Sales Account Manager

CONA Services•Alexandria, VA

6d•$70,000 - $71,726

About The Position

The Sales Account Manager (SAM) owns the selling relationship for an assigned portfolio of accounts and uses independent judgment to determine the sales approach for a segmented group of customers. The primary duty is to make sales and obtain orders or contracts for Company products. The role is customarily and regularly performed away from Company business locations, primarily at customer sites. Promotional activities are incidental to the SAM’s own outside sales efforts, including developing customer-specific selling stories, presenting solutions, and closing orders. The SAM analyzes customer and category performance, identifies needs, recommends solutions, negotiates terms, and obtains orders to grow volume, revenue, and the Company’s share of space. The substantial majority of working time, typically 80% or more, is spent making sales and obtaining orders or contracts at customer locations. Remaining time is spent on activities incidental to outside sales, such as sales-related administrative tasks, route planning, sales reporting, and other assigned duties. Work is primarily in the field at customer locations—including retail stores, convenience stores, restaurants, and other commercial outlets—within an assigned territory. The SAM travels daily between customer sites using a personal vehicle. Conditions vary and may include outdoor weather while traveling between locations, temperature-controlled and non-temperature-controlled storage and retail areas, and wet or uneven floors. There is no fixed office workspace; route planning, sales reporting, and order entry are completed using mobile technology in the field or remotely. The position requires daily driving between customer locations and extended walking and standing in outlets, typically 4–6 hours per day. Occasional handling of products and point-of-sale materials weighing up to 50 pounds is required. The role also requires operating a vehicle, mobile device, laptop, and handheld scanning equipment; communicating with customers and colleagues; analyzing sales and space data; planning routes; developing account-specific strategies; negotiating agreements; and reading reports, product labels, shelf tags, and mobile screens. The schedule may vary and include early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays based on customer and business needs.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Knowledge acquired through 1 to 3 years of work experience.
Valid driver's license with a satisfactory driving record; must maintain a valid license.
Must maintain current vehicle liability insurance as specified by the Company.
Must provide and maintain a personal vehicle for use during working hours.
Must be at least 18 years old, or 21 where required by applicable law for operating a commercial motor vehicle.
Ability to build and deliver fact-based sales presentations and customer business reviews.
Ability to sell consultatively by uncovering customer needs, presenting fact-based solutions, handling objections, and asking for the order.
Strong negotiation and closing skills, including selling contracts and pricing agreements.
Ability to interpret sales, category, and space data to develop selling stories and customer business reviews.
Strong attention to detail, follow-up, and closing discipline.
Excellent planning and organization skills.
Proficiency with computer applications and ability to use and understand mobile applications.
Ability to drive daily between customer locations, and to walk and stand in retail or commercial outlets for extended periods, typically 4–6 hours per day.
Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, or pull products and point-of-sale materials weighing up to 50 pounds.
Ability to operate a motor vehicle, mobile device, laptop computer, and handheld scanning equipment.
Ability to communicate effectively with customers, coworkers, and management, including delivering in-person presentations and conducting business reviews.
Ability to analyze sales, category, and space data; plan and prioritize a daily route; exercise independent judgment in account-specific selling strategies; and negotiate contracts and pricing agreements.
Ability to read sales reports, product labels, shelf tags, and mobile device screens, and assess shelf conditions, product placement, and point-of-sale execution.
Ability to work a variable schedule that may include early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays based on customer and business needs.

Nice To Haves

At least 1 year of previous outside, consultative, or account-based selling experience.
Food and beverage industry experience.
Bachelor's degree in Business, Communications, Marketing, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Sell and grow revenue within the assigned account base by presenting and closing the commercial plan with each customer.
Plan each sales call, inspect the outlet for sales opportunities, present solutions, and close sales.
Build and maintain profitable customer relationships and identify, develop, and close sales opportunities.
Execute the assigned daily visit plan, including flex visits, and obtain an order or advance a specific opportunity on each call.
Obtain orders for incremental volume through myCoke, EDI, or Spring in partnership with the customer and HUB Ambassador.
Sell incremental packages, displays, equipment, product launches, pricing letters, and thematic promotions.
Sell Club Coke contracts and pricing agreements, and sell equipment placements that increase Coca-Cola space in outlets.
Conduct monthly customer business reviews using sales, category, and space performance to identify and sell growth opportunities.
Sell each proposed element with profitability in mind.
Ensure pre-sold and mandatory elements supporting customer sales are executed and remain in the outlet for the full program duration.
Analyze and address shrink performance, including damages and out-of-dates, and manage inventory levels that could affect product availability and customer orders.
Use the territory business plan to prioritize customer sales opportunities, support sales efforts, and track results against established goals.
Sell in and protect pricing, point-of-sale materials, and plan-o-gram integrity in accounts.
Perform limited merchandising and product rotation during sales visits to protect the Look of Success sold to the customer.
Partner with internal and field stakeholders—including the Center of Support, field sales, HUB Ambassadors, distribution, small store merchandising, and warehouse teams—to deliver and support sales made to customers.
Perform sales-related administrative tasks, route planning, sales reporting, and other assigned duties incidental to outside sales.