Overview
You know that a great salesperson doesn’t tell a story. They sell a story. First, they listen. Then, they ask questions. They find the need. And then they lead. They turn the story into a conversation until the conversation becomes a relationship, and then that relationship becomes a win-win for everyone involved.
That’s the kind of leadership and relationship building we’re looking for in our new National Account Manager, Central position at Vital Farms. Reporting into our Senior Sales Director, Grocery West, we’re looking for someone who’s a fearless spirit and who knows how to foster trust. Someone who can manage up and manage down. Someone who can give high level briefings one minute and then turn around, roll up their sleeves and revise the upfront slides on a sales deck – doing whatever it takes to get to yes.
We’re looking for someone who’s going to think outside the henhouse and go that extra mile because at Vital Farms, we’re on a mission to change the food industry one ethically-sourced ingredient at a time. While we’re known for our pasture raised eggs – giving our hens 108 square feet to roam and calling bullsh*t on terms like “cage free” – the truth is we’ve got big plans to do so much more. That’s because we give a cluck when it comes to the health of our animals, the health of our customers, and the health of our planet.
If you’re as egg-cited about that mission as we are, then we think you’re going to like the opportunities that come with being a National Account Manager, Central at Vital Farms. So let’s dig in, shall we?
What You’ll Do:
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- Achieve annual sales objectives, volume goals, market share growth, and profitability through execution of account plans and brand strategies for customers including Target, Albertsons’ divisions, Meijer, and other Mid-West regional customers.
- Partner with the Senior Sales Director, Grocery West to create long term, thought leadership visions for customer accounts.
- Act as the main point of contact with customers, managing and addressing daily business needs and requests
- Create fact-based selling stories, leveraging customer specific data, such as Shopper 360, syndicated data sources, internal selling stories, and any other available selling resources to secure new distribution and execute promotional strategies
- Have an enthusiasm for networking and building deep relationships with customers, engaging at different levels within the organization. Leverage top to top meetings where it makes strategic sense.
- Lead strategic direction, provide guidance, and foster professional development for a Regional Sales Manager.
- Partner and work collaboratively with cross-functional teams (Business Development, Category Management, Trade Management, Marketing, Operations, Customer Service, and Accounting).
- Develop, manage, and partner with broker agency teams, including setting standards, conducting regular business reviews, building and executing sales strategies at each customer.
- Utilize knowledge of trade programming within Target, Albertsons, Meijer, and other regional customers to build best in class promotional, shopper and support plans to drive strong velocities and ROI for both Vital Farms and the customer. Be able to analyze effectiveness, identify key learnings, and adjust plans as needed to maximize spend.
- Monitor market conditions and competitive activity, assess for opportunities, and provide insights to sales leadership.
- Develop a cadence and expectation for insights, sharing both internally and with customers, including business updates, new item launch analysis, or promo evaluations
- Manage and analyze demand forecasts, promotional/trade management plans, and shopper marketing activities
- Exhibit a collaborative and open mind with peers and leadership on the sales team, while sharing best practices
- Participate in trade shows and customer events as needed
What You Bring to the Table:
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- Minimum of 5+ years of successful CPG experience specific to sales, national account management, category management, or related field
- Sales experience with Target, Albertsons, Meijer, and other Mid-West Regional customer accounts, ideally within the last 2 years with extensive involvement working directly with the corporate teams, as well as specific divisions
- Integral to have a solid understanding of multiple distribution methods to get to the end customer – direct or distributor network such as KeHE, UNFI, and C&S
- Expert knowledge of concepts within the sales function and basic knowledge in areas such as supply chain, operations, and marketing
- Category management mindset, with expertise utilizing syndicated data sources (SPINS, Nielsen, IRI) and customer-specific data to support fact-based selling
- Broker agency management experience
- Excellent organizational and communication skills (written, verbal, and virtual) with high attention to detail
- Ability to prioritize and manage time effectively, while thriving in a remote environment
- Leadership experience with team-orientation
- Influencing skills to gain alignment, agreement, and commitment both with internal and external stakeholders
- Bachelor’s degree required, or equivalent work experience
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including PowerPoint, Excel
- Comprehensive understanding of trade management, promotional planning, and forecasting
- Problem-solving skills and desire to bring creative and thoughtful solutions to the business
- Proven experience that reflects being results-oriented
- Expert understanding of the CPG industry sector and competitive landscape preferred
- People leadership experience is preferred
- Ability to demonstrate confidence, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude in challenging business interactions
- Willingness to travel
What All Crew (You Included) Bring to the Table:
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- You’re no hero – You know the power of teamwork and celebrate the work of others before your own
- You give a sh*t – You believe in acting like an owner and making Vital Farms a place to be proud of
- You raise the standards – You know growth can be hard, but you strive to improve yourself and others each day
- You can walk in someone else’s boots – You seek to understand other’s viewpoints and think that you get to better answers by sitting on the same side of the table
- You don’t walk on eggshells – You’re not afraid to leave the bullsh*t behind and have honest conversations
What We Bring to the Table:
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- A fast-paced, energetic, remote environment with passionate people who are leading a movement to bring ethically produced food to the table
- Competitive pay and benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, and Paid Parental Leave, just to name a few)
- Company-wide bonus program; when we succeed together, we celebrate together
- Generous retirement contributions: 401(k) + 3% Contribution from Day 1
- Free eggs, butter, and ghee, along with friends and family discounts
- Fun team SWAG that will make you the talk of the town
- Professional development opportunities and an amazing team dedicated to your growth
Who We Are:
Vital Farms is a Certified B Corp that sources and markets delicious, high-quality, ethically-sourced egg and dairy products nationwide. We started on a single family-farm in Austin, TX in 2007, with 20 Rhode Island hens and a drive to raise the standards in sustainable agriculture. Today, Vital Farms is THE leading producer of pasture raised eggs, partnering with more than 275 family farms, and selling into over 18,000 grocery stores around the country. We believe that a healthy bottom line is the result of healthy business practices, and we care deeply about supporting all our stakeholders. This includes our crew, our consumers, our retailers, and of course our happy hens and contented cows. In short, we exist to improve the lives of people, animals, and our planet through food.
Next Steps:
Shortly after you complete your application, you’ll receive a follow-up email elaborating on any potential next steps in our process. If you don’t immediately receive said follow-up email, we would highly encourage you to check your spam filter!
In order to fulfill Vital Farms mission to “bring ethically produced food to the table,” we seek to build teams that leverage diverse perspectives to create a welcoming and innovative environment that is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunities.
To that end, we make employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business need. Vital Farms does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other status protected by law.
About Vital Farms
Vital Farms is a Certified B Corp that sources and markets delicious, high-quality, ethically-sourced egg and dairy products nationwide. We started on a single family-farm in Austin, TX in 2007, with 20 Rhode Island hens and a drive to raise the standards in sustainable agriculture. Today, Vital Farms is THE leading producer of pasture raised eggs, partnering with more than 250 family farms, and selling into over 18,000 grocery stores around the country. We believe that a healthy bottom line is the result of healthy business practices, and we care deeply about supporting all our stakeholders. This includes our crew, our consumers, our retailers, and of course our happy hens and contented cows. In short, we exist to improve the lives of people, animals, and our planet through food.
