Sr. Key Account Executive: South Grocery

Utz Quality Foods is currently seeking a Senior Key Account Executive in North Carolina. The Senior Key Account Executive will build and strengthen strategic customer relationships across the Southern market with the primary purpose of accelerating sales growth and expanding distribution opportunities. This role is responsible for proactively identifying, planning, and communicating with key retail partners to drive performance and open new customer channels.

Leveraging an entrepreneurial mindset and strong sales acumen, the Senior Key Account Executive will engage with decision‑makers at large, multi-store retailers, provide clear onboarding expectations and tools to support growth, and lead execution in partnership with Field Operations Teams to deliver profitable results with their retailers and those of their team, providing leadership, guidance, and development to ensure team objectives are met and individual growth is supported.

• Build brand equity and profitably increase the sales volume on all assigned brands with retailers within area of responsibility
• Achieve assigned sales quota through the maintenance and expansion of distribution, merchandising and space improvements for each assigned brand.
• Build strategic partnerships with customers by integrating intercompany and the customer’s strategic initiatives. Build fiscal AOP, JBP and set annual OGSMs (Objectives, Goals, Strategies, Measures).
• Balance, promote and leverage Utz solutions to meet our customers’ needs via DTW and DSD.
• Fully leverage Trade System (Blue Planner) to plan investments, forecast volume and build optimized trade programming, investment and forecasts. Deliver trade budget.
• Identify opportunities to maintain and expand distribution on existing business and find unique opportunities for incremental sales and profit utilizing internal systems and IRI.
• Build strong cross functional partnerships internally and consistently share best practices.
• Comply with all company policies, instructions, and directions for the fulfillment of company objectives.
• Own sales forecast by account to drive accurate financial and production planning working with the Revenue management team.
• Prepare weekly sales reports and expense reports as required.
• Prepare and submit special reports, acceptance of products, or competitive conditions, as may be requested by management or as observed in the marketplace.
• Represent the company with effective verbal and written communication skills. Should be able to adapt communication style to suit different audiences.
• Ensure observance of safe work practices to include the immediate work area, visits to customer sites and operation of a vehicle used for company business.
• Develop and enhance partnerships through participation in customer events, industry functions and entertainment within company standards.
• Directly supervise 2-3 team members, including assigning tasks, providing regular feedback, conducting performance reviews, and supporting professional development.

• Previous experience calling on Harris Teeter is preferred.
• 7+ years proven sales experience in a related position within the consumer products goods industry with direct account responsibility.
• Previous experience selling to and managing multiple channels is preferred.
• 3+ years’ experience utilizing syndicated data; excellent written and oral communication skills, ability to analyze and evaluate several sources of data to develop actionable insights.
• Experience developing and managing sales plans.
• Experience with DTW, Master Distributors, and DSD delivery systems.
• Proven experience using large volume of data, product knowledge and customer familiarity and successfully applying it to negotiation strategies.
• Previous experience supervising direct reports, including hiring, coaching, and performance management, is preferred.
• This position requires extensive use of computer equipment. Must have demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft business software to include Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook.
• Demonstrated skills in analytics, problem‑solving, verbal/written communication, influencing/negotiation, relationship‑building, strategic…