National Key Accounts Leader

Wella

11d•$125,000 - $160,000•Remote

About The Position

The National Key Accounts Leader is responsible for accelerating double-digit growth with our largest and most high profile salon customers and prospects. The candidate will be a strong people leader and strategist and will coach and lead an experienced team through the reimagining of the GTM for Key Accounts within the US Wella team. The position requires a significant amount of customer interface, internal partnerships with supporting functions, and regional/national travel. This position is accountable to increase market share by prospecting and gaining new key account doors (salons and schools), as well as to deliver business targets within a defined budget with existing customers. The KA Leader will nurture exceptional relationships with C-level stakeholders in these businesses to ensure that we maximize opportunities across all touch points. We are looking for an inspirational leader that will maintain exceptional level of engagement with Key Accounts and the internal team that serves them and will be seen as thought leader by our partners.

Requirements

Accountable for the success of the region – even when not everything is under control; intensely driven & tenacious, determined to get over obstacles in the path of goals
Self-starter and ability to work independently with clear focus on deliverables
Owner mindset, as if it was your name on the door, as if it was your money being spent and your reputation on the line
Always pushing for more and set higher, braver targets, but never at the expense of ethical behavior and safe ways of working
Effective prospecting and sales skills
Experience in using a consultative approach to business development and the ability to translate brand strategy within accounts
Very organized and operating with high level of discipline
Ability to work with all levels of the organization
Bachelor’s Degree
At least 5 years of people management experience in a Sales role in the beauty sector
At least 8 years of experience in working with salon groups and building relationships with C-level stake holders on the customer side
Knowledge/understanding of local/regional customer landscape and experience working with major customers
Strong financial acumen, deep understanding of the customer P&L, financing agreements and can coach and develop the team on value creation
Highly collaborative, thinks strategically, problem solving
Excellent oral and written communication and organizational skills
Self-starter and takes initiative to work independently with excellent priority setting skills and a clear focus on deliverables and KPIs
Demonstrates advanced computer skills – Microsoft Office - PowerPoint, Excel, Word.
Strong data management/analytics skills – Power BI experience is preferred.
Valid Driver’s License

Nice To Haves

Background in or understanding of education preferred

Responsibilities

Develop and implement plans to deliver targets and create clarity on goals, KPIs and ownership for the Key Accounts team
Plan, develop, agree and implement annual Joint Business Plans with customers, including increased distribution of Wella Company plans via joint growth and execution plans
Agree marketing and promotional plans with Marketing and Trade Marketing teams and agree forecast with Demand Planning to support the achievement of Forecast Accuracy objectives
Maximize key learnings of pre and post promotional activity analysis performed by the team
Accountable for driving horizontal distribution by actively identifying and regularly calling on potential new higher profile businesses to grow market share.
Owning the prospect pipeline and journey for the Key Accounts team and partnering with the DSO street organization on support needed for regional KA prospects to activate partnerships with new KA doors faster
Manage monthly, quarterly and annual sales forecasts. Provide weekly estimates on sales projections to the Head of National Field Sales
Manage Gross to Net controls to optimize profitability. Manage a trade investment plan to maximize profitability
Work with Customer and Customer Service to minimize receivables to achieve target Debtor days for the customer
Build contacts with the forecasting and supply chain teams within the customer to manage the most cost effective supply chain
Agree listings for all new products and brands as appropriate
Negotiate cost price changes with the customer as appropriate
Build strategic plans to build specified categories of business within the customers to deliver short and long term company, customer and consumer objectives
Lead the contract process with new KA customers, along with contract renewal for current KA customers.
Develop strategic projects with the customer to ensure future growth of the business
Co-create new business development plans to expand in Retail together with the Commercial teams
Own the relationship with key decision makers and owners across all current KA accounts and new KA prospects.
Partner across the industry via relationships with key trade groups and salon business organizations.
Build new relationships with customers and negotiate listing and perfect execution for our brands
Collaborate effectively with the Commercial and Education teams to enable execution of agreed Joint Business Plans and create new opportunities