Account Manager Regional & Independent

Job Description

Job Description

Salary: $65,000 $80,000

Forever Cheese is seeking a driven, high-touch Account Manager to join the Regional & Independent team. This role owns a defined book of independent accounts end-to-end from proactive outbound selling through order execution, CRM maintenance, and follow-through.

The Regional & Independent team delivers white-glove service to independent accounts that require consistent, proactive attention to grow. This is a full-ownership model: each Account Manager is the single point of contact for their portfolio and is directly accountable for commercial outcomes and the day-to-day customer experience.

This role is based in Forever Cheese's New York City office and requires a minimum of 3 days per week in-office.

Key Responsibilities

Outbound Engagement & New Placements

• Proactively reach out to independent accounts to build and maintain strong relationships
• Identify and secure new menu and shelf placements across your account portfolio
• Drive consistent, multi-touch outreach each cycle to increase account impact

Order Management

• Own the full order cycle placing, adjusting, and confirming orders to keep accounts running smoothly
• Manage substitutions and additions in real time, coordinating with the inside operations team as needed
• Ensure orders are handled within agreed service levels with no gaps in execution

CRM & Account Administration

• Maintain current, accurate CRM profiles for every account in your portfolio contacts, purchasing patterns, notes, and opportunity tracking
• Own New Item Form (NIF) submission and follow-through for your accounts from initial request through confirmed listing
• Handle credits and returns end-to-end: initiating, tracking, and confirming resolution with the account
• Manage all other account-level administrative tasks you are the single point of accountability for your book

Distributor & Growth Engagement

• Engage new distributors as a key growth lever within your territory
• Support new-door pipeline development and outbound prospecting
• Contribute to segment growth targets: growing from 2% to 4% penetration represents $780K+ in upside

Success in the First 12 Months

• Every account in your portfolio has a current, accurate CRM profile
• Accounts are contacted proactively not waiting on inbound requests
• New placements secured each cycle across the portfolio
• Orders, NIFs, credits, and returns handled within agreed SLAs
• Accounts grow at or above segment targets (2%4%)
• You are the reason your accounts choose to grow with Forever Cheese

Required Qualifications

• 13 years of experience in specialty food, CPG, or food & beverage sales
• Demonstrated experience managing independent retail, foodservice, or wholesale accounts
• Strong relationship-building skills with a proactive, solutions-oriented approach
• Ability to manage a high volume of accounts and tasks with discipline and attention to detail
• Comfort with CRM systems, order management, and day-to-day account administration
• Based in or able to commute to New York City; minimum 3 days per week in-office required

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in specialty cheese, fine food, or imported food products
• Experience with independent retail buyers, specialty distributors, or broadline distributors
• Familiarity with KeHE, UNFI, or similar distributor workflows

Competencies for Success

• Ownership mindset you treat your accounts like they are your own business
• High-touch service orientation with the ability to manage a large, diverse portfolio
• Organized, reliable, and consistent accounts know they can count on you
• Commercially driven with a hunger to find new placements and grow revenue
• Collaborative and communicative within the team

Why Forever Cheese

This role offers meaningful ownership, direct impact, and the chance to build lasting relationships across a dynamic and growing segment. Account Managers on the Regional & Independent team are the face of Forever Cheese to their accounts and the results they drive are visible, measurable, and valued by leadership.

For someone who takes pride in proactive service, thrives on relationship-building, and wants to grow commercially within a high-quality specialty food company, this is an exceptional opportunity.