National Account Manager - Merchandise

CPKC; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible benefits package

Pension/retirement plans

Employee Share Purchase Plan

Annual Fitness Subsidy

Job summary

CPKC is seeking a National Account Manager to oversee key Merchandise customers and drive revenue growth, retention, and value through strategic negotiations and market development. The role involves contract renewals, price strategies, and building strong customer relationships across the network.

The position can be based in Chicago or Kansas City, requiring up to 20–30% travel, a valid driver’s license, and passport for cross-border work. Join a team focused on growth, safety, and excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, supply chain, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years’ professional sales experience managing larger, high-profile national accounts.
• Ability to travel up to 20–30% across the network and possess a valid driver’s license and passport.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement account and sales strategy.
• Assess and mitigate key risks to the business strategy.
• Meet yield, price, total revenue targets and standards.
• Lead the development and execution of contract renewals implementing effective negotiating strategies.
• Develop creative solutions and make good value trades during negotiations.
• Identify, qualify and secure key business development opportunities.
• Develop customer relationships with key current and future customers, partners and organizations as required to achieve the business strategy.
• Effectively communicate terms of sale and collaborate with key stakeholder groups on service standards to facilitate execution and measure the reliability of the product sold to customers.
• Gather market and customer intelligence and ensure it is communicated to key internal team members.
• Ensure the Opportunity Pipeline is deep and robust with revenue growth opportunities; manage multiple large projects with extended sales cycle.
• Build and mentor an outstanding sales organization and growth culture.

Skills

Sales experience

Account management

Negotiation skills

Business development

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/marketing/supply chain

Job description

Join CPKC, North America’s first transnational railroad connecting U.S., Canada and Mexico, where your career drives progress and safety is paramount. We connect communities, fuel economic growth, and provide meaningful work in a culture that values diversity, accountability, and pride. With opportunities for training, development, and advancement, you’re not just building a career—you’re part of something bigger. Together, we move goods, connect people, and create lasting change. Your future starts here.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:

CPKC is looking for a National Account Manager to oversee key Merchandise customers. The candidate will lead the generation of quality revenue growth, revenue retention and value through new business development, line haul extension, contract negotiations/renewals and execution of price strategies. The candidate in the position will establish a deep market, industry and regulatory knowledge that develops and maintains effective relationships with customers and key stakeholders that positions CPKC for future revenue growth.

This position can be based in Chicago or Kansas City.

POSITION ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Develop and implement account and sales strategy
• Assess and mitigate key risks to the business strategy
• Meet yield, price, total revenue targets and standards
• Lead the development and execution of contract renewals implementing effective negotiating strategies
• Develop creative solutions and make good value trades during negotiations
• Identify, qualify and secure key business development opportunities
• Develop customer relationships with key current and future customers, partners and organizations as required to achieve the business strategy
• Effectively communicate terms of sale and collaborate with key stakeholder groups on service standards to facilitate execution and measure the reliability of the product sold to customers
• Gather market and customer intelligence and ensure it is communicated to key internal team members
• Ensure the Opportunity Pipeline is deep and robust with revenue growth opportunities; manage multiple large projects with extended sales cycle
• Build and mentor an outstanding sales organization and growth culture

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, supply chain or a related field or possess equivalent professional work experience
• Minimum of 5 years’ professional sales experience managing larger, high profile, national accounts (railroad, transportation, logistics or supply chain industry experience is an asset but not required)
• Ability to travel up to 20 - 30% across the network
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and passport for cross-border travel

WHAT CPKC HAS TO OFFER:

• Flexible and competitive benefits package
• Competitive company pension and/or retirement plans
• Employee Share Purchase Plan
• Annual Fitness Subsidy

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS:

Drug Testing

This position is subject to a negative company drug test.

• Criminal history check
• Education verification
• Professional references
• Driver’s license verification and driving history
• Passport verification
• Social Security Number verification

BECOMING A RAILROADER:

As an employee with a North American presence, the possibility does exist that the location of your position may be changed based on organizational requirements.

Management Conductor Program

Becoming a qualified conductor or locomotive engineer is the single best way for a management employee to learn the business at CPKC. You may be required to obtain a certification or to maintain your current certification/qualification as a conductor or locomotive engineer.

CULTURE OF INCLUSION:

For our U.S. applicants, CPKC is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, inclusive of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For Canadian applicants CPKC is an employment equity employer committed to the principles of employment equity and inclusion. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply including: women, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), members of the LGBTQ+ community and people with disabilities. Accommodations for the job application process can be provide, as appropriate, upon request. All applicant information will be managed in accordance with the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).