Account Manager

Sonoco • Hartsville, SC

13d • $73,280 - $140,400 • Remote

About The Position

Sonoco is hiring for a sales role supporting the joint venture between Cascades Inc. and Sonoco Products Company. Reporting to the Sales Director, the position leads direct sales activities within an assigned Southeast regional territory, driving growth in Poly and Water-based coated board for folding carton, corrugated, and other markets. The role calls for deep customer engagement, strong business acumen, and the ability to translate customer needs into high-value packaging solutions.

The successful candidate will build and execute account strategies, develop multi-level customer relationships, and identify opportunities aligned with the joint venture’s capabilities. The position requires disciplined use of sales systems, analytical skills for accurate forecasting, and significant regional travel—approximately three nights per week—with regular in-person customer presence across the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama.

Requirements

• A four-year college degree.
• At least 3 years of experience in folding carton manufacturing or corrugated packaging.
• Demonstrated success in sales prospecting, new business development, and territory growth.
• Proven ability to manage complex sales development cycles and multiple concurrent customer projects.
• Strong discipline with CRM tools, sales reporting systems, and data analysis to support forecasting and strategic planning.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and strategic thinking skills.
• Comfort managing a remote territory and maintaining regular in-person customer presence across the Southeast Region, including the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama.
• Ability to travel regionally approximately three nights per week.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with folding carton design, converting processes, food service and CPG packaging requirements, and paperboard substrates.
• Experience in corrugated or folding carton manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Understand changing market conditions and developing trends, and identify creative solutions that help joint venture partners succeed.
• Provide insights to Marketing for strategic planning and align account plans with divisional strategies and market positioning.
• Implement, monitor, and refine account plans to maximize effectiveness, growth, and customer value.
• Develop and manage a territory sales funnel focused on new folding carton business opportunities.
• Establish and maintain relationships with customer decision-makers, influencers, and operational contacts.
• Discover customer operations, challenges, and packaging needs, identifying what constitutes value for each customer.
• Promote product innovations, service offerings, and applications for folding carton capabilities.
• Maintain a disciplined call plan and adjust it to market conditions, customer needs, and growth objectives.
• Monitor customer facilities for expansions, closures, equipment investments, business shifts, and volume changes.
• Maintain customer profiles covering share of business, product specifications, pricing, competitor activity, and performance metrics.
• Identify prospective accounts and support acquisition-oriented discussions where appropriate.
• Maintain current information on gross margins, competitive pricing benchmarks, and folding carton industry cost drivers.
• Make pricing recommendations aligned with margin targets, value propositions, and competitive positioning.
• Use CRM systems and reporting tools to provide accurate sales forecasts, funnel analyses, and territory performance reports.
• Use data to identify trends, refine strategies, and drive accountability in the sales cycle.
• Report account activity, customer updates, and progress against account plans consistently and accurately.
• Partner with Operations, Customer Service, Engineering, and Marketing to develop customer-driven solutions.
• Communicate critical account information internally to support operational readiness and strategic alignment.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, including FSA and HSA options.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Wellbeing tools and resources, including an Employee Assistance Program.
• Paid time off and holidays.
• Company-paid and voluntary employee-paid insurance plans, including life, personal accident, and disability insurance.
• Tuition reimbursement.

What This Job Offers

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