Job Location: Fully Remote Individual base salary for this role ultimately will depend on numerous factors, including but not limited to experience, job-related skills, relevant education or training, certifications, etc. As such, pay for the successful candidate could fall anywhere within the stated range. Beyond base salary, we offer competitive health, dental, 401k, and wellness benefits beginning on the first day of employment. This role also is eligible to participate in Kodiak's annual discretionary bonus program, which is dependent on various factors, including individual and company performance.
Kodiak is looking for a seasoned CPG sales leader to accelerate profitable growth across our Midwest / East regional grocery accounts. In this senior individual-contributor role, you will own complex headquarters-level retailer partnerships, shape multi-year customer strategies, and translate category opportunities into stronger distribution, shelf presence, and financial performance. You will lead high-stakes buyer conversations, manage trade investment with discipline, and bring a clear point of view on where Kodiak can win.
**A note about the experience we're seeking: We're looking for someone who has successfully managed grocery retail accounts at the headquarters level, building direct relationships with buyers and category managers to drive sales and growth. While experience in territory sales, district management, direct store delivery, merchandising, and broker representation can provide a great foundation, those backgrounds alone do not fulfill the requirements of this role.
What will you do?
Own and expand strategic headquarters-level relationships with Midwest / East regional grocery chains, including senior buyer and category-management stakeholders; serve as the accountable commercial lead for assigned accounts.
Build and lead multi-year retailer growth strategies and annual joint business plans, balancing revenue, volume, distribution, margin, and long-term brand-building objectives.
Lead complex negotiations on assortment, pricing, promotion, innovation placement, and distribution expansion; create commercially sound solutions that deliver value for Kodiak and retail partners.
Own customer-level financial performance, trade investment, and promotional strategy; evaluate spending efficiency, profitability, and return on investment, and make timely course corrections.
Drive rigorous account forecasting and business reviews, synthesizing retailer signals, syndicated data, shipment and consumption trends, and promotional plans into actionable projections.
Identify whitespace opportunities and create persuasive, category-led growth stories that win shelf space, unlock innovation, and strengthen Kodiak’s competitive position.
Direct broker and cross-functional execution across Sales, Finance, Marketing, Shopper Marketing, Supply Chain, and Sales Operations; remove obstacles and ensure commitments translate into results.
Anticipate retailer and business risks, lead resolution of complex customer issues, and share account insights and effective practices that elevate the broader sales organization.
You will bring the following capabilities to the role:
Strategic headquarters-level selling: Ability to build influential buyer relationships and lead complex, high-value negotiations with regional grocery headquarters.
Enterprise-minded account ownership: Ability to connect customer plans to Kodiak’s broader growth, profitability, and category priorities.
Advanced commercial and financial judgment: Confidence owning trade budgets, forecasts, customer profitability, promotional ROI, and difficult investment tradeoffs.
Category-led influence: Ability to turn consumer, shopper, retailer, and syndicated insights into persuasive recommendations and measurable growth.
Senior-level cross-functional leadership: Ability to align stakeholders, direct broker execution, and influence decisions without relying on formal authority.
Independent execution and prioritization: Sound judgment and resilience in a remote environment with multiple complex customer priorities.
Your experience should clearly demonstrate:
A sustained record of directly owning headquarters-level sales relationships with regional grocery chains in CPG, including independent buyer negotiations and retailer business planning.
Experience managing complex or strategically important grocery accounts with clear accountability for revenue, distribution, trade spending, forecasting, and profitability outcomes.
Demonstrated success winning incremental distribution, improving customer economics, or growing underperforming accounts through data-backed commercial strategies.
Hands-on ownership of annual customer plans, promotional investment decisions, forecast accuracy, and customer-facing business reviews.
Ability to use Excel, presentations, syndicated data, and retailer reporting to influence decisions and communicate with senior stakeholders.
Experience guiding brokers and cross-functional partners through challenging customer initiatives; experience coaching peers or sharing best practices is valuable but direct people management is not assumed.
Ability to travel up to 30% and work effectively in a fully remote environment.
What else do I need to know?
This role is fully remote. We offer competitive compensation and benefits that include:
Medical/dental/vision plans 401k match FSA & HSA accounts Life & ADD Insurance Short Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance Cell Phone & Internet Stipend Relocation assistance Annual Professional Development Stipend
