Key Account Specialist

Description:
This position’s primary responsibility is to sell and market our client’s products to a variety of foodservice operators.  This includes maintaining relationships, being proactive and energetic, utilizing time management capabilities, and possessing excellent communication skills to ensure the satisfaction of the operator and the professionalism of the company. Responsible for imputing all daily activity into CRM, and planning against all top-priority customers.

Bridge to Success:

Why Our People Love Affinity Group 

Your Bridge to Success:

The Affinity Group is one of the fastest-growing food sales and marketing agencies in North America and Canada. Our focus is to increase market demand and drive market penetration for our clients within the food service and retail fresh food verticals. Our agency provides a consultative selling approach for the customers that we represent.

Responsibilities: 

• Enter details of sales calls and business plans into CRM daily.
• Plan and schedule sales calls against business planning customers.
• Check and return emails and voicemails daily (all calls to operators must be returned within 24 hours).
• Complete follow-up calls to operators accordingly – within a week.
• Follow-up on sales leads (within 24 hours.
• Be professionally prepared for all sales calls.
• Attend industry events as determined by sales management.

Competencies :

• Strategy and Execution. You’ll be consistently identifying and implementing event/activity plans for your assigned accounts, building awareness of our client's unique value proposition while presenting features and benefits for the lines we represent to drive inquiry generation. You’ll be using your unique ability to influence high-impact partnerships for your market while diving down to 'street level' to execute the daily work via informational virtual presentations, calls, and emails.
• Partner and Influencer. Through a variety of mediums, you will use your passion for serving others to provide exceptional sales 
• presentations with a consultative approach for prospective foodservice restaurant owners, operators, general managers, and culinarians.
• Heart and Hustle. This position will have a local office base with the option to work remotely as needed. Working independently, you will leverage your critical thinking skills to support prospective Affinity Group clients through the selling cycle, CRM system, and data integrity, and guide prospects on the right path towards a successful purchasing experience.

Our Culture:

• We are a team of sales pros, business development chasers, and creative marketing thinkers who came together to disrupt and re-engineer how a food and marketing agency represents our clients within the food and beverage verticals.
• As a premier sales and marketing firm, our people make up the largest investment of our most valuable assets. Our culture doesn’t wait for things to happen, we make things happen! 
• The Affinity Group is transforming into a progressive organization that looks to the future and learns from our past. We are looking for diverse talent who is a culture-add who brings expertise that we do not already have on the team!

Requirements:

• 1-3 years of foodservice sales or foodservice operation experience. Restaurant operations or culinary experience is a plus.
• Clear communication skills. Ability to communicate professionally at all levels. Strong listening and relationship building skills.
• Passion for food and the endless possibilities of how products can be prepared.
• Creativity. Ability to create and recommend food menu combinations in support of the selling cycle.
• Self-motivation and drive to succeed. Must have an initiative-taking approach and take ownership of your client relationships.
• Savvy time management. Ability to balance competing priorities while traveling to various locations.
• Retail sales experience a plus

Benefits: 

• Health & Wellness: Medical and dental insurance plans
• Supplemental insurance, and short/long term benefits
• 401(k) Retirement plan
• Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)
• Vacation Time & Company Holiday

The Affinity Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.