Sales Account Manager
Joe Produce Search is proud to represent Bako Sweet® in the search for their next Sales Account Manager.
This is an opportunity for a growth-minded sales professional who enjoys the thrill of building business—finding opportunities, opening doors, and turning potential into performance. Bako Sweet® is redefining the sweet potato category by moving beyond bulk commodity thinking into branded, value-added, premium solutions, and the runway ahead is real.
This role is exciting because you get to:
- Go after new opportunities and see your ideas turn into real wins.
- Own your accounts, territory, and strategy with the freedom to shape how you succeed.
- Grow distribution, shelf space, ACV, and velocity in ways that are visible and measurable.
- Sell a premium story with purpose.
- Work with senior leadership that values curiosity, initiative, and forward momentum.
If you’re someone who gets energized by growth, enjoys opening doors, and likes seeing the impact of your work in the market, this role offers a chance to do exactly that.
What You’ll Do
Build New Business
- Identify and develop new retail, foodservice, and industrial accounts aligned with growth strategy.
- Lead thoughtful, solutions-based conversations that create long-term value.
- Build strong customer relationships through in-person meetings, market visits, and trade shows.
Grow and Deepen Key Accounts
- Own and expand an assigned customer portfolio to meet or exceed sales goals.
- Develop account plans focused on distribution, shelf space, ACV, and velocity.
- Manage pricing and quotes using internal costs, freight, market conditions, and supply realities.
- Oversee the full sales process, including quality issues and rejections, with a solutions-first mindset.
- Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Operations, and Replenishment to build and track sales plans.
- Navigate surplus, gaps, and short supply creatively while maintaining strong customer relationships.
- Identify alternative channels and solutions for off-size or off-spec product when needed.
Win at Retail
- Lead trade and shopper marketing execution with Marketing and Sales Support.
- Manage brokers and merchandising partners to ensure strong in-store execution.
- Act as the “eyes and ears” in the market through store checks and market visits. Bring back insights on trends, competition, and opportunities to help shape future strategy.
This Role Is a Great Fit If You:
- Enjoy opening doors and building business, not just maintaining accounts.
- Are naturally curious and like figuring out how products win at retail.
- Think beyond the PO and care about what happens once the product hits the shelf.
- Bring a key-account mindset and enjoy collaborating across teams.
- Thrive with autonomy and appreciate trust and accountability.
What We’re Looking For
Required
- Proven experience in produce sales, with retail exposure strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated success growing accounts and developing new opportunities.
- Strong communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
- Willingness to travel regularly for customer meetings, store checks, and trade shows.
Preferred
- Experience with value-added or branded food products.
- Familiarity with large retail customers.
- Bachelor’s degree in business, ag business, or a related field.
Our company is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by local, state or federal law.
This policy applies with regard to all aspects of one’s employment, including hiring, transfer, promotion, compensation, eligibility for benefits and termination.
