Key Account Manager

The National Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation are proud to be part of a highly respected industry, providing hospitality, opportunity, and quality of life. Much like the industry we represent, we have a dynamic, diverse, and inclusive culture, grounded in trust, hospitality, collaboration, and innovation. These are the core values that inspire our work, and what we are looking for in a Key Account Manager to expertly represent and drive sales strategies for our industry leading training and certification products.

The learning products offered by the National Restaurant Association, and its family of brands ServSafe, ServSuccess, National Registry of Food Safety Professionals, and American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute, has led the way in training and certifying millions of current and future hospitality workers. We provide best-in-class food safety, risk mitigation, career development and leadership training to restauranteurs, hoteliers, food service businesses, retail operations and academic institutions across the world. We equip our global audience with innovative, engaging training utilizing multiple platforms, from textbooks to online resources, courses to mobile applications, with a focus on both compliance-driven and career-development suites.

As the Key Account Manager, you will be responsible for a portfolio of high-profile national accounts across restaurant chains with 150+ locations, developing and executing sales strategies, plans, and initiatives in support of our industry risk mitigation product lines. The role collaborates directly with corporate contacts, while supporting and navigating franchise communities to assist with program adoption and growth.

Ideal candidates bring a customer-centric, consultative sales approach with a proven track record of successfully building and sustaining long-term relationships across all levels of client accounts. Must bring experience navigating lengthy and complex sales cycles, strong command of Salesforce and highly effective time management and organizational skills, as well as experience managing multilocation customers and/or large geography.

Prior experience in strategic selling of SAAS, training, certification or e-learning products within the restaurant, retail, training market, or related fields is highly desirable. Position requires the presence, polish, and presentation skills to engage Director, VP, and C-Level executives and influence key business decisions.

This is an individual contributor role that can operate fully remote within the United States (within a company-approved territory) with approximately 25% travel anticipated for key account visits, tradeshows, and other industry events. Compensation includes a competitive base salary plus a variable sales incentive, structured at 80% base and 20% performance-based earnings.

We are proud to offer our team members comprehensive benefits, designed to support their financial, professional, and personal well-being. In addition to outstanding healthcare coverage (medical, dental and vision), competitive salaries, generous vacation and leave time, we offer a matching 401(k) plan, a unique collection of corporate discounts and memberships, as well as programs to support career and skills development, including learning and tuition assistance, and so much more.

 Responsibilities:

• Drive revenue growth by executing sales strategies, achieving product penetration goals, and expanding business within assigned accounts.
• Build and manage a strong sales pipeline through prospecting, lead generation, and active participation in industry events.
• Develop and maintain relationships across all levels of customer organizations, using a consultative approach to identify needs and deliver solutions.
• Create and execute account and territory plans, including forecasting, pipeline management, and performance tracking against targets.
• Increase account value by driving product adoption, optimizing pricing, and maximizing profitability through effective negotiation and contract management.
• Collaborate cross-functionally and with customers to implement programs, solve problems, and support long-term account success.
• Maintain accurate sales activity, pipeline, and account data in CRM systems and leverage tools for lead development.
• Monitor industry trends and provide insights to inform sales strategy, product positioning, and organizational improvements.
• Communicate effectively with leadership and stakeholders on sales performance, opportunities, and market dynamics.
• Manage contract compliance, revenue collection, and travel budgets to support overall business objectives.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in any major and/or combination of experience.
• A minimum of 7+ years of experience with demonstrated skills in strategic selling of SAAS, training, certification and e-learning products within the restaurant, retail, training market or related fields.
• Excellent prospecting and sales experience with a continuous learning mindset.
• Previous experience leveraging sales database or Salesforce.
• Demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding sales goal for consecutive years.
• Excellent presentation skills to key stakeholders from business owners, HR executives, Training and Development Directors, C-suite executives, and other decision makers or influencers.
• Strong familiarity with technology used to deliver e-learning, including use of high-level technical acumen (SSO, API, web services, etc.).
• Ability to understand and sell products effectively for multiple brands.
• Demonstrated capacity to develop and build relationships, effectively and persuasively present and demonstrate products, negotiate, and close, and cultivate partnerships and alliances to drive sales and overall business.
• Ability to work as part of a team and to work independently; a self-initiator, versatile and assumes risk with responsibility.
• Strong organizational, time management, priority-setting and problem-solving skills, plus project management and business planning.
• Exceptional analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Thoughtful interpersonal and diplomacy skills; ability to interact and communicate effectively at all levels of organization.
• Mastery of Microsoft Office programs, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Ability to learn other software programs as needed and enter and maintain accurate data/information.
• Possess strong work ethic and high degree of integrity.
• Highly adaptable; ability to work well under pressure, within fast-paced and fluid environment.
• Capable strategic vision in areas of business, sales, and the hospitality industry, with sound decision making abilities.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The National Restaurant Association, National Restaurant Association Solutions, LLC, and The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (together, “Company”) is committed to equal employment opportunity, and it is Company's policy to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

It is our policy to recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job titles, and ensure that all other personnel actions are administered, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status and disability, or other legally protected status, and we will ensure that all employment decisions are based only on valid job requirements.

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.

For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.