Midwest Account Manager

Overview

Making Better Happen Our story goes back more than 150 years, to the windy coast where Sweden and Denmark meet. From our success in Scandinavia, we've grown into the world's leading specialist producer of plant-based oils, employing more than 4000 people all across the globe. We work with our customers to make the products you love even better. The oils we produce go into making your chocolate extra creamy or putting the crunch into your croissant.

And it's not just food - we work across industries to make products that are higher quality, healthier and better for the planet. Every one of us works towards our shared purpose:
Making Better Happen. Everything we do is about Making Better Happen together. Join nearly 4,000 like-minded colleagues globally and build a better future with us. Build a better future as a Midwest Account Manager with AAK USA.

Compensation Range: $115,560 - $173,340

Possible Bonus: 20%

The Account Manager is responsible for managing and growing an established territory and account base in the Midwest, while actively identifying and developing new business opportunities. Establishing, maintaining, and cultivating customer relationships, collaborating with technical teams to develop new solutions, and managing pricing and profitability will be key drivers of success in this role. A strong focus on territory expansion and proactive business development is required to drive sustained growth.

• Develop and execute a strategic account management plan for the Midwest region to drive revenue growth and achieve sales targets.
• Identify, pursue, and close new business opportunities to expand the territory.
• Conduct market analysis to identify potential customers, trends, and growth opportunities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers across Procurement and R&D.
• Present product offerings, negotiate contracts, and develop solutions aligned with customer needs.
• Manage pricing strategies and contract terms to optimize profitability.
• Drive lead generation and actively grow the customer base.
• Collaborate with the Go-to-Market team to identify and capture value-added opportunities.
• Work with sourcing and trading to provide customers with relevant market insights.
• Establish a strong presence within customer organizations to influence decision-making.
• Partner with customers to address formulation challenges and provide practical solutions.
• Collaborate with internal technical teams to support customer needs.
• Develop and maintain annual territory and account plans aligned with company objectives.
• Consistently meet or exceed financial and volume targets.
• Provide timely and accurate technical and commercial communication to customers.
• Manage travel and expenses within budget.
• Deliver accurate customer forecasts and maintain forecasting discipline.
• Work with Quality and Customer Service to resolve issues and ensure a strong customer experience.
• Maintain close communication with Customer Service to ensure execution.
• Support collection of past due invoices and resolve discrepancies.
• Expand into new segments and channels through targeted business development.
• Gather market intelligence to support decision-making.
• Participate in ongoing training and development.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Food Science, or a related field.
• 5–10 years of experience in specialty food ingredients or specialty chemicals sales.
• Proven ability to identify and pursue new business opportunities (“hunting” mindset).
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to build relationships internally and externally.
• Demonstrated track record of strong customer relationship management, with a focus on retention and growth.
• Highly effective organizational and planning skills, with the ability to manage a territory and achieve sales targets.
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently and proactively.
• Willingness to learn, grow, and take on new challenges, with an entrepreneurial mindset.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship.

• Career paths, training and development, e-learning and tuition reimbursement programs…