Account Executive

Van Drunen • Momence, IL

19h • $85,000 - $95,000

About The Position

The Van Drunen Family of Companies is growing! JOB OVERVIEW: The Account Executive works closely with the Sales Manager, Key Account Managers, Key Account Specialists, and Account Services Coordinators, as appropriate, to grow and support current accounts and foster the development of sales relationships with prospects. This position requires extensive time spent communicating with current and prospective accounts via phone, email, and face to face via travel, as necessary, to adequately service the accounts and grow the relationships across multiple departments within the organizations. The Account Executive has a working knowledge of the competitive landscape for fruit, vegetable, herb, and grain-based whole food and functional ingredients and is focused on working with our customers to help them understand the value proposition of collaborating with a primary ingredient manufacturer with unmatched capabilities.

Requirements

• 2+ years of consultative, customer service focused sales experience including implementing sales plans, solving complex problems, and delivering measurable sales results.
• Takes ownership and excels at execution
• High level of problem- solving skills
• Excels at relationship building and has a strong customer focus
• Refined diplomacy and negotiation skills
• High level of organization and attention to detail
• Excellent listening, verbal, and written communication skills in English
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple customers and tasks simultaneously
• A self-starter with an entrepreneurial approach.
• Proficient computer skills including Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, (MS Teams preferred)
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related business discipline
• Sit and use a computer for a long period of time.
• Manual and physical dexterity needed to operate a computer keyboard and handle paper documents.
• Sufficient near vision acuity to read information appearing on computer display screen, hand-written forms, and printed on paper.
• Adequate hearing and verbal abilities to communicate effectively in person and by telephone.
• The ideal candidate must be able to complete all physical requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

• Experience within the food, beverage, and/or dietary supplement industry preferred.
• Experience selling functional ingredients and working in the Sports Nutrition market segment specifically also preferred.

Responsibilities

• Make it easier for our customers to develop and deliver high quality nutritious products.
• Drive profitable growth
• Helps ensure adherence to the highest levels of customer satisfaction with both internal and external partners
• Hands on facilitation of gathering key info from customers on new projects and opportunities and working with Sales Leadership, Key Account Managers and Key Account Specialists to gain approval and buy-in, and execute a plan to bring the project to fruition
• Work closely with Sales Manager and the Business Development Team (where appropriate) to develop strategies to drive growth with both existing customers and new prospects and execute on these strategies with frequent communication and, where necessary, face-to-face meetings.
• Works closely with Key Account Managers, Key Account Specialists and Account Services Coordinators on improving service for all assigned accounts
• Work with all relevant internal teams to ensure the highest quality of service on assigned accounts and prospects
• Assist the efforts of Sales Support and Sales Ops with requesting and gathering key customer info on projected demand volumes and timing when needed
• Works with Sales Manager to set account-specific goals.
• Conduct/attend customer visits and other stakeholder-related external events requiring travel domestically approx. 2-4 times per month

Benefits

• This role may further qualify for supplemental compensation in the form of bonus and incentive programs, contingent upon achieving pre-established individual and company performance metrics.
• Benefits Eligible: Yes
• Benefits Available : 2026-benefits-summary.pdf

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level