National Accounts Manager (Protein)

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced National Account Manager to join a growing poultry and protein business in the U.S.

This role is ideal for a commercially driven sales professional with a strong background in poultry, processed meats, value-added protein, or food manufacturing, and proven experience managing major national retail, club, foodservice, or distributor accounts.

The National Account Manager will take ownership of key customer relationships, drive revenue and volume growth, develop strategic account plans, and identify new opportunities across the U.S. market.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and grow relationships with major national retail, club, foodservice, and distributor accounts.
• Develop and execute annual strategic business plans for key customers.
• Drive sales, volume, margin, and profitability across assigned accounts.
• Sell fresh, frozen, fully cooked, RTE, and value-added poultry products.
• Manage pricing, contracts, promotions, forecasts, and customer negotiations.
• Build relationships with senior-level buyers, category managers, merchandising teams, and procurement leaders.
• Identify opportunities for new products, new distribution, new categories, and incremental revenue.
• Lead customer presentations, line reviews, business reviews, and annual planning meetings.
• Analyze customer and market data to identify trends, competitive threats, and opportunities for growth.
• Partner with Marketing and Product Development on new product launches and customer-specific programs.
• Work closely with Operations and Supply Chain to ensure customer requirements, service levels, and forecasts are met.
• Monitor account performance, including sales, volume, margins, distribution, and promotional activity.
• Negotiate pricing and commercial agreements while protecting company profitability.
• Develop accurate sales forecasts and maintain a strong pipeline of new business.
• Provide regular account performance updates and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.

Ideal Candidate

• 5+ years of National Account, Key Account, or Strategic Account experience.
• Experience within poultry, meat, protein, food manufacturing, or CPG.
• Strong understanding of the U.S. poultry and protein marketplace.
• Proven experience managing significant national retail, club, foodservice, or distributor accounts.
• Experience selling fresh, frozen, cooked, RTE, or value-added poultry products.
• Demonstrated track record of achieving or exceeding revenue, volume, and margin targets.
• Strong negotiation and commercial skills.
• Ability to manage complex customer relationships and long-term strategic partnerships.
• Strong understanding of pricing, margins, forecasting, promotions, and profitability.
• Excellent presentation, communication, and relationship-management skills.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and Product Development.

Key Customer Experience

Experience managing accounts such as Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, Kroger, Publix, Albertsons, Target, Whole Foods, Sysco, US Foods, or other major national retailers and foodservice distributors would be highly desirable.

Target Background

Strong candidates may come from Perdue Farms, Tyson Foods, Pilgrim's, Wayne-Sanderson Farms, Mountaire Farms, Koch Foods, Foster Farms, Peco Foods, House of Raeford Farms, Fieldale Farms, Amick Farms, Harrison Poultry, or other poultry processors and value-added protein manufacturers.

Candidates from adjacent meat and protein manufacturers may also be considered where they have strong national-account experience.

Key Performance Areas

Success will be measured through:

• Revenue growth
• Volume growth
• Gross margin and profitability
• Achievement of annual sales targets
• New account and distribution growth
• Existing account expansion
• New product sales
• Customer retention and relationship development
• Forecast accuracy
• Successful contract and pricing negotiations

This is an excellent opportunity for a National Account Manager with strong poultry or value-added protein experience to take ownership of major national customers and play a key role in driving commercial growth across the U.S. market.