Strategic Account Director

Confidential Employer; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Employer in Atlanta is seeking a Strategic Accounts Lead to own day-to-day relationships with strategic accounts outside national chains, drive program execution, and grow the existing book through targeted placements and expansions.

You will negotiate account-level agreements, coordinate with sales leadership, and report performance to senior leadership, while traveling to key stores and markets as required.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of account management or field sales experience.
• Experience negotiating account-level agreements and managing an ongoing account book.
• Strong cross-functional coordination skills — comfortable working with field sales leadership to align account strategy with local execution.
• Strong analytical skills — able to build account-level analysis and translate it into a customer development plan or negotiation.
• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Existing independent and on-premise relationships in key metro markets.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day relationships with strategic (non-top-tier) chain accounts, including reorders, program execution, and overall account health.
• Negotiate account-specific agreements within parameters set by the VP; escape larger or higher-risk terms to the SVP for approval.
• Coordinate with Directors of Sales and Sales Managers in relevant territories to ensure account programs are executed correctly at the store/location level.
• Track and report account-level performance — distribution, pricing compliance, program execution — to the SVP.
• Own account-level analytics for the strategic accounts portfolio — depletion trends, ACV/distribution movement, promotional lift, and account profitability — to support the SVP's negotiations and business reviews.
• Drive customer development within the existing book — identify and pursue incremental placements, new store/location penetration within existing accounts, and program/category expansion opportunities.
• Support the SVP's top-tier accounts as needed — preparing account materials, data, and analysis for the SVP's executive-level meetings.
• Identify growth opportunities within their account book and flag larger negotiation opportunities to the SVP.
• Support additional business priorities and initiatives as needed, recognizing that this scope is not exhaustive and may evolve based on emerging business needs, strategic priorities, and market opportunities.
• Regular travel to strategic accounts as needed.

Skills

Account management

Field sales

Beverage/CPG experience

Analytical skills

Cross-functional coordination

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Job description

The Strategic Accounts Lead owns the strategic and independent accounts outside the national chains, turning opened doors into standing orders and disciplined, repeat business.

What you'll do

• Own day-to-day relationships with strategic (non-top-tier) chain accounts, including reorders, program execution, and overall account health
• Negotiate account-specific agreements within parameters set by the VP; escape larger or higher-risk terms to the SVP for approval
• Coordinate with Directors of Sales and Sales Managers in relevant territories to ensure account programs are executed correctly at the store/location level
• Track and report account-level performance — distribution, pricing compliance, program execution — to the SVP
• Own account-level analytics for the strategic accounts portfolio — depletion trends, ACV/distribution movement, promotional lift, and account profitability — to support the SVP's negotiations and business reviews
• Drive customer development within the existing book — identify and pursue incremental placements, new store/location penetration within existing accounts, and program/category expansion opportunities
• Support the SVP's top-tier accounts as needed — preparing account materials, data, and analysis for the SVP's executive-level meetings
• Identify growth opportunities within their account book and flag larger negotiation opportunities to the SVP
• Support additional business priorities and initiatives as needed, recognizing that this scope is not exhaustive and may evolve based on emerging business needs, strategic priorities, and market opportunities
• Regular travel to strategic accounts as needed

Qualifications

• 6+ years of account management or field sales experience, ideally within beverage alcohol or broader CPG
• Experience negotiating account-level agreements and managing an ongoing account book
• Strong cross-functional coordination skills — comfortable working with field sales leadership to align account strategy with local execution
• Strong analytical skills — able to build account-level analysis (depletion, distribution, profitability) and translate it into a customer development plan or negotiation.
• Bachelor's degree preferred
• Existing independent and on-premise relationships in key metro markets

Qualitative KPI's & Soft Skills

• Communicates clearly and directly; escalates issues early rather than letting them surface as surprises
• Follows through on commitments and proactively flags changes rather than after the fact
• Collaborates across functions and shares information openly rather than operating in a silo
• Treats mistakes as learning opportunities and doesn't repeat them
• Assumes positive intent; challenges ideas, not people, in debate and discussion
• Shows up prepared and on time for meetings and calls
• Turns a first order into a repeat order — owns the follow-up that keeps a door open after it's opened
• Runs well-prepared, structured account meetings with clear agendas and prompt follow-up
• Surfaces independent/on-premise relationships that can feed the industry hiring pipeline