Strategic Sales Account Manager - Kroger (Cincinnati, OH)

Are you a strategic and innovative sales leader with a passion for driving growth within the retail space? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment where you can develop and execute winning plans? If so, General Mills (GMI) has an exciting opportunity for you as a Strategic Sales Account Manager focused on our Bars business within the Kroger market!

As a Strategic Sales Account Manager, you will be at the forefront of our sales efforts, managing a significant portfolio of our snacks business with Kroger, including our high-profile Bars business. You will be responsible for driving holistic plans in accordance with General Mills planning principles, impacting a substantial portion of our annual sales. This role offers the chance to lead and influence within our team and with our partners at Kroger.

Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership & Planning: Develop and execute annual sales and promotional plans, including ad, displays, and merchandising strategies, to drive volume and revenue growth within Kroger. Own and plan the annual promotional calendar to drive successful revenue growth and trade efficiency.
• Business & Portfolio Management: Manage the largest portfolio of snacks business within Kroger across key brands at General Mills.
• Relationship Management & Collaboration: Build and maintain strong relationships with the Kroger customer team and category managers, engaging with them regularly to identify opportunities and drive execution. Work closely with two dedicated associates and collaborate with internal teams (including centralized planning, category management, insights, and e-commerce) to achieve volume, revenue, and share objectives. Develop and maintain effective customer relationships, understanding their needs and linking them to General Mills' product and service strategies.
• Execution & Optimization: Develop comprehensive promotional plans, effectively sell them to Kroger, and ensure flawless execution in-store. Drive the merchandising plan in close coordination with the GMI Sales and Marketing teams, Kroger customer team, and Kroger category manager. Gain new product acceptance and merchandising levels in alignment with selling goals. Take personal accountability and ownership for results.
• Data-Driven Insights & Problem Solving: Utilize data and analytics to understand market trends, identify opportunities, and optimize promotional strategies. Retrieve and analyze syndicated customer and consumer data to understand category and/or industry trends. Understand and leverage category management principles to influence share of shelving and display. Leverage enterprise-wide problem-solving tools and stakeholders to address business problems.
• Omni-Channel Growth: Develop and advance omni-channel strategies to unlock additional e-commerce growth with Kroger.

Required Qualifications:

• 5+ years of relevant experience in sales, account management, trade funding, category management, or other related experience.
• 3+ years of experience selling into retail customers, Kroger preferred.
• Proven ability to develop and execute strategic plans that drive business results.
• A desire to take on a leadership role, influencing peers and associates within the office.
• Ability to effectively train and develop a team, fostering a collaborative environment.
• Willingness to think outside the box and develop innovative solutions to business challenges.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Knowledge of data systems such as 84.51, IRI, Market 6, etc.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, develop insights, and make recommendations.
• Bachelor's Degrees.

Additional Considerations:

• International relocation or international remote working arrangements (outside of the US) will not be considered.
• Cincinnati, OH is the required location for this role to work outside of the Kroger Business Center. Relocation assistance will be provided.

We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best - bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one other and grow together. Because becoming the undisputed leader in food means surrounding ourselves with people who are hungry for what's next.