Account Manager

Sonoco; Illinois; On-site; USD 73,280 - 140,400; Full time

Job summary

Sonoco is seeking a Sales Manager for the Industrial Paper Packaging – Partitions business, responsible for leading sales activities across the Midwest. The role focuses on strengthening Sonoco’s market position while expanding new business through value-based selling. Candidates should have a 4-year degree and 5+ years of sales experience in B2B manufacturing or packaging, with a strong focus on protective packaging solutions. The position requires approximately 60% travel within the territory.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of sales experience in B2B manufacturing, packaging, or industrial products.
• Knowledge in protective packaging, including molded foam, plastics, and paper-based solutions.
• Comfortable managing a multi-state territory.

Responsibilities

• Lead direct sales activities across assigned Midwest territory.
• Engage regularly with existing customers and prospects.
• Monitor market trends and competitor activity.

Skills

Direct B2B Selling

Marketing

Price Management

Negotiation & Contract Alignment

Customer Relationship Development

Territory Management

Value-Based Engineering Collaboration

Education

4-year undergraduate degree or equivalent professional experience

Job description

Location

Chicagoland & Surrounding Areas

Reports to

Director, Sales Segment – Partitions

The Sales Manager for Sonoco’s Industrial Paper Packaging – Partitions business will be responsible for leading all direct sales activities across an assigned Midwest territory. This role focuses on strengthening Sonoco’s position as the preferred partitions supplier across key markets—including food, beverage, industrial, automotive, and consumer packaged goods—while expanding new business opportunities through value‑based selling, engineered solutions, and multi‑plant coordination.

You will maintain regular engagement with existing customers and prospective accounts, drive profitable growth, and ensure alignment with Sonoco’s commercial strategy, preferred‑vendor programs, and long‑term customer partnerships. You will also champion Sonoco’s service, quality, and engineering value advantages to protect and grow our footprint in a dynamic and competitive environment.

What You Will Be Doing

• Prepare and maintain updated account plans for major customers and high‑potential prospects within the assigned territory, including growth strategies, risk assessments, and competitive intelligence.
• Provide the Director, Sales Segment and cross‑functional partners with regular progress reports summarizing account activity, pipeline development, and commercial opportunities.
• Establish, execute, and continuously refine a territory call plan to ensure consistent engagement with all customers and prospects, including multi‑level and multi‑plant touchpoints.
• Maintain accurate, up‑to‑date visibility into gross margins, cost‑to‑serve, and pricing structures for all major accounts; make informed pricing recommendations that support profitable growth.
• Build and sustain multi‑level relationships across customer organizations—procurement, operations, engineering, quality, and leadership—to strengthen Sonoco’s preferred‑vendor position.
• Identify opportunities for value‑based engineering, packaging optimization, and cost‑reduction initiatives that reinforce Sonoco’s technical and service differentiation.
• Collaborate with internal operations, customer service, and supply chain teams to ensure flawless execution, service reliability, and proactive issue resolution.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and customer shifts to help shape territory strategy and protect Sonoco’s position in served markets.
• Travel approximately 60% of the time across the Midwest to maintain strong customer engagement and support business development activities.

We Would Love to Hear from You If

• You have a 4‑year undergraduate degree or equivalent professional experience.
• You bring 5+ years of sales experience, ideally in B2B manufacturing, packaging, or industrial products.
• You have knowledge or experience in protective packaging—including molded foam, plastics, fiber, thermoforming, or paper‑based protective solutions.
• You are skilled in value‑based selling, solution development, and navigating complex customer organizations.
• You are comfortable managing a multi‑state territory and maintaining a strong presence with customers across the Midwest.
• You thrive in a fast‑paced environment and can balance strategic planning with hands‑on commercial execution.

Skills

• Direct B2B Selling
• Marketing
• Price Management
• Negotiation & Contract Alignment
• Customer Relationship Development
• Territory Management
• Value‑Based Engineering Collaboration

Compensation

This is a progression position, and level will be determined based on experience and business needs. The annual base salary range for this role is as follows:

• Account Representative: $73,280 - $82,400, plus an annual target bonus of 12.5% of base salary.
• Account Representative II: $99,360 - $111,780, plus an annual target bonus of 12.5% of base salary.
• Senior Account Representative: $111,760 - $125,730, plus an annual target bonus of 12.5% of base salary.
• Account Manager: $124,800 - $140,400, plus an annual target bonus of 12.5% of base salary.