Business Development Manager National Account

Industry: Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) | Private Label | Food Manufacturing

Compensation: $100-$110K, with flexibility based on experience, plus performance-based bonus

Travel: Approximately 20–30%, as business needs dictate

About Hickory Harvest Foods: Hickory Harvest Foods is a family-owned food manufacturer headquartered in Akron, Ohio, with more than 50 years of experience producing high-quality nuts, trail mixes, snack mixes, dried fruits, and confections. We partner with some of North America's leading retailers and distributors, providing private label and branded snack solutions. We've doubled our business over the past five years, and we're working toward doing it again. As we continue expanding our national retail footprint, we're looking for a motivated sales professional who wants to make a direct impact on our growth. What You'll Be DoingDrive New Business: Identify, prospect, and secure new private label and branded snack opportunities with national and regional retailers and distributors. Leverage Your Network: Utilize existing relationships within the private label/own-brand industry to open doors and develop new partnerships. Build a Strategic Pipeline: Develop opportunities across short-, mid-, and long-term sales cycles, including seasonal programs and national retail RFPs. Expand National Accounts: Pursue opportunities with major grocery, convenience, and specialty retail chains. Own the Sales Process: Manage opportunities from initial outreach and relationship development through presentations, negotiations, and closing. Collaborate with Leadership: Work directly with senior leadership, including the CEO, on strategic customer opportunities and major sales presentations. Partner Cross-Functionally: Collaborate with Operations, Customer Service, Product Development, and other internal teams to deliver customer solutions. Deliver Results: Generate profitable new business and contribute directly to the company's aggressive growth objectives.

What We're Looking For: Required Qualifications 3+ years of business development experience in private label or own-brand sales, including national customer experience. Proven success prospecting, opening new accounts, and generating profitable new business. Demonstrated ability to generate more than $2 million in annual new business. Experience navigating complex sales cycles and building relationships with key retail decision-makers. Strong negotiation, communication, presentation, and financial skills. Bachelor's degree. Ability to travel as needed and reside within one hour of a major airport.

What Will Set You Apart: Established relationships with national or regional grocery, convenience, or specialty retailers. Experience selling private label products within the CPG industry. Knowledge of retail buying cycles, RFP processes, and category management. A strong network of retail buyers and decision-makers. Experience selling into accounts such as Kroger, Publix, H-E-B, Sprouts, Whole Foods, or similar retailers. An entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to independently build and execute a new-business strategy. Private label experience is especially important. We're open to professionals from different product categories, not just food and snacks, provided they understand the private label business model and have demonstrated new-business success. Why Join Hickory Harvest Foods? A Company in Growth ModeWe've doubled in size over the past five years and have ambitious plans to continue expanding. You'll play a meaningful role in helping us reach our next growth milestone.

Competitive Compensation and Earning Potential: Base salary starting in the low $100Ks, with flexibility for highly qualified candidates. Performance-based bonus structure tied to new revenue generated. Opportunity to directly influence your earning potential through new-business success.

Autonomy Without Micromanagement: We believe in empowering sales professionals to take ownership of their business. You'll have the freedom to develop your strategy while receiving support from an experienced leadership team.

Family-Owned Culture: Join a company committed to remaining family-owned, maintaining strong customer relationships, and investing in long-term success.