business relationships

• candid and collaborative with strong influencing skills

• capable of agreeing and delivering mutually beneficial commercial agreements.

• Strong demonstrable negotiation skills

• Proven ability to achieve challenging year-on-year market growth and profitability targets. 

• An understanding of the challenges posed by selling in a heavily regulated, medical device retail environment.

• An articulate communicator, with strong communication skills.

• Strong numeracy skills preferred

Experience

• Significant (ideally 10+ years') progressive experience in sales, with a strong track record of delivering revenue growth and strategic customer partnerships. 

• Significant National Account Management experience, managing high profile, complex, accounts that required specialised attention and/or expertise. 

• Proven experience leading and developing National or Key Account Management teams, driving performance, capability building, and customer-centric sales excellence. 

• Strong understanding of category management, category insights, and/or shopper marketing principles, with the ability to leverage data and market trends to influence customer strategy and business growth. 

• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute customer strategies, negotiate at a senior level, and secure mutually beneficial commercial outcomes. 

• Experience working cross-functionally with Marketing, Finance, Commercial Operations, and Supply Chain teams to deliver business objectives and enhance customer value.

What we offer:

You’ll receive competitive compensation and a fantastic benefits package including 25 days holiday, pension scheme, healthcare cover, life assurance, access to our Wellness Platform to support you in mental health and wellbeing, a discounted contact lens scheme and much more!

We are committed to our employees’ personal and professional development and offer extensive training to support your career growth and help every individual to reach their full potential. To help us achieve our goals, we’ll give you everything you need to help you achieve yours. 

We also provide access to LinkedIn Learning to help you develop in your career and grow with CooperVision.

What you can expect:

As a CooperVision employee, you’ll be welcomed into a diverse and progressive global business. We appreciate how important fostering an inclusive culture is and how different perspectives add value and contribute to our success.  

If you like what you see, take the first step towards your Brighter Future and apply today! All suitably qualified applicants will receive equal consideration and opportunities from CooperVision.

Please view our careers page at https://hcjy.fa.us2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1to view all other opportunities.

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