National Account Manager - Food Service & Distributors

Darigold Careers • Seattle, WA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Darigold is seeking an experienced and motivated National Account Manager (NAM) of Food Service & Distributors to join our team. The NAM is responsible for creating value for our Farmers and Customers by delivering volume, share and margin growth through the execution of Darigold’s brand and business development plans, including but not limited to the execution of strategic sales plans with key national and regional customers, delivering new product distribution and improving operating margins through effective merchandising, pricing, promotion management and effective sales planning and forecasting. The NAM is a key member of the B2C Sales Team reporting to the VP of Sales. This role requires exceptional organizational skills and analytical acumen. The ideal candidate will be customer first focused and have a passion for learning to maximize total enterprise value with customers across several channels, categories and product offerings for branded and private label growth. This role will directly manage complex customer relationships and should be capable of facilitating contract negotiations and new business RFP bids. To succeed in this role, the ideal candidate will be self-motivated and self-directed with a passion to find new opportunities to grow the business. This role will need to be a skilled internal collaborator and will need to successfully partner with cross functional teammates in Business Development, Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Legal, IT, HR and the Northwest Dairy Association Team to drive optimal results. Darigold is the fifth largest dairy cooperative in the United States based on milk volume and one of the largest privately held organizations headquartered in the state of Washington. Since 1918, our producers have taken pride in producing dairy products with unsurpassed quality. Today, we are one of the nation's largest agricultural cooperatives, producing over 8.5 billion pounds of milk every year. Through innovative technology and our efficient, flexible production capabilities, we deliver value added products and customer-driven solutions. Darigold is now known throughout the world for bringing fresh, wholesome dairy products and ingredients from the Northwest to people all around the globe.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5+ plus years of Consumer Products Sales, National Account or Category Management experience required.
• Must be willing/able to travel up to 25-50% of the time.
• Customer Savvy: Leading with clarity, to cultivate a relationship of mutual trust and respect to gain expert understanding of the customer’s structure, cultural ways of working, category expectations and business requirements, to create sustainably value and growth for the customer and Darigold. Customer expert looking to uncover all opportunities and to grow with the account and to understand the competition. Own and develop JBP for growth at each account.
• Execution Excellence: Planning thoroughly, collaborating, and delivering the results that Darigold and the retailer expect while having an adept ability to drive contingency planning.
• Negotiating Skills: Skillfully navigate tough situations with both internal and external groups; can settle differences and win concessions without damaging relationships and Darigold’s reputation and P&L; can manage strategic account relationships that elevate above transactional pricing and trade.
• Business Acumen: Owner mindset and a clear sense of accountability based on being knowledgeable and current on internal and external business conditions, trends and competitive activity.
• Functional Skills: Effective user of Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word and can navigate company and third-party databases, customer portals and should possess strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Analytic agility: Synthesize customer, consumer, category, competitive and company insights into executable winning customer plans and tactics that drive mutual wins for the retailer, Darigold and our end consumer.
• Organizational agility: Knowledgeable about how the enterprise works and is effective at get things done through formal processes and informal relationship building. Must be able to handle ambiguity in a start-up type company culture.
• Attention to detail: Detailed focused and organized. Must be able to meet customer timelines and all complete customer contracts.
• Presents and communicates effectively: Develops and delivers multi-mode communications that coveys clear understanding to multiple types of audiences and influences others to act.
• Problem solving and opportunity searching: Anticipate obstacles and dig for answers to solve issues. Must have the drive to find new business opportunities in existing accounts and find new ways to drive the business forward.
• Leadership: Action oriented, focuses on driving results, acts with integrity and alignment when leading self and others, embraces the company vision of leading Dairy forward and facilitates productive and positive interactions with teammates that drives results.
• Stewardship: Demonstrates an enterprise value mindset that includes creating value for our farmers, employees and customers, acts as a responsible steward of Darigold’s assets including our reputation and advocates as a champion of dairy farming and the Northwest Dairy Association.
• Perseverance: Sets high standards and goals for self and others, demonstrates resourcefulness in the face of obstacles and challenges, maintains a solution-oriented mindset, realistic and possesses optimism when facing market volatility and dynamics.
• Co-Op Spirit: Puts the whole of our Co-Op before its parts.

Nice To Haves

• 2+ plus years of Food Service experience preferred.
• Dairy, Refrigerated, and/or Private Label experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Deliver volume, margin, share, objectives for assigned customers and channels which may include and evolve: Food Service: US Foods, Sysco Re-Distributors: Alpine Distributors: Dairy Fresh, Springbrook, Medosweet
• Execute Darigold’s customer and business development plans, for core branded and private label products as outlined in the AOP, DSMP’s and Price and Trade Architecture, to include: Drive product distribution. Deliver quality merchandising and efficient pricing and promotion management. Provide accurate sales and trade planning and forecasting. Facilitating effective customer service and order fulfillment. Ensure effective execution of invoice accuracy, deduction management, and enforcement of credit policies, terms and conditions.
• Execute Darigold’s brand to consumer plans to include: Drive new products distribution both in depth and breadth. Leverage brand and channel marketing programs and promotions to maximize new item velocities.

Benefits

• 401k competitive employer matching
• Comprehensive medical, dental & vision benefits
• Employer paid life & disability coverage
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• 8 weeks paid parental leave
• Education assistance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible hybrid working arrangement where it applies (up to 2 days/week after initial 90 days and approval by hiring manager and HR)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees