Key Account Manager I

Advantage Solutions; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Advantage Solutions in Charlotte, NC seeks a Key Account Manager I to drive sales growth for assigned clients and enhance retailer relationships. The role collaborates with Customer Managers and operations teams to implement promotional strategies and improve distribution.

The position requires strong sales presentation skills, interpersonal abilities, and the capacity to manage multiple clients while meeting budget goals. Domestic travel may be required.

Qualifications

• 1‑3 years of experience in applicable field.
• Strong sales presentation and development skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive our clients’ business at assigned customer, increasing distribution and sales within budget guidelines.
• Ensure retail/merchandising execution and basic eCommerce execution.
• Meet budgetary goals by managing promotional spending and accruals.
• Develop retailer presentations and provide direction to marketing teams.
• Build and maintain strong client and retailer relationships to achieve sales goals.

Skills

Sales strategy

Customer relations

Presentation skills

Interpersonal skills

Data interpretation

Cross-functional leadership

Communication (verbal)

Organization

Adaptability

Time management

Education

High School Diploma/GED

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Syndicated data

Job description

Summary

Key Account Manager I

This position also works closely with internal Advantage Solutions associates such as Customer Managers and order entry, claims, category management, schematics and retail associates to increase sales volume within a market.

This incumbent may be dedicated to servicing multiple clients’ goals, while also encompassing customer and client relations and implementation.

Clients will consist of Pioneering clients (manufacturers that do not currently have distribution in the customers the associate is responsible for), Regional clients (manufacturers not represented through a National contract but rather retain the services on a regional, market, or customer specific basis) or Tier 3 clients (manufacturers with minimal volume, sku counts, and commission revenue)

Job Will Remain Open Until Filled

Responsibilities

The Company is one of North America’s leading sales and marketing agencies specializing in outsourced sales, merchandising, category management, and marketing services to manufacturers, suppliers, and producers of food products and consumer packaged goods. The Company services a variety of trade channels including grocery, mass merchandise, specialty, convenience, drug, dollar, club, hardware, consumer electronics, and home centers. We bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers, providing consumers access to the best products available in the marketplace today.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Drive our clients’ business at assigned customer. Increase distribution, grow sales dollars/units/share/other KPI’s, while staying within budget guidelines.
• Responsible for ensuring retail/merchandising execution and basic eCommerce execution.
• Achieves targeted income and expense budgets by implementing promotional and marketing strategies.
• Analyzes trends and results to identify growth opportunities and makes recommendations to clients and customers.
• Monitors and drives growth through efficient management of promotional spending within guidelines on assigned clients.
• Meets budgetary goals by maintaining strict control and accounting of accrual and bill-back funds for assigned client.
• Meets expectation for managing period ending fund balance performance with no overspends vs. trade budget.
• Meets or exceeds Client’s goals for sales, distribution, share, pricing, shelving, and promotional volume.
• Launches strategies to pursue new opportunities.
• Implements retailer headquarter calls and penetrates key positions at the retailer to achieve sales goals by managing and maximizing manufacturer marketing and promotional funds while staying within financial guidelines.
• Ensure that all retail pricing and indirect order guides within the division are updated by regularly correcting discrepancies.
• Secure Client approved schematics for all Clients’ brands by providing direction and communication to our schematic, reset, and retail department.
• Ensure incremental sales through distribution of new products and maintenance of existing SKU’s.
• Collaborate with category management team to develop retailer presentations by using database rationale such as SKU optimization, efficient promotion causal data, and lift analysis.
• Manage accounts to achieve the targeted ACV on Innovation.
• Builds and maintains effective client and retailer relationships in order to ensure customer access and client perspective that we are connected and engaged with key stakeholders.
• Demonstrates sales accomplishments and areas of opportunity by developing sales presentations for Customers and Clients.
• Implements Customer HQ Calls and demonstrates an ability to penetrate key positions at the retailer.
• Offers strategic input pursuant to annual business plans, problem solving, ongoing customer management. Finds the intersection of retailer and client objectives and drives win/win scenarios.
• Provides timely and fluid communication on Client goals, programs, price changes, and priorities to include all necessary people and information.
• Manages difficult situations, issues and conflicts to get to an effective outcome.

Travel and/or Driving Requirements

• Travel and Driving are essential duties and function of this job.
• Travel up to 20 %.

Education Level

Required: High School Diploma/GED or equivalent experience. Preferred: Bachelor's Degree.

Field of Experience

1‑3 years of experience in applicable field.

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Strong sales presentation and development skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Working knowledge of syndicated data.
• Intermediate or advanced computer skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Conflict management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to provide cross‑functional leadership.
• Well‑organized, detail‑oriented, and able to handle a fast‑paced work environment.
• Flexible and adaptable, able to change and alter according to changes in projects or business environment.
• Ability to complete multiple duties with accuracy, shifting from one to another with frequent interruptions and competing deadlines.

Environmental & Physical Requirements

Office / Sedentary Requirements: Incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of the job. Work is performed primarily in an office environment. Typically, requires the ability to sit for extended periods of time (66%+ each day), ability to hear telephone, ability to enter data on a computer and may require the ability to lift up to 10 lbs.

Additional Information Regarding Job Duties and Job Descriptions

Job duties include additional responsibilities as assigned by one’s supervisor or other manager related to the position/department. This job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the position. The Company reserves the right at any time with or without notice to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer job positions, or assign additional job responsibilities, subject to applicable law. The Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable a qualified applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.

Equal Opportunity

The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity in all employment practices without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental disability, or any other category protected by law. As part of this commitment, the Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable an applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by law.