Job Location: ​Chicago​ Want to make an impact?

The Account Manager is responsible for partnering with GPO’s to drive sustainable, profitable sales volume within the Non-Commericail channel of business. This role requires extensive Out of Home experience and expertise, as the individual will collaborate with various functional areas within Ferrara. Key segments include K-12, Colleges & Universities, Business & Industry (B&I), Healthcare, and other specialty channels classified as “Non-Commercial” in the Foodservice industry.
The Account Manager will play a pivotal role in fostering strategic and collaborative relationships with key accounts, securing permanent product placements on contracts, and building effective and productive partnerships across all levels within the Non-Commercial segment. This position is critical in aligning customer objectives with Ferrara’s business goals to drive growth and innovation within these channels.

 

*NOTE* Role can be remote
 

Ways you will make a difference Business Management: Oversee and manage customer relationships across diverse industries, including healthcare, colleges and universities (C&U), K-12 education, business and industry (B&I), and hospitality sectors. Contract Negotiation and Implementation: Lead contract negotiations with target accounts, ensuring the successful execution of agreements and the implementation of programs in collaboration with internal teams and external partners. Sales Forecasting: Develop precise and timely sales volume forecasts, ensuring compliance with deadlines. Proactively monitor submitted forecasts to identify potential challenges and implement corrective measures as required. Strategic Promotions: Design and execute strategic account promotions aimed at maximizing profitable sales volumes for Ferrara Foodservice and its customers. Customer Relationship Development: Build and maintain strong relationships with senior customer leadership across key areas, including marketing, culinary, operations, and procurement. Customer-Centric Solutions: Develop and implement profitable growth strategies for seasonal initiatives, product placement, shelving, merchandising, and pricing. These solutions should align with customer objectives, category leadership goals, and company objectives. Influence and Advocacy: Deliver fact-based presentations to persuade customers to adopt proposed solutions, ensuring mutual benefits for both the customer and the company. New Product Launches: Oversee the timely and effective execution of new product launches to maximize their impact on customers. Trade Fund Management: Manage customer trade funds in compliance with both internal and external regulations. Continuously enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of trade spending. Category Insights and Recommendations: Provide customers with actionable category insights and growth recommendations. Gather customer feedback to inform potential solutions and drive category success.
  Skills that will make you successful Ability to effectively penetrate appropriate levels of management  Ability to apply a high level of analytical rigor Sound judgment, drive and influence to aggressively pursue initiatives with appropriate team building techniques Self-starter who is proactive and identifies critical business threats and opportunities Strong initiative, forward thinking, and creative problem-solving skills with the ability to create or stimulate customer-focused strategies Ability to develop and deliver first class fact-based presentations internally and externally Strong planning and organizational skills and ability to manage process effectively Customer focused with the ability to strategically build alliances and maintain customer relationships that will serve as the foundation for long-term success Ability to effectively engage internally and externally with key stakeholders
  Experiences that will support your success Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience within the confection industry Minimum of 4 years of sales account responsibility experience is preferred. Minimum of 2 years Unattended Retail sales experience is preferred, specifically working with GPO’s Proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite Consumables experience is preferred but not required. Confections experience a plus Ability to travel as required to achieve results- likely 30-40%
  What We Offer

At Ferrara, we're proud to support our employees with comprehensive benefits that enhance health, financial wellness, and include paid time off (PTO). 

Eligible employees may also receive an annual bonus based on company performance. Learn more about our benefits here.

Compensation

The Salary Range for this position is $88,000 - $123,000.