National Account Manager

National Account Manager, Sales

Golden State Foods is a distinguished leader in the food service industry, offering an extensive array of products and services to a diverse clientele. Rooted in the values of quality service and integrity, we are dedicated to creating a supportive and inclusive atmosphere where employees can advance, innovate, and contribute to our ongoing success.

This role serves as the primary relationship manager for key national accounts, ensuring exceptional customer service, proactive issue resolution, and effective product utilization across multiple locations and stakeholders. The National Account Manager collaborates cross-functionally with internal teams to support seamless customer experiences and long-term partnership success. This position develops and executes strategic sales plans aligned with GSF's overall business strategy to achieve financial targets and expand market share within assigned national accounts.

Maintains and services current customer relationships in his/her region in accordance with GSF sales management directives as well as GSF values and creed. Develops strong relationships with existing customers through formal and informal communications, site visits, attending store openings, meetings, social functions, and training to provide high quality customer service, rapid problem response and resolution, and proper understanding and use of GSF products.

Initiates, establishes and maintains strong relationships with potential new customers through formal and informal communications, site visits, attending store openings, meetings, social functions, and training to provide high quality customer service, rapid problem response and resolution, and proper understanding and use of GSF products.

Acts as liaison between GSF and new customers providing feedback to GSF sales management regarding customer needs, business issues, product concerns, future plans, and perceptions of GSF products and services to enhance customer service.

Develops and updates account specific business plans for each responsible account with the purpose of maintaining strategic direction and business focus. Collaborate and co-ordinate cross functional input that results in a multi-faceted model.

Provides written reports on market status and sales activities for sales management, including Weekly project schedules, account updates, volume reports, pipeline updates and trip reports where appropriate.

Prepares and achieves approved budget and financial targets.

Maintains customer contact when requested by finance department to assure the collection of receivables to achieve profitability goals.

Works with customer service to ensure correct and timely processing of a variety of documents including order adjustments, variances, special deliveries, and product complaints to maintain complete and accurate records. Disseminate information to customers regarding orders, products, order processing, production issues, delivery issues, or other concerns. Co-operates with QA and regulatory personnel to investigate and assist in the evaluation of field complaints.

Assists in plant tours for new and potential customers to explain GSF production procedures and to highlight GSF's attention to sanitation, food safety, and customer satisfaction.

Coordinates with product development, purchasing and finance departments in determining product pricing and submits for approval to national accounts director.

Develop relationships and interact directly with manufacturing and product development groups with respect to product formulation, product requirements, order entry and delivery management. Spend a percentage of time at the Division offices for the purpose of developing relationships and start to build office experience.

Performs other related and assigned duties as necessary.

Knowledge of:

• Sales territory or region.
• Sales targeting, prospecting and account development.
• Motivation, management and development of direct reports.
• Customer service concepts and techniques.
• Order management, delivery management and sales development tracking concepts and techniques.
• Industry practices, competition and products.
• Competitive landscape and competitive activity within accounts.
• National foodservice chain accounts and network.
• Financial and accounting concepts.
• GSF products and manufacturing processes and practices.
• New customer product standards and requirements.
• Food safety, storage, and shipment of food products.
• Distribution concepts and techniques.
• Product liability, government food safety guidelines, and customs regulations.
• Quality assurance techniques and applications.
• PC word processing and spreadsheet software applications.
• Supervisory concepts and techniques.

Skills and Ability to:

• Effectively communicate verbally and in writing.
• Make sales presentations to customers and GSF sales management.
• Proactively manage sales budgets and make recommendations for volume corrections when necessary.
• Develop detailed sales plans, forecasts and reports.
• Analyze customer service-related problems where appropriate and generate possible solutions.
• Resolve customer complaints effectively and efficiently.
• Communicate and coordinate effectively with customers and sales management verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrate maturity, strong presentation, poise, and enthusiasm.
• Work within a flexible schedule.
• Lead informative customer tours of the GSF facilities.
• Prepare a variety of comprehensive administrative and technical documents.
• Interact effectively with customers at all organizational levels.
• Work effectively in a general business environment with a focus on high levels of quality and customer service.
• Work independently.
• Travel via automobile and airplane.
• Make rational decisions in support of, and consistent with, company policies and procedures.
• Develop long-term relationships with customers.
• Relocate to another location if/when assigned by GSF management.
• Act in accordance with GSF's Values and Creed

Performance Categories:

• Productivity and quality standards: budgeted and projected sales revenue goals.
• Productivity and quality standards: attainment of assigned profitability goals.
• Productivity and quality standards: customer service / satisfaction.
• Productivity and quality standards: site visits.
• Productivity and quality standards: responsiveness and reliability.
• Productivity and quality standards: accuracy, timeliness, thoroughness.
• Communication.
• Budget and cost containment.
• Professional attitude and demeanor.
• Customer and vendor relations.
• Reasonable and predictable attendance.
• Project and assignment standards.
• Teamwork within the department and across departments

Golden State Foods (GSF) is one of the largest diversified suppliers in the food industry, manufacturing a range of products including sauces, dressings, condiments, syrups, and toppings for leading restaurant and retail brands. Join GSF and grow your career with a global food industry leader who:

• People First: At Golden State Foods, we're not just a company; we're a dynamic community where your talents are celebrated, and your ambitions are nurtured.
• Values Driven: Our core values drive everything we do, creating a culture of innovation, integrity, and excellence. But we're not content with just being great; we strive for greatness in every aspect of our work.
• People Development: At GSF we strive to continually develop our people to prepare us all for the needs of tomorrow.
• Philanthropy & Sustainability: We're committed to making a difference beyond our walls through philanthropy and sustainability efforts across all our locations around the globe.
• Extensive Benefits: Golden State Foods believes in a holistic approach to wellness focusing on the whole person with benefits that support those needs.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Our company values diverse perspectives and is committed to creating an inclusive and respectful workplace where every person is supported and empowered to thrive.