Key Account Lead

Natural Choice Foods; Marne (MI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly Pay

Employee discount at Daily Deals Food]

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Paid Time Off

Paid Holidays

Medical, dental, vision, life, and DIS

Job summary

Natural Choice Foods in Michigan is seeking a Key Account Lead to manage strategic relationships with key and complex customer accounts, drive growth, and maximize revenue and margin. This role acts as a trusted advisor, balancing customer needs with market conditions and inventory realities, while collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver customized solutions.

Limited travel is required; success comes from owning accounts, identifying growth opportunities, and mentoring Sales Account

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 3–5+ years of progressive sales experience, preferably in account management, commodities, or complex B2B sales.
• Strong pricing acumen and ability to analyze data to support strategic decisions.
• Proven success managing high-volume or complex accounts while driving growth and margin performance.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage strategic customer relationships and a portfolio of key accounts.
• Drive growth within existing accounts through strategic upselling and solution-based selling.
• Collaborate with Pricing, Purchasing, and Sales leadership to align on pricing strategy.
• Provide informal mentorship and guidance to Sales Account Managers.
• Assist in identifying trends, risks, and opportunities within accounts.

Skills

Sales experience

Pricing acumen

Negotiation skills

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or related field

Tools

CRM systems

Microsoft Office

Zoho

Job description

In-Office

Do you thrive on building strategic customer relationships, navigating complex sales, and driving meaningful business growth? Are you energized by balancing customer needs, market conditions, and business strategy to deliver smart, profitable solutions? If so, you may be a fit for our

Full Time | Monday - Friday

Do you thrive on building strategic customer relationships, navigating complex sales, and driving meaningful business growth? Are you energized by balancing customer needs, market conditions, and business strategy to deliver smart, profitable solutions? If so, you may be a fit for our Key Account Lead opportunity at Natural Choice Foods.

Mission

At Natural Choice Foods, our mission is to partner with food manufacturers to recover value from excess inventory by providing access to markets that need quality food at extreme value.

Company Values

Never Settle | Be Accountable | Do the Right Thing | Win Together

Job Summary:

The Key Account Lead is a highly skilled, strategic sales professional responsible for managing complex customer relationships, driving growth within an assigned portfolio, and maximizing revenue and margin performance. This role serves as a trusted advisor to customers, balancing customer needs with market conditions, inventory realities, and company objectives.

Success in this role comes from owning high-value accounts, identifying strategic growth opportunities, making informed pricing decisions, and collaborating cross-functionally to deliver customized solutions. The Key Account Lead also serves as a resource and informal mentor to Sales Account Managers, helping elevate sales performance and best practices across the team. Limited travel to customers, markets, and industry events is required.

A Sample of the Role:

Strategic Customer Relationship Management

• Manage a portfolio of key and complex customer accounts, building long-term, trust-based relationships
• Serve as a strategic advisor by understanding customer business needs, market pressures, and operational priorities
• Develop customized product solutions that align customer objectives with inventory availability and margin goals
• Act as the primary point of contact for assigned accounts, managing communication, expectations, and issue resolution
• Gather and share customer insights to support Sales, Purchasing, and Pricing strategies

Sales Execution & Account Growth

• Drive growth within existing accounts through strategic upselling and solution-based selling
• Support new customer acquisition efforts and identify new revenue opportunities
• Manage sales activity through phone, email, and online platforms with a high level of accuracy and efficiency
• Oversee customer orders to secure product while ensuring compliance with company policies and vendor agreements
• Consistently meet or exceed individual sales, margin, and activity goals

Pricing & Market Strategy

• Serve as a subject matter expert for assigned commodities and market categories
• Review commodity pricing, inventory performance, and market trends to support sales strategy
• Make informed pricing recommendations that balance competitiveness, margin, and sales velocity
• Partner with Pricing, Purchasing, and Sales leadership to align on pricing strategy and execution

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Leadership Influence

• Collaborate with Logistics, Purchasing, Engineering, Repack, and Operations to deliver customer solutions
• Provide informal mentorship and guidance to Sales Account Managers, supporting skill development and best practices
• Identify trends, risks, and opportunities within assigned accounts and product categories
• Analyze sales data and provide insights to support strategic decision-making

Your Natural Ingredients to Win:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered
• 3-5+ years of progressive sales experience, preferably in account management, commodities, or complex B2B sales
• Strong pricing acumen and ability to analyze data to support strategic decisions
• Proven success managing high-volume or complex accounts while driving growth and margin performance
• Strong negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills
• Experience with CRM systems and business software (e.g., Microsoft Office, Zoho, or similar platforms)
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently while contributing to a team environment
• High level of professionalism, accountability, and integrity

Benefits of a Key Account Lead:

Start on the Date of Hire:

• Weekly Pay
• Employee discount at Daily Deals Food Outlet
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays

Eligible following employment requirements:

• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverages (30 days of employment)
• 401(k) with company match (6 months of employment)
• Paid Parental Leave (12 months of employment)

https://naturalchoicefoods.com/careers-2/job-openings/

NCF is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, disability, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Do you need any disability-related accommodations or other considerations in the application process? Notify our Human Resources department upon submitting your application by email.