Account Manager - Regional & Independent

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

• 1-3 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.