Foodservice Customer Account Specialist - Columbia, SC

General Mills

$71K — $107K *
Food & Beverages
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • High school diploma required; Bachelor's degree preferred.
  • Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
  • Collaborative mindset with a team-oriented approach.
  • Self-motivated with strong prioritization abilities.
  • Proven skills in building relationships and closing sales.
  • Experience in foodservice or sales preferred, at least two years.

Responsibilities

  • Build relationships with key foodservice operators in Columbia area.
  • Identify and close opportunities for volume growth.
  • Sell General Mills products to new and existing customers.
  • Collaborate with Account Executives and distributors to create demand.
  • Utilize sales tools like Salesforce for planning and prioritizing visits.
  • Conduct at least 16 in-person customer visits weekly.
  • Recognize opportunities for promotions and activations in local markets.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health benefits package.
  • Retirement and financial well-being support.
  • Variety of time-off programs.
  • Wellness support and employee perks.
  • Annual incentive program based on performance.
Full Job Description
OVERVIEW

General Mills is seeking a driven, results-oriented Customer Account Specialist (CAS) to help grow our Foodservice business in the Columbia, South Carolina area. In this field-based role, you will build trusted relationships with operators and help customers find the right products and solutions across K-12, colleges and universities, healthcare, commercial, and other non-commercial segments.

You will serve as a customer-facing representative of General Mills, bringing knowledge of our product portfolio, the competitive landscape, and industry trends to every conversation. Working closely with Account Executives, distributor partners, and fellow Customer Account Specialists, you will identify opportunities, create demand, and help drive sustainable volume growth across your territory.

Location: Columbia, South Carolina metropolitan area

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
  • Build and strengthen relationships with key foodservice operators throughout the Columbia metropolitan area.
  • Identify, develop, and close opportunities that generate incremental volume for General Mills.
  • Sell General Mills Foodservice products and solutions to expand business with new and existing customers.
  • Partner with Account Executives and Distributor Sales Representatives to uncover opportunities and create pull-through demand.
  • Use sales tools and analytics, including Salesforce and Firefly, to plan activity, prioritize prospects, and convert opportunities.
  • Develop and execute geographic call patterns, including a minimum of 16 in-person customer visits per week.
  • Identify local opportunities for product placements, promotions, and other customer activations.
  • Successfully introduce and activate new General Mills items within customer accounts.
  • Support distributor and industry events, including Food Shows and Distributor Sales Meetings.
  • Manage your territory with urgency, strategic focus, and disciplined follow-through.


MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
  • High school diploma
  • Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
  • A collaborative approach and a "win as a team" mindset.
  • Self-motivation, initiative, and the ability to manage priorities independently.
  • The discipline to work effectively from a remote office environment while regularly meeting customers in the field.
  • A demonstrated ability to build relationships, influence decisions, and close sales.


PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor's degree.
  • Two or more years of relevant foodservice, sales, customer development, or industry experience.
  • Strong problem-solving and analytical abilities.
  • Experience working with sales technology, customer relationship management systems, or business analytics tools.


ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
  • International relocation or international remote working arrangements will not be considered.
  • Applicants for this position must be currently authorized to work in the US on a full-time basis. General Mills will not sponsor applicants for this position for work visas.

SALARY RANGE

The salary range for this position is:
$71,300 - $107,000 Annual
At General Mills we strive for each employee's pay at any point in their career to reflect their experiences performance and skills for their current role. The salary range for this role represents the numerous factors considered in the hiring decisions including, but not limited to, educations, skills, work experience, certifications, etc. As such, pay for the successful candidate(s) could fall anywhere within the stated range.

Beyond base salary, General Mills offers a competitive Total Rewards package focusing on your overall well-being. We are proud to offer a foundation of health benefits, retirement and financial wellbeing, time off programs, wellbeing support and perks. Benefits may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors. You may also be eligible to participate in an annual incentive program. An incentive award, if any, depends on various factors, including, individual and organizational performance.

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must meet a minimum 18-year age qualification.

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