Sr. Manager Strategic Relationships

About Blackhawk Network: Today, through BHNs single global platform, businesses of all kinds can tap into the worlds largest network of branded payment solutions.
BHN helps businesses grow revenue, increase loyalty, motivate and reward their teams, disburse funds and engage consumers.
Branded payment solutions include the issuance and distribution of gift cards, egifts, corporate payouts and rewards, along with the technology to deliver these products in seamless, integrated ways.
BHNs network spans the globe with more than 400,000 consumer touchpoints.
Learn.
Overview: This role is responsible for the relationship management and driving the sales revenue for one Irelands largest institutions through a range of verticals.
The role requires dedicated engagement and reporting capability of deliverables with both the clients senior management team and similarly within BHN itself.
This is a multi-million Euro account which requires ongoing sales analysis and sales improvement strategies inclusive of innovation projects.
This role reports to the UK Senior Director for Retail and sits within the BHN Commerce Team.
The role will have 1-2 direct reports.
The purpose of the role is to manage and drive sales in a range of verticals including physical gift card malls, digital gift card malls, secondary placement and marketing, gaming products, BHN own content and additional innovative projects.
In addition, there is a requirement to understand relationship management within the B2 B and SME/incentive channels, including liaising with the internal BHN Team.
Hybrid role - 2 days per week based in Swords, Co Dublin, Ireland.
Responsibilities: The role involves a highly commercial skill set and financial acumen with responsibility for the detailed planning and forecasting for short, medium and long-term growth strategies in addition to delivering the annual plan.
Ensuring that budgets align with sales forecasts and ongoing targets both internally and externally are achieved or exceeded.
Key to this role is the emphasis on developing strong collaborative relationships with the client, across all teams and relevant business areas.
Delivering weekly, monthly and quarterly business reviews to senior stakeholders both internally and externally.
In addition, this role requires the ability to develop great relationships with BHN internal teams working as one team to deliver success across the board for this client.
Underlying the above, strategic thinking and analysis of sales data to understand current and future sales forecasts taking into consideration micro and macro environments to draw conclusions and commentary as to sales performance and progress.
Also, the ability to communicate and deliver ideas and results through concise and meaningful presentations to senior stakeholders.
As a manager, the ability to lead, mentor and develop the team is important to ensure a successful team dynamic which serves to influence and collaborate with both internal and external teams at all levels.
Qualifications: Experience in dealing with and managing a large multi-million-pound account, including forecasting, budgeting and annual plan strategies Ability to work with multiple revenue streams and verticals A sound people manager with the ability to grow and develop the teams skill set and career goals Relationship management expert regarding day-to-day contacts and senior level / exec members internally and externally Experience in developing and creating strategic plans and growth initiatives Ability to analyse data and form constructive commentary and recommendations Handling contract renewals and business negotiations Securing the participation of BHN own gift card brands in marketing initiatives, digital malls and building out the distribution and sales volumes as well as securing the best positioning on in-store fixtures Present regularly complex and agile plans and reviews to senior stakeholders across both businesses.
Understand, translate and pull insightful and informed recommendations from complex data sets End to end responsibility for the Gift Card P+L and driving this forward via delivery of new initiatives and maximising existing opportunities with the account.
Pro-actively identifying income, innovation and cost saving opportunities as well as threats to the P+L and driving action plans to address these Overall responsibility for negotiating incremental marketing rate-card income and promotional investment packages from brand card partners Working with the Partner team to identify opportunities to deliver increased BAU and seasonal space and fixture development for gift cards across the Partner estate to deliver increased sales and income Working with the AD to develop strategy and innovation opportunities, marketing and trade planning, ensuring we have the strongest plan in the market across the widest range of gift card categories, making Partner the natural destination for gift cards for both gifting and self-use Work with our Card partner team to ensure new content roadmaps and pipelines are defined, effectively managed and delivered on time.
Responsible for weekly content pipeline meetings with Partner and development of short-long term content strategic pipeline.
Ensure all new technical developments launch successfully and on time.
Ensure that any new product content and innovation developments hit their associated trade and income targets for both BHN and Partner Accountable, for customer research projects working with the commercial manager to define and execute.
Manage the partner relationship with the senior commercial lead in Partner, ensuring that our partnership remains one of their most valued and important.
Effectively assess and understand all risks associated with the programme, associated controls and gaps along with plans to mitigate for these.
This also includes understanding relevant regulations which impact the product such as MLD 5.
Be able to communicate and translate these effectively into re-planning opportunities and solution resolution.
Work closely with the Partner & their Risk Manager to ensure that all risks associated with the product / supplier are identified, managed appropriately and robust controls are in place and regularly tested Manage a team of three, developing talent through objective setting, PDPs and career development.
Essential Skills Financial understanding of forecasts/margin/P&L/budgets Numerate and confidence with numbers and how to effectively analysis data Problem solving and ability to find solutions (objections & negotiation) Working calmly under pressure Ability to present to senior stakeholders Excellent relationship management skills and collaborative approach Strategic planning and recognition of trends and opportunities for growth The ability to juggle multiple priorities and influence the outcome of decisions across a broad spectrum of business departments A strong sense of ownership and accountability The ability to bring structure and procedure to daily work streams Adaptable and agile attitude with regards to workload, priorities and client requirements Understand commercial contracts and ability to help shape these in negotiations.
Desirable Skills Knowledge of the gift card industry and/or proven track record in senior relationship management within one or both FMCG and B2 B channels in blue chip accounts.
Benefits: We offer a competitive range of Employee Benefits that are designed to give all our employees a better quality of work-life, decrease stress and foster a great culture.
Our benefits include: 25 days annual leave, additional appreciation days, additional leave for volunteering, birthday time off, enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay, pension, group income protection, private medical insurance, employee assistance programme and flyers, our leading recognition programme with financial rewards.
We also offer a wide variety of other benefits to support your physical and mental health.
Additionally, we offer hybrid working, office group activities and free eye tests.
As well as a variety of ways for you to save money including savings of up to 15% at various retailers by using your b Yond card or via cyclescheme or home & tech

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