National Account Manager - Kroger

National Account Manager – Kroger

Heartland Food Products Group is seeking a National Account Manager (NAM) to lead our business with Kroger and smaller regional accounts, that are some of Heartland's most strategic retail partners. This role is ideal for a proven CPG sales leader with direct experience calling on this account , established relationships with merchandising teams , and a passion for building brands through strong retailer collaboration.

This position is based in Cincinnati, OH , and may include leadership responsibility for one direct report (Key Account Manager)

What You'll Do

Own Strategic Customer Leadership

• Serve as the primary sales lead and relationship owner for Kroger
• Build and deepen partnerships with merchandising teams to drive mutual growth
• Represent Heartland's brand portfolio with confidence, credibility, and a growth mindset

Drive Growth Across Heartland's Brand Portfolio

• Develop and execute annual Joint Business Plans aligned to Heartland's growth, profitability, and brand-building priorities
• Lead assortment, pricing, merchandising, and promotional strategies that expand distribution and household penetration
• Champion innovation and new item launches, ensuring strong customer alignment and flawless execution

Deliver Results Through Best-in-Class Execution

• Own volume, trade spend, and profitability targets for Kroger
• Lead promotional planning, display strategy, and in-store/online execution in partnership with merchandising teams
• Provide accurate forecasting and demand inputs to support high service levels and efficient inventory management

Leverage Insights to Win at Shelf

• Use syndicated data (Circana/IRI, Nielsen) and customer insights to identify category opportunities and support fact-based selling
• Partner with customer merchandising teams to improve shelf placement, promotional ROI, and execution quality
• Translate data into clear, compelling stories that support brand and category growth

Lead and Develop Talent

• Directly manage and coach one Key Account Manager
• Set clear priorities, provide ongoing feedback, and support professional development
• Lead with Heartland's values and foster a high-performance, collaborative team culture

Collaborate Cross-Functionally

• Act as the voice of Kroger internally, aligning marketing, R&D, supply chain, finance, and operations
• Partner closely with marketing and category management to deliver customer-relevant brand strategies

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA a plus
• 7+ years of CPG sales or customer leadership experience
• Direct experience calling on Kroger required
• Established relationships with Kroger merchandising teams
• Strong understanding of grocery retail, trade management, and category management
• Proven track record of delivering profitable growth
• Prior people management experience or demonstrated readiness to lead

Preferred Experience

• Experience managing branded food or beverage portfolios
• Strong analytical and financial acumen
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, growth-oriented, matrixed organization