Associate National Account Manager - Pet Care

Spectrum Brands • Chicago, IL

20h

About The Position

The Associate National Account Manager leads sales and relationship growth for a region of key retail, wholesale, and distributor partners, including Super Valu, AWG, Winco, Hy-Vee, and other customers. The role covers strategic development, presentations, analysis, forecasting, and tactical preparation for customer calls and events. It focuses on maximizing profitable SKU listings and assortments, developing sales and promotional plans, managing customer and broker relationships, and coordinating with internal teams to support product availability and account performance.

The position works with Brand, Product, Trade Marketing, Finance, Sales Management, and Forecasting/Demand Planning teams. It requires approximately 20% travel. Work is performed in a normal office sales environment, with flexible office/home office opportunities and occasional exposure to weather while traveling.

Requirements

• Five years of retail field sales experience and direct account responsibility.
• A minimum of 2–4 years of work experience in the consumer products industry.
• High-level proficiency working with syndicated data or category management.
• Robust analytical skills, including the ability to learn and use syndicated data to forecast trends and projections and analyze promotional effectiveness.
• Excellent presentation and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels within the organization and customer organizations.
• Solid tactical and strategic abilities and the ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Team-oriented approach to accomplishing goals.
• Customer- and consumer-focused approach.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong PC skills, including spreadsheets, word processing, and presentations.
• Approximately 20% travel required.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in business or a related discipline preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop profitable strategies to maximize Spectrum Brands SKU listings and create best-in-class consumer assortments.
• Lead development of annual quotas and profit plans.
• Create sales action plans, monitor actual results against plan, and adjust plans to maximize sales and profitability.
• Use category management and fact-based selling to identify whitespace opportunities for strategic accounts.
• Manage broker partnerships and coordinate required administrative forms, programs, resets, and projects.
• Partner with Brand, Product, and Trade Marketing teams to identify and evaluate new product ideas.
• Create and deliver presentations for line reviews, programs, and mid-season updates that align with Spectrum Brands’ mission and vision.
• Build and manage customer relationships at the buyer level and beyond.
• Provide regular updates on total POS performance versus the prior-year period and identify sales trends and opportunities.
• Develop an annual omnichannel promotional plan that supports sales opportunities and appropriate product availability.
• Use AC Nielsen, competitive market data, and store-level POS data to coordinate promotional plans.
• Integrate national promotions, such as FSI’s and IRC’s, into promotional plans where applicable.
• Recommend and help develop unique omnichannel promotional ideas.
• Evaluate the performance of promotions, including competitor promotions.
• Coordinate accurate, timely forecasting with Demand and Supply Planning to support on-time delivery.
• Develop and coordinate plans for product delivery and merchandising.
• Develop sales strategies, programs, and plans to maximize Spectrum Brands SKU listings.
• Identify opportunities within the existing product line and recommend additions to achieve best-practice assortments.
• Analyze retailer gross margin by SKU and maintain a running average weighted margin.
• Evaluate pricing and margins against industry standards, customer goals, and competition.
• Recommend pricing and programs to meet customer goals and maximize Spectrum Brands’ AGM.
• Develop and manage account-specific promotional plans in coordination with Finance, Trade Marketing, Brand Marketing, and Sales Management.
• Manage the P&L by recommending opportunities for increased penetration, supporting accurate and timely forecasting, and coordinating with Forecasting/Demand Planning to ensure on-time delivery.

Benefits

• Paid time off
• Health benefits
• Dental benefits
• Vision benefits
• Disability benefits
• May be eligible for an annual merit increase, bonus, and/or incentive compensation

What This Job Offers

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