National Account Manager

About the Company

Sisley is a Luxury French beauty brand created by Hubert and Isabelle d’Ornano in 1976 and remains a family led business. Sisley-Paris uses the most cutting-edge science to maximize the synergy of powerful plant-based extracts and active ingredients to provide the highest quality cosmetics (Phyto-cosmetology). Sisley-Paris offers award-winning skincare, make-up, and fragrances and launched Hair Rituel by Sisley.

About the Role

As National Account Manager for our UK business, you will lead the commercial relationship and sell-in strategy for our flagship department store partners such as Selfridges, Harrods, and John Lewis. Reporting directly to the Sales Director, you will drive brand distribution, counter visibility, and revenue growth across these luxury accounts. You will manage annual Joint Business Plans (JBPs), execute new product launches, negotiate promotional and GWP calendars, and maintain forecast accuracy. This role also includes direct line management of a dedicated Sales Analyst to maintain analytical rigor and stock availability.

Responsibilities

Commercial Strategy & Account Ownership

• Build, negotiate, and deliver annual Joint Business Plans (JBPs) across Retail partners to achieve revenue, gross margin, and market share targets.
• Lead seasonal sell-in presentations, securing wholesale commitments for core lines, new product development (NPD), exclusive variants, and seasonal gifting programs.
• Negotiate commercial trading terms, promotional allowances, counter space, window presence, and Gift-With-Purchase (GWP) activations that protect brand prestige while maximizing return on investment.
• Monitor retail footfall, prestige market dynamics, and competitor activity to capture high-impact retail opportunities.

Operational Forecasting & Supply Alignment

• Own the account P&L, promotional trade budgets, and margin realization across your retailer portfolio.
• Deliver accurate rolling monthly demand forecasts and stock allocations in partnership with the UK supply chain team, mitigating stock-outs and terminal inventory.
• Partner with internal retail operations and visual merchandising teams to coordinate launch timings, counter installations, and delivery schedules for London flagships and regional doors.

Data-Driven Decision Making & Team Leadership

• Line-manage, mentor, and set weekly deliverables for one direct report (Sales Analyst), ensuring high standards of commercial reporting and administrative accuracy.
• Utilize internal sales reports and retailer data to track sell-in versus retail sell-out velocity, rate of sale (ROS), and promotional ROI.
• Prepare concise commercial performance packs and trading updates for the Sales Director and broader UK leadership team.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Trade Marketing and PR to design bespoke retail activations tailored to the luxury department store consumer.
• Align with e-commerce leads to ensure coordinated omnichannel executions across retailer digital platforms.

Candidate profile

• Experience: Minimum 3–4 years of commercial account management experience within prestige beauty, cosmetics, or luxury consumer goods, with a proven track record of managing UK retail accounts (ideally department stores, high-end beauty, or premium pure players).
• Retail Exposure: Practical knowledge of trading with UK department stores or premium beauty retailers (e.g., Harrods, Selfridges, John Lewis, Harvey Nichols, Liberty).
• Sell-In Capability: Proven experience presenting product ranges, negotiating trade plans with retail buyers, and managing seasonal launch cycles.
• Commercial Acumen: Comfortable working with trade margins, P&L elements, forecasting, and promotional budget allocation or should it be Sound understanding of gross margins, promotional trade spends, forecasting inputs, and retail sales metrics.
• Analytical skills: High proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience translating retail data into clear commercial actions; ability to manage and prioritize work for an analyst.
• Relationship Building: communication, presentation skills and relationship-building skills suited to senior retail buyers and category teams.