SUMMARY:

Under the direction of the Vice President, the Senior National Accounts Manager is responsible for the development, growth and sales management of company portfolio with primary focus on Regional and National Multi Unit accounts with specific focus on chain accounts. The strategic focus will be on developing marketing and price strategy and improve margins in the category. This position will establish effective short and long term strategies to meet both sales and earnings requirements. Additionally, this position will work closely with established customers to build strong relationships as well as develop new customers that fit our target markets.
The Senior National Accounts Manager will develop and maintain strong business relationships with both new and existing customers, while building strategic growth plans tailored to target markets. A significant portion of the role is dedicated to understanding and addressing the needs of chain accounts, ensuring that the company’s offerings are competitive and that targets for margin and growth are met

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Sales, Marketing, or Business plus 5-7 years of experience in sales and marketing of food products. Previous dairy/cheese sales experience is preferred.
• Experience working with key Multi Unit Accounts and developing sales strategies.
• Understanding of dairy and futures markets and their implications in marketing decisions.
• Proven track record of rapidly and consistently generating sales revenue.
• Experience managing regional/national food service and chain accounts and broker networks.
• Strong background in sales, particularly within the food industry, and a proven track record of managing complex sales processes.
• Deep understanding of chain account networks and their operations.
• Experience working with chain accounts, developing sales strategies, responding to RFPs and following up on ongoing company performance.
• Experience partnering with various internal stakeholders for new item merchandising, samples, and ensuring we are delivering on ongoing product orders.
• Proficiency in utilizing ERP systems and Microsoft Office Suite including PowerBI.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Position may be remote, prefer residency in the Midwest.
• 20-25% travel required for customer visits, tradeshows, and occasional visits to Winona Foods production facilities.

The list of duties and responsibilities is not all inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities, as management may deem necessary from time to time.

• Develop and implement sales strategies to achieve company goals and expand market share within the chain account market
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key accounts.
• Collaborate with various internal stakeholders on RFPs, samples, and pricing processes, ensuring customer needs are understood and proposals are competitive while meeting volume and margin targets.
• Stay alert to emerging opportunities to address the evolving needs of chains, ensuring Winona Foods remains a preferred partner.
• Negotiate and manage sales contracts for specified customer base to deliver products and services according to plan.
• Represent Winona Foods at trade shows and industry events, creating, tracking, and following up on new business leads.
• Prepare sales volume budget, targets, and forecasts.
• Utilize ERP system (E21) and analytical tools such as Microsoft PowerBI to analyze sales data, track performance metrics, and support strategic decision-making.
• Manage sales expenses within assigned budget
• Provide regular sales forecasts and performance reports to Vice President of Sales.
• Develop and train distributor and broker organizations to ensure market penetration
• All other duties as assigned