National Account Manager - Whole Foods

Critical Mass Group works with some of the most innovative exciting brands in the food and beverage space. Our extensive expertise strategic relationships and relentless in sales and distribution provides our unique brands the foundation and pathway for sustainable growth. Our team of experts build outstanding brands.

The responsibilities for this position are as follows:

Job Summary:

The National Account Manager is responsible for growing sales of the Companys brand partners at Whole Foods Market. This position is tasked with delivering profitable sales results which include engaging existing and new retail accounts creating successful promotional plans and expanding distribution through existing and new distribution partners.

Responsibilities and Duties:

General / Strategic

• Create build and maintain strong partnerships with distributors and retailers to grow brands in the assigned geography.
• Executes the gotomarket strategy for brands in retail channels in the assigned geography:
  • Drives sales in current footprint.
  • Expands into new regions with regional and national banners.
  • Grows footprint of regional chains through distribution network.
  • Builds sustainable long term relationships with our retailer partners.
• Strong emphasis on continued education with internal and external sales teams on category management innovation market conditions competitor knowledge and trends in their assigned geography.

Promotional Planning

• Develops presents and executes brand promotional plan on a retailer by retailer basis.
• Improves of distribution new item introductions schematic implementation promotional plans forecasts and channel strategies.
• Communicate to our distributor partners to execute in trade with upcoming promotional programs and activities.
• Participate in distributor kick offs reoccurring meetings and ride alongs to promote the company brands.

Analytical Reporting

• Prepares develop and delivers metrics and analytical reports that give the internal team and brand partners timely flexible and structured access to their business information.
• Requesting and analyzing distribution reports to determine market coverage and opportunities for future growth.
• Conducting store audits (with field sales reps or merchandisers) to ensure merchandizing standards are adhered to and promotional programming is being executed.
• Builds a seamless connection internally with management to track and manage promotional spending and accrual funds to maximize return on investment; drives profitable volume for trade spend levels.
• Work with the management team to understand business and functional requirements implement solutions to support their analytical and reporting needs and assist them in identifying patterns and anomalies.
• Optimize sales and operational efficiency through innovative thinking process improvement data manipulation system enhancement and best practices.

Brand Management / Relations

• Assures a high level of customer service by handling customer concerns and followup in a proactive manner.
• Resolve customer issues by following appropriate administrative processes and company policies and escalating issues to management as appropriate.
• Ability to understand create and deliver highquality audienceappropriate communication with brand partners.
• Assure a high level of customer service by handling brand concerns and followup in a proactive manner via phone email and in person.
• Report back progress successes and challenges to management in timely manner.

Miscellaneous

• Works to help coordinate as well as participate in trade shows (ex: Expo East/West Fancy Foods and distributor shows).
• Demonstrate a passion for all of the Companys products.
• Embrace our brand image and model the Companys cultures values and behavior always represents the Company in a positive and energetic manner!

Qualifications Skills and Education:

• This position should be passionate about food and beverages. He or she considers themselves an independent thinker and doer and some who loves to introduce friends to new things theyve discovered especially food and beverages.
• Bachelors degree (B.A or B.S) in Sales Business Administration Business Management.
• 5 years of successful sales experience with increased responsibility with retail customers.
• Established relationships and demonstrated success working with WFM along with the associated distributors serving these channels.
• Working knowledge of financials used in the sales process such as costing margin profitability promotional spending and allowances.
• Passionate and results oriented individual who demonstrates persistence in the face of obstacles ability to problem solves and innovate to succeed.
• Strong planning and organizational skills along with excellent interpersonal written/oral communication and presentation skills.
• Full competence with Microsoft Office (Excel PowerPoint and Word).
• Proven ability to work independently as well as collaboratively.
• Demonstrated ability to excel in a handson fast paced entrepreneurial environment.
• Highly adaptable and resourceful; proactive versus reactive.
• Proficient in Syndicated Data Tools including but not limited to SPINs IRI Nielsen etc.