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Explore our vision: Incredible, effortless recruitment
£45k-£70k
Typical base salary
12 wks
Replacement guarantee
Named-account pedigree
Ask which retailers or chains they've actually managed. In FMCG, buyers and terms are specific, so relevant experience counts double.
Forecasting and JBP
They should own joint business plans and forecast accuracy, not just relationships. Look for the commercial detail behind the charm.
Margin defence
National buyers squeeze. You want someone who's held the line on price and promo with a major account and lived to tell it.
How to run the hire
1. Match the channel.
A NAM who's smashed grocery may not translate to DIY or discounters, so target the right channel experience.
2. Score for JBP and forecasting.
Weight joint business planning and forecast accuracy, not just relationships.
3. Source by named accounts.
Look for people who've managed the specific retailers or chains you sell to.
4. Test margin defence.
Ask how they've held price and promo with a major buyer.
5. Reference the terms.
Confirm the scale and complexity of accounts they truly owned.
Fees typically run 18-22% of first-year salary, capped and agreed upfront.
You pay nothing until your hire starts. In FMCG and retail especially, the right NAM protects millions in revenue, so the search depth is worth it.
Usually 6-10 weeks, longer if the channel is very specialist.
Channel experience is the main driver - a NAM who's owned the specific retailers you sell to is worth waiting for, because relevant buyer relationships and terms knowledge can't be learned overnight.
Yes - FMCG and retail national accounts are a regular brief for us.
We match candidates to the right channel, because someone who's smashed it in grocery may not translate to DIY or discounters. The named-account experience is what separates the strong from the average here.
For national accounts, usually yes. Managing a major chain is a specific skill built on buyer relationships, joint business planning and forecast accuracy.
We'll be straight with you about whether your role truly needs that experience or whether a strong account manager could step up into it.
A National Account Manager owns the relationship with large, often national customers such as retail chains or multi-site buyers.
They run joint business plans, forecast demand, negotiate terms and promotions, and defend margin against professional buyers. In FMCG and retail especially, relevant channel experience matters a great deal.
Try:
Which national accounts have you personally owned, and what were the terms like?
Walk me through a joint business plan you built.
Tell me about a tough promo or price negotiation. and How accurate is your forecasting? Named-account specifics matter here.
Tell us about your role and a specialist sales recruiter will call you. No fee until your hire starts.
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