Lead Account Manager - 12 Month Fixed Term

THE ROLE

We are looking for an enthusiastic, pro-active, organised candidate who is eager to learn and thrives in a fast-paced environment. You will need the ability to make decisions and prioritise whilst keeping up communications internally as well as with the client, other stakeholders and suppliers. The successful candidate will be positive and motivated; able to understand issues and offer innovative solutions at an operational level, with the ability to drive the success of the process.

Ideally you will have knowledge of the food technical and regulatory processes and ideally experience of working for a supplier or a major retailer. Understanding of the product development processes is an advantage. Experience of dealing with clients and communicating effectively across all levels of the organisation is essential. Experience of negotiating and diplomacy and leading people to success, is desirable.

Your goals: To manage a portfolio of buyers as their Account Manager, ensuring delivery of quality work that meets the client's needs and addresses their business problems. Living the Ashbury values, being open to new ideas and take an honest, straight forward approach to delivering exceptional service. Leading by example with your group of account managers to ensure the Ashbury service is delivered, taking responsibility for day-to-day decisions making.

ABOUT US

We are a trusted partner in protecting brands and their end-consumers around the world, through clear and accurate product information.

Creating trust: Consumers must be able to trust product information, in order to trust a brand. When our clients choose to work with us, they are trusting us with the reputation and the future of their brands.

By providing expertise: We are a highly versatile team of experts with a unique blend of manufacturing, retail, enforcement and commercial experience. Our clients rely on us to know every angle of the international product information sector, inside out.

Through collaboration: Our clients trust our expertise and choose to work with us as collaborative partners, to help them build successful brands. We work side by side with our clients to interpret and apply legal guidelines, enabling them to launch innovative products quickly and efficiently.

OUR SERVICES

Discover: we provide advice, training and consultation services across all aspects of food law, offering clear and practical solutions to product information and labelling.

Launch: we deliver complete product specifications and label information for product launches, ensuring full legal compliance, honesty and accuracy.

Expand: we help our clients move into new, global markets with total compliance confidence, all whilst avoiding unnecessary time, cost and enforcement action.

Protect: we work in partnership with our clients to interpret and apply the law and protect their brands by helping end consumers make safe, informed choices.

ABOUT YOU

Our Teams are the physical face and representation of our Values to our customers; you are:

Welcoming: friendly, approachable and open to new ideas

Positive: create a positive experience for our people and our clients

Confident: act with integrity from a strong foundation of expertise

Simple: remove complexity and bring clarity

Requirements

Key Responsibilities:

Commercial

• Understanding the client’s strategy and identifying potential new business opportunities for Ashbury.
• Identifying opportunities to drive efficiency and improve profitability of the service.
• Quoting, agreeing, and managing service delivery of small new projects as agreed with the Client

Relationship Management

• Build confidence and trust within the client base in order to grow client advocacy.
• Proactively look to deepen client relationships wherever possible – networking, relationship building.
• Build a client partnership mentality, always seeking to consolidate connections between the client’s business needs and Ashbury.
• Build key stakeholder relationships with relevant stakeholders for the Client, including the Graphic Service Provider (GSP) and technical system provider.
• Managing the expectations of the client and other stakeholders on the expected delivery of the Ashbury service.

Service Delivery

• Delivery of the Ashbury service to key client stakeholders, to ensure their needs are met.
• Work closely & collaboratively with the key decision makers in the GSP and technical system provider.
• Troubleshooting problems, to keep lines from falling outside process and on time.
• Point of escalation for Account Managers on day-to-day decisions to ensure service delivery.
• Identify opportunities to drive continuous improvement, the current ways of working of the Client and Ashbury.
• Manage and effectively resolve minor service level complaints in a timely manner.

Planning

• Ensure an accurate and timely record of work is maintained on Ashbury databases, to enable service delivery.
• Identify solutions to resolve issues with projects and where possible ensure the impact of these issues are communicated fully to all key stakeholders involved with the process.

Reporting

• Weekly/bi-weekly update meetings with the Client to discuss the status of service delivery across the business, raising concerns regarding volumes, issues and any delays.

Line reports

• No line reports.

LOCATION

• Required to be on-site regularly at client in London.

Skill Set and Experience

Essential:

• Demonstrable customer and internal stakeholder management skills - Ideally with major retailers
• Management of varied workload within a fast-paced environment - Ideally within a client facing role
• Commercial experience of negotiating
• Leading a team, managing people
• Managing multiple tasks
• Degree level educational qualifications
• Highly proficient in Microsoft packages
• Highly proficient in Microsoft packages especially Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint and Outlook
• High level of ability to communicate in English in written and spoken formats
• Accuracy, speed and attention to detail
• A positive 'can do’ attitude and eagerness to learn
• An ability to understand and develop processes
• Proactive, motivated and driven
• Excellent attention to detail and high levels of accuracy -To be able to demonstrate this under pressure of deadlines

Desirable:

Proven Project management skills

Knowledge of the Food Industry through work experience or a relevant Qualification

Microsoft reporting tools

Benefits

• Home based role*
• Individual and Family Private Healthcare option
• Life Insurance option
• 25 days annual leave plus public holidays as standard*
• Additional annual leave depending on length of service
• Option to buy or sell additional annual leave
• Charity days and time off to support your favourite charity
• Payroll Charity giving scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme and much more!