Manager Key Account Development

SIGMA•Milpitas, CA

About The Position

The Manager Key Account Development drives new business development across regional mainstream grocery and specialty chains. The role identifies and prioritizes underrepresented accounts, evaluates product-market fit, negotiates commercial terms, and manages opportunities from initial outreach through launch and scale-up. After launch, the manager supports account growth by improving velocity, expanding assortment and distribution, and establishing promotional cadence. The role also develops store-level execution playbooks, monitors competitive activity and shelf conditions, and builds and manages field teams responsible for merchandising, sampling, and in-store sales. The manager maintains relationships with retail buyers and decision makers, works with broker and distributor networks, tracks pipeline and territory performance, and contributes to business planning, forecasting, trade investment alignment, and revenue projections.

Requirements

Four years of CPG food sales experience, with a focus on new business development within regional mainstream grocery and specialty retail.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or a related field.
Bilingual ability.
Established relationships with regional grocery and specialty chain buyers and category managers.
Knowledge of contract terms, pricing strategies, and procurement processes.
Experience meeting or exceeding sales targets in a competitive environment.
Experience building or managing field teams, demo programs, or outsourced merchandising agencies.
Familiarity with broker and distributor management in regional markets.
Experience with regional mainstream grocery banners and specialty chains.
Ability to assess product-market fit and tailor commercial strategies to market demographics and shopper profiles.
Working knowledge of syndicated data tools such as IRI/Circana and Nielsen, and category management principles.
Strong communication and presentation skills.
Strong organization and pipeline management skills.
Collaboration, facilitation, and negotiation skills.
Ability to build and maintain strong relationships.
Commercial awareness.
Troubleshooting, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet deadlines.
Customer-focused mindset.
Experience in sales, negotiation, or customer-facing roles.
Results-driven mindset and strong closing skills.
Ability to work independently and manage multiple opportunities simultaneously.
Proficiency with CRM systems and sales reporting tools.

Responsibilities

Execute a defined whitespace map, prioritizing underrepresented accounts in the regional mainstream grocery and specialty chain landscape.
Identify new business opportunities and assess product-market fit by evaluating shopper demographics, store format, category dynamics, and the competitive landscape.
Negotiate trading terms, promotional commitments, and distribution agreements with new retail partners.
Build and manage a structured pipeline from initial outreach through sell-in, contract execution, first shipment, and scale-up.
Manage the post-launch incubation period by driving velocity, expanding assortment and distribution, and establishing promotional cadence.
Refine go-to-market strategies based on sales data, shopper feedback, and market performance.
Develop store-level execution playbooks covering shelf standards, display priorities, and sampling protocols.
Monitor competitive activity and shelf conditions to identify threats and opportunities.
Build, train, and manage store-level field teams responsible for merchandising, sampling, and in-store sales activity.
Build and maintain relationships with regional buying teams, category managers, and store-level decision makers.
Partner with broker and distributor networks to accelerate new account activation.
Maintain pipeline, account tracking, and territory performance reporting.
Track field team performance using store-level data and retail audits.
Contribute to quarterly business planning, forecasting, trade investment alignment, and new account revenue projections.
Perform other duties as assigned.