Customer Account Manager, Kroger

ARI (Axcel Recruiting Inc.); Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

ARI (Axcel Recruiting Inc.) is seeking a strategic sales leader to partner with Kroger and broker teams, driving revenue, profit, and market share goals. You will develop blueprints, manage annual plans, and deliver data-driven insights to inform pricing, promotions, and assortment decisions.

Ideal candidates have strong negotiation, communication, and cross-functional leadership skills, with deep consumer goods knowledge and experience in broker management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required (Business, Marketing preferred).
• 5–10 years of consumer goods sales experience, preferably with Kroger and broker management.

Responsibilities

• Develop the strategic and tactical blueprint for Kroger with broker team using insights tools (IRI, 84.51, Panel Data, etc.).
• Develop and execute customer-specific trade marketing opportunities aligned to end consumer needs.
• Assist Sr. Director in account planning processes and customer business reviews.
• Create comprehensive sales presentations to promote and generate sales meeting customer potential.
• Build and maintain relationships with Customer Category Managers, brokers, and HQ to drive forward-looking results.
• Utilize IRI, broker data, and category analyses for category strategy development, assortment, pricing, and promotions.
• Partner with broker representatives and lead customer business development, negotiations, presentations, and calls.
• Track shipments vs consumption vs plan weekly and monthly; propose solutions for gaps.
• Develop monthly forecasts for base and promotional business; analyze ROI of promotions.
• Deliver customer insights plans with activation meeting company goals.
• Review pricing to align with objectives and adjust where needed.
• Participate in broker reviews to maintain top performers and drive revenue, profit, and share goals.
• Lead cross-functional teams to support customer service, trade marketing opportunities, and high product fill rates.
• Stay informed on competitors' products and strategies and relay to leadership.
• Manage trade marketing funds in line with budget; conduct market/store visits to assess performance.
• Apply fact-based selling, data analysis, and reporting to drive action plans.
• Handle administrative tasks related to business unit requirements from data-driven sources.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Data analysis

Negotiation

Communication

Excel

PowerPoint

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Marketing

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Outlook

Job description

SUMMARY

Represent CPG product line with customer (Kroger) and broker personnel as a strategic partner. They are responsible for delivering the revenue, profit, and market share objectives within allocated budget by providing outstanding leadership, strategy development, business plan deployment, fact-based selling, business analysis and world class tactical execution. Focusing on leveraging consumer, customer, and category insights, to help identify actionable strategies and tactics, which will profitably grow the business at Kroger will be paramount to the success of the candidate in this role.

SETTING THE COURSE FOR SUCCESS

• Provide measurable objectives
• Eliminate unproductive distractions
• Deliver ongoing direction and leadership
• Collaborate internally with other internal departments and teams on concepts and programs for the Kroger business.

MAJOR DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with Sr. Director and broker team to develop the strategic and tactical "blueprint" for the business within Kroger utilizing various tracking and insights tools (IRI, 84.51, Panel Data, etc.).
• Develop and execute customer-specific trade (event) marketing opportunities, which are strategically aligned to the mutual needs of the end consumer.
• Actively manage and support Sr. Director in the account planning process and customer business reviews.
• Develop and implement comprehensive sales presentations to promote and generate sales consistent with customer potential.
• Build and maintain positive business relationships with customer Category Managers, brokers, and HQ team to facilitate & solidify forward thinking results and partnerships.
• Utilize IRI database, braker, and category analyst to provide insight during the Kroger Kompass & CCO processes to include category strategy development, full category review, assortment, pricing, promotion, and shelving.
• Partner with broker representatives and serve as a resource for market growth opportunities, proposals, and programs. Assume a lead role in customer business development, contract negotiations, presentations, and sales calls.
• Track and monitor shipments vs consumption vs plan weekly and monthly. Communicate gaps and opportunities with recommended solutions.
• Manage and develop monthly forecasts for base and promotional business
• Analyze Promotional Activity and determine ROI. Develop recommendations for driving more efficient sales because of promotional analysis.
• Develop and execute key customer insights business plan with sound activation that meets/exceeds company goals.
• Review retail pricing to ensure brands are priced in accordance with company objectives. Develop and execute action plans to adjust pricing where necessary.
• Participate and develop annual broker reviews to maintain "A" players, utilizing innovative strategies to drive business results and deliver the company's revenue, profit, and market share goals within budget.
• Work as leader of cross-functional teams to ensure dedication to customer support to maintain quality service, develop unique trade marketing opportunities, engage category management resources and maintain high product fill rates in line with customer expectations.
• Stay informed of new products, marketing strategies and services of competitors. Provide such information to Sr. Director, HQ and broker representatives appropriately.
• Manage performance and trade marketing funds in accordance with budget allocation.
• Conduct periodic market and store visits to drive sales/marketing strategy performance.
• Actively participate in the sales team’s strategic operational and financial success by adopting and implementing proven fact-based selling techniques, analysis, and reporting, utilizing IRI and other reputable industry resources to make recommendations and develop action plans.
• Manage all administrative tasks associated with business unit requirements from a data driven fact-based orientation. TPM, transfer of information to Advantage, off-line planners, etc.

MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES REQUIRED TO SUCCESSFULLY PERFORM MAJOR DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Outstanding demonstrated leadership skills
• Excellent strategic capabilities
• Solid conceptual thinking abilities
• Strong results orientated skills
• Excellent business planning/organizational/project management skills with previous business management/development experience
• Solid understanding of the financial impact of sales and managing within an allocated budget
• Understanding of the impact of consumer trends and the food industry
• Demonstrated success in developing business opportunities, identifying customer needs and changes in their markets.
• Solid interpersonal skills.
• Excellent ability to manage through indirect relationships
• Excellent negotiation and "closing" skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication/presentation skills.
• In-depth working knowledge of fact-based selling, category management, consumer goods, and sales & marketing
• Highly Skilled at data analysis using IRI, Market 6 and/or other technology resources to perform analysis and recommend strategies.
• Proficient in the use of Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint, and Outlook computer skills
• Valid driver's license
• Excellent trade relations

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Incumbent must be able to:
• Light Travel (+/- 15%) to customers by traveling in a car and/or airplane
• Sit for periods of time up to 8 hours per day
• Physically check product in stores and various outlets
• Physically access grocery stores and supermarkets
• Carry/transport materials to support presentations (10 lb. – 20 lb.)
• Lift and move cases of product as needed for customer events

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Education: Bachelor's degree Required (Business, Marketing preferred), with 5 - 10 years consumer goods sales (preferably with (Kroger) and broker management experience.