This Dairy Key Account Manager job description sets out the main duties, qualifications, skills and measures of success for the role, which is also known as National Account Manager, Account Manager, Customer Business Manager or Trade Account Manager. Download it free as a Word or PDF template and adapt it for your own vacancy.
| Job title | Dairy Key Account Manager |
| Also known as | National Account Manager, Account Manager, Customer Business Manager, Trade Account Manager |
| Department | Sales and commercial |
| Reports to | Head of Sales or Sales Director |
| Direct reports | None |
What does a Dairy Key Account Manager do?
Manages a portfolio of major retail or food-service customers for a dairy processor. Builds joint business plans, agrees promotions, ranging and pricing, protects margin and works with supply chain on accurate forecasts so customers receive the right products at the right time.
Dairy Key Account Manager duties and responsibilities
Account planning
- Build annual joint business plans with each customer covering volume, value, promotions and growth
- Analyse sales, market and shopper or operator data to find growth opportunities
- Understand each customer's strategy, category goals and buying process
- Build relationships with buyers, category managers and supply chain contacts at several levels
- Review performance with customers at regular business reviews
Ranging and new products
- Present range reviews and new product proposals backed by category data
- Secure listings, shelf space or menu inclusion for core and new products
- Coordinate launches with marketing, product development and supply chain
- Respond to private label tenders with technical, quality and finance input
- Agree the removal of slow-selling lines with the customer
Pricing, promotions and margin
- Negotiate prices, cost price changes and trading terms within agreed authority
- Plan and agree promotions, then measure their return on investment
- Manage trade spend against budget and track promotional accruals
- Explain cost increases from milk price and other inputs to customers with clear evidence
- Protect margin through product mix, promotion planning and price changes
Forecasting and supply
- Produce accurate volume forecasts by product and customer, including promotional uplifts
- Share forecasts with demand planning and agree changes in good time
- Monitor service levels, short deliveries and stock issues and act on the causes
- Work with operations when milk supply or plant capacity limits what can be offered
- Manage product withdrawals and recalls with customers alongside quality assurance
Reporting and compliance
- Report sales, margin, trade spend and forecast accuracy each month
- Keep account records and contacts up to date in the customer relationship system
- Follow competition law, supplier codes of practice and company policy in all customer dealings
- Handle customer complaints and claims fairly and quickly
Dairy Key Account Manager qualifications and experience
Essential
- Degree in business, marketing or a related subject, or equivalent experience
- Solid experience managing retail or food-service accounts in food, dairy or fast-moving consumer goods
- Track record of negotiating pricing, promotions and trading terms
- Strong commercial and financial understanding, including margin and trade spend
- Confidence analysing sales and market data
- Experience working with demand planning on forecasts
Desirable
- Experience selling chilled or short shelf-life products
- Knowledge of category management principles
- Experience of private label tenders
- Understanding of how milk price and commodity markets affect dairy costs
Skills and attributes
- Negotiation and influencing
- Relationship building at several levels
- Commercial and numerical analysis
- Presenting a case with data
- Planning and organisation
- Resilience under pressure
- Teamwork across functions
How success is measured
- Sales volume and value against budget
- Gross margin and net revenue after trade spend
- Promotional return on investment
- Forecast accuracy by account
- Customer service level and on-time delivery
- New listings secured and range distribution
Working conditions and safety
Office or home-based, with regular travel to customer head offices, stores or outlets and company sites. Some overnight stays for customer meetings and trade events.
- Follow health and safety rules and safe systems of work, and wear the correct PPE
- Follow food safety, hygiene, HACCP and quality procedures at all times
- Report hazards, accidents, near misses and concerns promptly
Dairy Key Account Manager interview questions
Use these questions to assess candidates for a Dairy Key Account Manager role. Each one includes what a good answer shows.
- How do you build a joint business plan with a major retailer?
What a good answer shows: Aligns with the customer's strategy, uses data, sets shared targets for volume, range and promotions, and agrees regular reviews. - How do you judge whether a promotion worked?
What a good answer shows: Measures incremental volume against baseline, cannibalisation, trade spend and margin, calculates return and uses the learning in future plans. - How would you present a cost price increase driven by a rising milk price?
What a good answer shows: Prepares evidence on milk and input costs, explains the impact clearly, offers options and negotiates within agreed authority. - How do you work with demand planning to improve forecast accuracy?
What a good answer shows: Shares promotional and customer information early, agrees one forecast, reviews errors and adjusts assumptions regularly. - A buyer threatens to delist a core line unless you fund a deeper promotion. What do you do?
What a good answer shows: Stays calm, weighs value and margin, explores alternatives, consults internally and negotiates a deal that protects long-term profit. - Milk supply is short and you cannot meet all promotional orders. How do you manage the customer?
What a good answer shows: Informs them early and honestly, agrees allocation with supply, offers alternatives and protects the relationship. - How do you make sure your customer dealings comply with competition law?
What a good answer shows: Never shares competitor information or dictates retail prices, follows codes of practice and seeks legal advice when unsure. - A buyer asks for a personal favour in return for extra shelf space. What do you do?
What a good answer shows: Declines, reports it under anti-bribery policy, and keeps the relationship professional and transparent. - How do you get supply chain, marketing and finance behind your account plans?
What a good answer shows: Involves them early, shares data and goals, respects their constraints and gives credit for joint success. - Tell us about a difficult customer relationship you turned around.
What a good answer shows: A specific example showing listening, action on root causes, consistent delivery and measurable gains in trust or results.
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Frequently asked questions
Manages a portfolio of major retail or food-service customers for a dairy processor. Builds joint business plans, agrees promotions, ranging and pricing, protects margin and works with supply chain on accurate forecasts so customers receive the right products at the right time.
Employers usually look for: degree in business, marketing or a related subject, or equivalent experience; solid experience managing retail or food-service accounts in food, dairy or fast-moving consumer goods; track record of negotiating pricing, promotions and trading terms.
A Dairy Key Account Manager usually reports to the Head of Sales or Sales Director.
Yes. Download the free Word template, add your location, contract and salary details, and adapt the duties to your site. You can then advertise the role on Dairy Jobs.
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