National Accounts Manager – Kroger

**National Account Manager – Kroger & Harris Teeter** Heartland Food Products Group is seeking a **National Account Manager (NAM)** to lead our business with **Kroger and Harris Teeter**, two of Heartland’s most strategic retail partners. This role is ideal for a proven CPG sales leader with **direct experience calling on these accounts**, established **relationships with merchandising teams**, and a passion for building brands through strong retailer collaboration. This position is **based in Cincinnati, OH**, and includes 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 and Harris Teeter - 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 and Harris Teeter - 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 and Harris Teeter 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 and/or Harris Teeter required** - Established relationships with **Kroger and/or Harris Teeter 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