National Account Manager – Grocery

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Lead the acquisition of new accounts and expand channels across the entire product range in grocery, focusing primarily on the pet treat brand.

• Cover all states to the east of the Mississippi River, engaging with national banners, regional independents, and co-ops in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast regions.

• Develop and manage a prioritized target list of grocery banners.

• Oversee the complete sales cycle, from prospecting and initial contact to category review, item setup, and first shipment.

• Obtain new authorizations and secure net-new points of distribution to achieve annual store-count and revenue goals.

• Navigate category review schedules, distributor market routes, new item paperwork, slotting, and deduction structures.

• Create customer-specific, insight-driven selling narratives utilizing Circana/IRI, Nielsen, and retailer POS data.

• Present data-backed recommendations to buyers and category managers, defending assortments effectively.

• Translate the consumer marketing strategy into retailer-facing promotional and in-store activation support.

• Identify innovation and assortment recommendations based on product white space and competitive trends.

• Manage broker agencies in eastern markets by setting objectives, priorities, and performance scorecards.

• Onboard, train, and equip broker teams and distributor representatives.

• Conduct business reviews, market visits, and pipeline calls; hold agencies accountable for their commitments.

• Evaluate coverage gaps and propose modifications to agency scope, footprint, or partnerships.

• Develop and implement annual account plans, promotional calendars, and trade spending strategies.

• Collaborate with Operations and Finance to forecast sales volume and expenditure at the customer and SKU levels.

• Plan, execute, and analyze promotions, reporting on ROI and making adjustments based on the outcomes.

• Operate within trade and travel budgets while providing regular reports on them.

• Conduct customer business reviews and maintain opportunity tracking in Salesforce.

• Plan travel and market coverage, coordinating with the Key Account Manager and VP of Sales for national or cross-regional accounts.

⛳️ Requirements

• Three to seven years of progressive sales experience in CPG, with a focus on grocery in recent roles.

• Proven track record of success as a hunter, with specific new accounts successfully opened.

• Established relationships with grocery buyers in the Eastern U.S.

• Experience in managing brokers, preferably across multiple agencies or territories.

• Proficient in syndicated data, including Circana/IRI and Nielsen.

• Ability to independently construct a category narrative from syndicated data.

• Strong analytical capabilities and financial understanding.

• Comfortable with trade mathematics, margin structures, and promotional ROI.

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to cultivate relationships and possess a charismatic presence in buyer meetings.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly PowerPoint and Excel.

• Familiarity with Salesforce CRM, Slack, and Google Workspace.

• Bachelor's degree is required.

• Reside within the territory with access to a top 25 airport; preferably in the Northeast corridor, Atlanta, Charlotte, or Central Florida.

• Experience in a remote sales environment is beneficial.

• Willingness and ability to travel, including overnight and air travel, estimated at 25–30% travel.

• Experience in the pet category is a plus.

• Comfortable operating in ambiguity with minimal oversight, particularly in a fast-growing consumer company.

• A passion for dogs or cats and their treats is essential.

🏝️ Benefits

• Connected remote-first culture with a highly engaged distributed workforce.

• Flexible PTO policy.

• Competitive salary and compensation package.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• 401K with employer matching contributions.

• Home Office Stipend to support your work environment.

• Parental leave policy including “pawternity” leave.

• Discounts on Antelope products and pet insurance offerings.