National Strategic Account Manager

AFC Franchise Corp•Cincinnati, OH

22d•$105,000 - $123,000•Onsite

About The Position

The National Strategic Account Manager will be responsible for leading both the growth of new business opportunities and the deep development of existing client relationships. This hybrid role blends high-level strategic sales execution with a strong emphasis on account retention, expansion, and service excellence. The successful candidate will drive incremental revenue through consultative selling, develop and optimize partnerships with key accounts, and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless implementation and continued success of client programs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Hospitality, or related field.
Minimum 5 years’ experience in national account management, strategic sales, or business development.
Proven ability to grow large accounts and close new business.
Experience working with national retailer or food service providers (Direct management of Kroger, Albertsons, and/or Canadian grocers highly desired)
Exceptional relationship management and negotiation skills.
Strong verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.
Ability to travel up to 40% nationally.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)

Nice To Haves

Direct management of Kroger, Albertsons, and/or Canadian grocers highly desired

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary contact for key accounts, building long-term trusted relationships.
Analyze account performance and identify opportunities for growth, upsell, or cross-sell.
Develop and execute account-specific growth plans in collaboration with internal teams.
Monitor customer satisfaction and proactively resolve issues to strengthen loyalty.
Identify, pursue, and close new business opportunities across retail, food service, healthcare, and other targeted channels.
Create compelling, data-informed sales proposals aligned with customer needs and company capabilities.
Build executive-level relationships both vertically and horizontally within client organizations.
Lead negotiations and manage full sales cycle from prospecting to execution.
Partner with operations, marketing and product teams to align account strategies with overall business goals.
Support and guide field teams with account insights.
Drive the execution of new product introductions, merchandising initiatives, and strategic marketing campaigns.
Mediate client-franchisee challenges by working collaboratively with Field Ops and internal stakeholders.
Set and monitor quarterly goals and KPIs for assigned accounts.
Provide regular reporting on account performance, revenue forecasts, and pipeline health.
Stay current on competitor activity to identify new opportunities and threats.
Collaborate with Operations to develop action plans for underperforming accounts/franchisees.
Act as a proactive problem solver for client concerns and operational challenges.
Ensure high levels of customer service are consistently delivered.
Other related duties as assigned by management.

Benefits

Paid Time Off (PTO)
Paid Holidays, including a Floating Birthday Holiday
Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance (100% employee self-coverage paid by AFC)
Annual Bonus Opportunity (Discretionary)
401(k) with Company Match
Employee Anniversary Milestone Gift
Bereavement Leave
Employee Referral Bonus
Other Employee Discounts
Opportunities to participate in team events and community activities