Account Manager

Account Manager - Mountain States

Custom Flavors is hiring a field-based Account Manager to grow our customer relationships across Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. You'll be the main commercial contact for customers in the region, working with our R&D and Applications teams in San Clemente to bring their products to market. Candidates must live within the territory, and the Salt Lake City area is strongly preferred.

Position Summary and Purpose: The Account Manager is responsible for retaining and growing revenue within an assigned territory or account portfolio by maintaining existing customer accounts, developing new business with current customers, and prospecting new customer accounts. The Account Manager serves as the primary commercial contact for assigned customers and partners with R&D, the Applications Lab, Regulatory, Quality Assurance, and Customer Service to deliver flavor solutions for food, beverage, and supplement applications. This is a remote, field-based position that reports to the President. 

Essential Functions: 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all customer accounts within an assigned territory or account portfolio.
• Build, maintain, and develop strong, long-lasting customer relationships.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, and supply agreements within established company guidelines and approval limits to achieve revenue and margin targets.
• Develop new business with existing customers by identifying new project opportunities and expanding product adoption to meet assigned sales goals.
• Identify, qualify, and pursue new customer accounts within the assigned territory, in coordination with the Business Development Coordinator.
• Develop sales forecasts and track key account metrics (e.g., pipeline, quarterly sales results, and annual forecasts).
• Resolve customer requests and escalations, including complaints, documentation requests, and order concerns, in coordination with Customer Service, Quality Assurance, and Regulatory.
• Maintain accurate and timely records of customer contacts, opportunities, and activities in the CRM system.
• Conduct in-person sales calls at customer and prospect locations within the assigned territory, and represent Custom Flavors at trade shows and local and national industry events.
• Maintain working knowledge of Custom Flavors’ products, capabilities, and food, beverage, and supplement applications to support technical sales conversations.
• Communicate customer project requirements (e.g., flavor profile, application, cost targets, and regulatory or certification needs) to R&D, the Applications Lab, and other internal teams, and track projects through sample submission, customer evaluation, and commercialization.
• Ensure commitments made to customers regarding specifications, pricing, and lead times are consistent with company capabilities, policies, and applicable standard operating procedures.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to effectively communicate with all colleagues, levels of management, vendors, and customers.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple accounts, projects, and deadlines concurrently.
• Working knowledge of applicable standard operating procedures.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Excellent negotiation and presentation skills.
• Proficiency with CRM software and the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to maintain confidential company and customer information, including formulas, pricing, and project details.
• Understanding of flavor applications and the technical, regulatory, and cost considerations involved in customer product development.
• Ability to work independently and manage an assigned territory with minimal supervision.

Physical Demands:

The physical responsibilities described here must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, bend, as well as talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. Must be able to regularly use hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, reach with hands and arms, and climb stairs. The position requires the ability to occasionally lift, push, or pull sample kits, trade show materials, and office supplies up to 25 pounds.
• Must be able to travel by air and automobile, including extended periods of sitting while traveling, and to stand and walk for extended periods at customer sites and trade shows.

Working Conditions:

• This position works remotely from a home office and in the field at customer and prospect locations, trade shows, and industry events. Visits to customer facilities and Custom Flavors production and lab areas may require wearing personal protective equipment and following Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Position Type / Expected Hours of Work:

• This is a full-time position. Standard days of work are Monday through Friday. Evening and weekend work may be required for travel, customer meetings, and industry events.
• This is a remote position. The employee works from a home office within or near the assigned territory, as designated in the employee’s territory assignment, and travels to the San Clemente or Concord facilities as needed.

Travel: 

• Ability to travel up to 40%, including overnight and out-of-state travel. Travel frequency may vary by territory.
• A valid driver’s license, proof of automobile insurance, and an acceptable driving record are required when driving on company business.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3+ years of B2B sales experience in specialty food ingredients, flavors, or a related food or beverage ingredient industry.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or a related technical field preferred.
• Experience with CRM and ERP systems (HubSpot, Salesforce, or similar) preferred.
• Established relationships with food, beverage, or supplement manufacturers preferred.