National Account Manager - Distribution

Darigold B2C business, with a priority focus on growing Darigold branded packaged goods, has an exciting opportunity for an accomplished customer manager to create sustainable value for our century old farmer-owned company.

The National Account Manager (NAM) is responsible for creating value for our farmers and customers, by delivering volume, share, margin growth, through execution of Darigold’s brand and business development plans. Included, but not limited to: cultivating new business, driving core and new product distribution, contract and trade management, pricing execution, promotional management and facilitate effective customer fulfilment. The NAM’s primary customer responsibilities may include but are not exclusive too: US Foods, Sysco, McDonalds, CKE, Shamrock, Nicholas, and Sodexo. This would be at the corporate level, while also supporting the regional distributors in relative geographies.

As a member of the Domestic Sales team the NAM will work in a matrix structure, reporting to the Director of Away from Home and Domestic Manufacturers. They will also receive coaching and support from the Sr Director & V.P of Domestic Sales. To be successful the NAM will need to demonstrate strong negotiation and communication skills, customer savvy, organizational and analytical agility, business acumen, collaboration with cross functional partners and alignment with Darigold’s values to maximize success across branded and private label packaged goods.

What You Will Do: (other duties may be assigned ):

Functional Excellence

• Deliver volume, margin, share, objectives for assigned customers and channels which may include and involve:
• Management and growth of existing business within national broadline distributors, key commercial and non-commercial national account customers.
• Sales effectiveness within established distribution, meeting sales, profit and operating margin objectives as outlined in the annual AOP
• Customer focused while delivering upon Darigold’s success metrics
• Strategic management of RFP’s, contracts, trade deals, and pricing execution
• Sell targeted growth platforms at the corporate level to enable success at the local level
• Demonstrate exceptional selling skills in a complex external and internal environment
• The ability to effectively penetrate customers, building presence and relationships within assigned accounts
• Focus project work and sales execution on initiatives that deliver upon Darigold’s financial commitments
• Exercise solid judgment and analytical skills
• Good understanding of Darigold supply chain and how to coordinate with customer business partners to address issues
• Execute Darigold’s customer and business development plans for core branded, private label and ingredients products to include:
• Demonstrate strong organizational and leadership skills
• Drive core products distribution
• Deliver quality merchandising and efficient pricing and promotion management
• Provide accurate sales and trade planning and forecasting
• Cultivate and leverage strong internal relationships with Pricing, Marketing, and Supply Chain
• Possess strong influencing and communication skills
• Organize project management work, identifying all deliverables within the stage gate process
• Provide thought leadership on executional efficiencies
• Be a change agent, identify ways to improve processes and speed to market
• Facilitating effective customer service and order fulfillment
• Ensure effective execution of invoice accuracy, deduction management, enforcement of credit policies and terms and conditions

What You Will Bring:

• Customer Savvy: Cultivates 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 sustainable value for the customer and Darigold
• Negotiating Skills: Can 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
• Business Acumen: Is knowledgeable and stays current on internal and external business conditions, trends and competitive activity
• Functional Skills: Is literate and is an effective user of Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word and can navigate customer portals, third-party data bases 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
• Organizational Agility: Becomes knowledgeable about how the enterprise works and is effective at get things done through formal processes and informal relationship building

Embody the Values of Darigold.

• Leadership
  • Action oriented, focused on driving results
  • Act with integrity and alignment when leading self and others
  • Embrace the company vision of leading Dairy forward
  • Facilitate productive and positive interactions with teammates that drives results
• Stewardship
  • Demonstrate an enterprise value mindset that includes creating value for our farmers, employees and customers
  • Be a responsible steward of Darigold’s assets including our reputation
  • Be a champion of dairy farming and the Northwest Dairy Association
• Perseverance
  • Set high standards and goals for self and others
  • Resourceful in the face of obstacles and challenges while maintaining a solution-oriented mindset
  • Realistic and optimistic when facing market volatility and dynamics

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Strong preference toward existing Broadline Distributor relationships
• Must have a minimum of 6 - 8 years of experience within the Away From Home Industry
• Individual must demonstrate strong organizational skills, business acumen, communication and influencing skills, group presentation skills, judgment and analytical skills and be able to influence key internal and external customers
• Experience managing multiple strategic customers, with understanding of customer margin management, order management and fulfillment

Benefits of Working at Darigold:

• Employer 401K contribution of up to 9%
• 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
• Community giving through matching donations
• Access to great dairy products & participation in our employee butter purchase program
• Compensation range: $111,024.00 - $166,536.00 (individual wage based on previous experience, knowledge, and skills)

Our Commitment to Diversity:

Achieving our vision to Lead Dairy Forward requires cultivating and supporting a team with varying backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We are committed to providing a workplace based on mutual respect where all employees feel included and can bring their best and authentic selves to work every day. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and Affirmative Action Employer. We welcome all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, marital status, creed, religion, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. As a condition of employment applicants offered a role will be required to successfully pass our pre-employment background screen, receive a negative drug screen result & confirm eligibility to work in the U.S. We participate in E-Verify - please follow the links for details, English / Spanish & view our Right to Work Statement, English / Spanish.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)