Customer Development Manager – Grocery Channel

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in New York.

📋 Description

• Formulate and implement strategic joint business plans with prominent regional grocery retailers and distributors.

• Foster category leadership, enhance distribution, improve assortments, increase shelf visibility, provide merchandising support, and drive growth across the 1440 Foods brand portfolio.

• Establish senior-level customer relationships through strategic partnerships, data-driven insights, and collaborative growth initiatives.

• Direct customer-specific strategies aimed at boosting velocity, profitability, innovation launches, promotional effectiveness, and omnichannel execution.

• Act as the main commercial leader for designated accounts and coordinate efforts among internal and external stakeholders.

• Represent the organization at customer meetings, industry events, trade shows, and conferences.

• Manage broker partner relationships with clear expectations, accountability, and performance-focused execution.

• Collaborate with Category Management, Marketing, Demand Planning, Supply Chain, Finance, and Customer Service teams.

• Convert category trends, retailer strategies, and consumer insights into compelling selling narratives and growth prospects.

• Negotiate annual plans, promotional programs, assortment expansions, and merchandising initiatives.

• Ensure discipline across trade management, deduction management, pricing accuracy, forecasting, and customer payment resolution.

• Oversee the complete sales planning and execution cycle, including business reviews, line reviews, innovation sell-in, promotional planning, and annual negotiations.

• Create customer presentations and data-driven sales materials utilizing NielsenIQ/IRI, syndicated data, shopper insights, and retailer POS analytics.

• Direct promotional and display strategies to optimize topline growth, trade efficiency, and ROI.

• Enhance forecast accuracy, inventory alignment, and promotional execution alongside broker and internal teams.

• Manage trade investments within budget and improve the efficiency of promotional spending.

• Achieve sales, distribution, market share, and profitability objectives.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree is a must.

• At least 6 years of experience in Customer Development, National Accounts, Sales Strategy, or comparable CPG commercial roles.

• Proven track record in managing regional grocery accounts, distributors, or large-format retail clients within a high-growth CPG setting.

• Strong comprehension of retailer economics, category management principles, and trade investment management.

• Experience in utilizing NielsenIQ/IRI, retailer POS data, syndicated data, and trade promotion management systems.

• Demonstrated capability to create compelling selling stories and influence stakeholders at various levels, both internally and externally.

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship management abilities.

• Analytical mindset, financially disciplined, and results-oriented with a strong sense of ownership.

• Ability to excel in fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments with a commitment to continuous improvement and execution excellence.

• Willingness to travel as necessary to support customers, brokers, and company initiatives.

• Preferred candidate will be located in the Eastern half of the United States.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package.

• Opportunities for career development and advancement.

• Collaborative and entrepreneurial work environment.

• Chance to lead a vital function within a growing mid-sized CPG company.