Director of National Accounts -East (United States)

What is Saint James

We are so much more than an iced tea brand. We’re a passionate group of people dedicated to shaking up the beverage scene for good, delivering organic hydration as it should be! At Saint James, we’re redefining the multi-billion dollar iced tea and yerba mate categories in a healthier and more sustainable way, bringing the natural functionality of real brewed beverages to today’s consumers.

What you will do

The Director of National Accounts – East owns the division and regional grocery book east of the Rockies: Kroger and Albertsons divisions, the four Ahold Delhaize banners — Stop & Shop, Giant Carlisle, Hannaford and Giant Food Landover — and East regional grocers including Meijer, Hy-Vee, Giant Eagle, Weis, Northeast Grocery and Harris Teeter.

This is where national awards become distribution. Headquarters sets the program; the divisions decide whether our items are in the planogram, on the shelf and on the promotion. It is also the book with the most open white space on the team, which makes it the second seat we are filling and the one with the clearest line between effort and revenue.

• Own the East division book — 18 Kroger and Albertsons divisions — the buyer relationships, the division-level assortment decisions, and the follow-through that turns a national award into shelf presence.
• Own the Ahold Delhaize banners — Stop & Shop, Giant Carlisle, Hannaford and Giant Food Landover, each with its own buyer, calendar and reset.
• Own East regional grocery — 24 accounts including Meijer, Hy-Vee, Giant Eagle, Weis Markets, Northeast Grocery, DeMoulas / Market Basket and Harris Teeter.
• Close the white space — work the sized opportunity list for your book — who we are not in, what it is worth, and by which review window — and convert it into distribution.
• Run the review and reset calendar for your accounts — submissions built on the insights fact base, landed ahead of each decision window rather than during it.
• Drive velocity where we already are — diagnose underperforming items, stores and markets, and recommend specific assortment, pricing, promotion and shelf-placement actions.
• Partner with Field Sales — distributor readiness, void closure, on-shelf availability and promotional compliance across the eastern regions.
• Direct your broker support — clear priorities, defined KPIs and a regular cadence, so the broker network is working your plan rather than its own.

What success looks like in year one

• Within 90 days: every division and banner buyer in the book has been contacted, the open white space is sized and prioritized, and the review calendar for the next four decision windows is mapped.
• Within 6 months: submissions are in for every near-term review window, and the first distribution gains from the white space list are booked.
• Within 12 months: ACV against the competitive set is measurably higher across the East book, void closure is tracked and improving, and the review win rate is at or above the team standard.

What You Bring

• Always acting with integrity through a “what’s right and best” mindset.
• Positively add to and harness the empowering culture that has already been developed.
• Intrinsically motivated and accountable to both professional and personal goals/responsibilities.
• Detail-oriented and focused on doing it right vs. getting it done.
• Persistence. Division work is 18 relationships that each move at their own pace, and the win comes from working all of them rather than the easy three.
• The instinct to chase a void to the shelf rather than declaring it closed when the item is set up.
• Comfort building your own selling story from syndicated data, with insights support rather than a request queue.
• Extremely organized, dependable, and self-motivated.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to excel in a hands-on, fast-paced entrepreneurial environment.
• A strong work ethic, a desire to succeed, and a passion for building a brand.

Your Background

• 5+ years in CPG account management, beverage or food strongly preferred.
• Direct experience calling on Kroger or Albertsons divisions, the Ahold Delhaize banners, or comparable regional grocery headquarters.
• A track record of winning distribution at category line review and holding it through the following reset.
• Hands-on fluency with syndicated data — SPINS required, Circana or NIQ a plus — including ACV, distribution and velocity measures.
• Experience working through brokers and with a field sales organization to close voids and enforce promotional compliance.
• Advanced Excel and strong PowerPoint — you build the selling deck yourself.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook).

Additional Requirements

• Regular travel across the eastern United States for division and banner buyer meetings, market work, tradeshows and team planning sessions.
• Willingness to work outside of standard business hours during line review and planning cycles, based on business demands.
• The ability to sit, stand, walk, and type for long periods of time.
• Valid state driver’s license.

Location: Remote, must be based in the Eastern United States.

What We Offer

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Sick Leave
• Paid Company Holidays
• 401(k) Plan
• and many more perks

The base salary range for this role is $155,000–$175,000 per year plus a 15–20% target annual bonus , depending on experience, location, and skills. 

Saint James is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.