Commercial Account Manager
Job Title: Commercial Account Manager - Trade
Location: Birmingham (Hybrid - 3 days per week in the office)Salary: £38,000 base + commission
Role Overview:
The Commercial Account Manager - Trade is a commercially driven sales role within a tech distribution environment, focused on executing market-led, volume-based trading activity across a portfolio of price-sensitive trade customers.
This role is distinct from traditional relationship-led account management. It is designed to maximise revenue, margin contribution, and stock efficiency by leveraging market insight, pricing authority, and product lifecycle awareness to execute well-timed commercial opportunities.
The position acts as a controlled outlet for tactical sales activity, inventory optimisation, and volume-led opportunities, supporting wider business objectives while protecting long-term channel value and vendor relationships.
Key Responsibilities
Trade Sales Execution
- Manage and grow a portfolio of trade-focused, price-sensitive customer accounts.
- Identify and execute trading opportunities based on:
- Market pricing and demand conditions
- Product availability or supply constraints
- End-of-life (EOL) and portfolio transition activity
- Tactical month-end and quarter-end commercial objectives
- Act as a structured channel for clearing slow-moving or aged inventory while maintaining pricing discipline.
- Maintain accurate and timely sales forecasts and pipeline updates within the CRM.
- Provide proactive account management, including visibility of order backlogs and ensuring on-time delivery of shipments.
- Stay up to date with new vendors and attend relevant product and commercial training sessions.
Commercial Pricing & Deal Structuring
- Make informed pricing and volume decisions within agreed authority levels.
- Structure deals that balance revenue growth, margin contribution, inventory efficiency, and strategic impact.
- Use market intelligence, competitor insight, and product lifecycle knowledge to support pricing decisions.
- Escalate non-standard deal requests with clear commercial rationale where required.
Market & Product Insight
- Maintain a strong understanding of UK and European trade markets, including distributor-to-distributor and eCommerce dynamics.
- Develop detailed knowledge of the company's product portfolio, including positioning, availability, and lifecycle stage.
- Apply market and product insight to determine the optimal timing and execution of trading opportunities.
Internal Collaboration & Governance
- Operate fully within agreed commercial frameworks, pricing controls, and credit policies.
- Work closely with internal teams including:
- Procurement, to understand stock availability and supply constraints
- Product and Portfolio teams, to support lifecycle and transition priorities
- Vendor Enablement, to align with vendor strategies and sensitivities
- Finance, to manage margin performance, credit exposure, and risk
- Ensure all activity complies with governance, compliance, and channel strategy requirements.
What This Role Does Not Do
- Does not operate outside agreed pricing, credit, or governance controls.
- Does not replace relationship-led Key Account or Business Development roles.
Skills & Experience Required
- Proven experience in a commercially focused sales role within IT distribution, wholesale, or a similar B2B trading environment.
- Strong commercial judgement with the ability to balance margin, volume, and risk.
- Good understanding of product lifecycle dynamics and market timing.
- Confident decision-maker able to operate autonomously within defined commercial boundaries.
- Strong analytical skills combined with practical, real-world market awareness.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively with internal stakeholders.
Why This Role?
This is an opportunity to play a key role in driving short-term commercial performance while supporting long-term business health, within a fast-paced and commercially disciplined tech distribution environment.