5+ years of B2B sales or account management experience, preferably in manufacturing
Demonstrated success in relevant sales roles
Strong negotiation and persuasion skills
Dynamic communication and interpersonal abilities
Adaptability to navigate ambiguous environments
Self-starter with a growth mindset
Enthusiastic and innovative thinker
Responsibilities
Maintain high customer service levels and strong relationships with General Mills
Serve as primary representative in customer meetings
Keep internal teams informed on customer requests and initiatives
Communicate safety, quality, and productivity efforts to customers
Ensure timely fulfillment of customer deadlines and requests
Lead monthly scorecard meetings and track performance metrics
Identify and resolve billing inconsistencies
Benefits
Competitive pay and benefits package
Ongoing training and career advancement opportunities
Team-oriented culture that values expertise
Stability in a growing industry of corrugated packaging manufacturing
Full Job Description
Hood Container is looking for an Business Development/Key Account Manager to serve as the customer-facing representative for Hood Container's three (3) fulfillment operations, located within the customer's distribution centers. This is a dedicated role, servicing the General Mills account. The ideal candidate will be self-driven, highly independent and economic thinker with proven account management experience.
Location: Golden Valley, MN currently requires 20% remote in MN / 80% in-office (Monday through Thursday) presence at General Mills' world headquarters.
Travel: Currently requires approximately 15% travel (with overnights)
How you will contribute:
Maintain a high level of customer service and work to maintain the strong relationship between Hood Container & General Mills (GMI)
Serve as the primary representative for Hood Container operations on all customer daily, weekly, & monthly recurring meetings
Ensure Hood Container Plant Managers & Regional Manager are informed and up-to-speed on all customer requests, events, initiatives, projections, etc
Keep customer informed of all Hood Container safety, quality, & productivity efforts and communicate any service risks
Ensure all customer deadlines and requests are fulfilled on-time
Lead monthly scorecard meetings and track/report milestones, accomplishments, and variances
Update customers leadership on key initiatives, cost updates, and operational opportunities
Identify and lead resolution of tolling & billing inconsistencies.
Continuous Improvement Responsibilities
Identify and implement strategies for a 5% reduction in Costs of Goods Sold each year. Work directly with Hood's Plant Managers to develop process improvements, automation opportunities, and to maintain a cost-savings pipeline
Assist in the development of future strategic initiatives
Initiate capital ideas using customers processes and tools including the customers IRR calculator
Work with Hood Container operations leadership to ensure that Hood fulfillment locations are strategically aligned, appropriately resourced, and operationally ready
Cost and Service Predictability
With support of the Hood Operations team, work with the Business Account Manager on the annual contract review and other preparation for the new fiscal year
Represent monthly performance: lead scorecard calls, trigger and lead action plan.
Identify risks to budgets and lead proactive countermeasures if trending unfavorably.
Investigate anomalies & variances prior to the scorecard meetings to the degree possible.
Work proactively with Hood's fulfillment locations to anticipate needs for overtime and/or labor incentives, balancing the need to meet on-time deliveries with minimizing costs
What it Takes:
Minimum of 5+years of B2B sales or related experience strongly preferred
Proven Success in any relevant sales or account manager position within manufacturing industry
Personal accountability and growth mindset.
Effective negotiation and persuasion skills.
Demonstration of dynamic communication and interpersonal skills, able to work with all types of personalities.
Adaptability is key as you will need to navigate and demonstrate flexibility in an environment that can be ambiguous and uncertain.
Go-getter, self-starter, and team player.
General high level of enthusiasm, creative, and innovative ability.
