National Account Manager -Education, K–12 and College & University

Mondelēz International

10d

About The Position

The National Account Manager (NAM), K–12 and College & University is responsible for developing and executing the strategic growth plan for the Education channel. This includes driving penetration and product adoption across K–12 school districts and higher-education dining programs. The role requires strong expertise in K–12 nutrition guidelines, including USDA meal pattern requirements for reimbursable meals and Smart Snacks in School standards, as well as a proven ability to influence decision-makers within Managed Service Accounts (such as Chartwells, Sodexo, Aramark, and other contract management organizations). The NAM will serve as the subject-matter expert for both education segments and will partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Product Development, and Culinary teams to position the company’s portfolio as a preferred solution for school nutrition directors, foodservice leaders, and managed service partners.

Requirements

5+ years in K-12 or C&U foodservice, preferably with experience in school nutrition programs, campus dining operations, or foodservice manufacturer sales.
Strong understanding of USDA K-12 nutrition regulations, CN labels, PFS requirements, and Smart Snacks standards.
Experience working with Managed Service Accounts, with demonstrated success influencing leadership and securing product approvals.
Understanding of best practices on how to win school bid approval working closely with broker at a national level.
Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
Ability to travel 30–50% depending on business needs.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Nutrition, Food Science, Hospitality, Education, or related field (or equivalent experience).

Nice To Haves

Prior experience at or working closely with Managed Service Partners in Education specifically Foodbuy (Chartwells) Sodexo, Aramark, or similar organizations.
Knowledge of campus dining trends including convenience retail.
Culinary or nutrition background supporting menu development.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership Develop and own the strategic plan for the K-12 and C&U verticals, including market segmentation, growth targets, and channel-specific business development programs.
Identify emerging trends in child nutrition, campus dining, sustainability, wellness, and student engagement to guide product positioning and innovation priorities.
Represent the verticals internally as the “voice of the customer” to ensure product offerings and marketing materials align with regulatory requirements and operator needs.
Maintain deep working knowledge of USDA K-12 meal pattern guidelines, including: Requirements for reimbursable meals (components, grain crediting, whole grain rules, sodium targets, subgroups, etc.) Nutrition standards for A-la-carte and snack offerings under Smart Snacks in School Labeling, PFS documentation, and compliance considerations for school nutrition operations
Guide internal teams to ensure product formulations, serving sizes, and claims are appropriate for the K-12 environment.
Build strong relationships with leadership teams and culinary directors at major MSAs (e.g., Chartwells K12, Chartwells Higher Ed etc.)
Support national and regional bids, menu cycles, LTO programs, and onboarding of new products within managed service platforms.
Educate teams on product differentiation, operational benefits, and compliance fit to secure inclusion on approved lists and recipe/toolkit applications.
Conduct training sessions with broker nationwide Conduct menu ideation workshops, and product demonstrations for school nutrition directors, campus dining operators, and culinary teams.
Track performance across districts and universities, identifying opportunities for increased placement or product substitutions.
Work with Marketing to create channel-appropriate collateral, Smart Snack compliance sheets, and student-focused promotional materials.
Partner with Product Development and R&D to ensure new products meet the nutritional, operational, and cost requirements of K-12 and C&U customers.
Provide insights on competitive landscape, pricing expectations, bid dynamics, and student taste trends.
Monitor sales growth, school bid process and distribution expansion & report progress to leadership.
Maintain a robust pipeline and use CRM tools to ensure visibility across priority accounts.
Support annual planning, forecasting, and strategic account reviews.