Strategic Account Manager

Company Description

Weruva is a family-owned pet food company dedicated to providing pets with nutritious and delicious meals to support an "Awesome Happy Awesome Healthy" life. Renowned for using only the finest ingredients and adhering to the highest food safety standards, Weruva's products prioritize both nourishment and flavor. As passionate pet parents, the Weruva team deeply values the role of quality nutrition in improving pets' well-being. Join us in our mission to ensure pets everywhere lead their happiest, healthiest lives. Learn more about us on our website and social media channels.

Role Description

The Strategic Account Manager will be the primary business lead for a narrow list of strategic omni-channel accounts. This role will foster relationships and provide full-suite account management by analyzing data, developing strategies, executing sales-driving plans, and performing customer-facing sales duties. Organization of substantial projects and assets, while adhering to assigned timelines, is a critical component of this role. The Strategic Account Manager is expected to deliver excellence in service to all assigned accounts and contacts, provide effective sales-driving performance, and smooth business operations by way of proper planning and prioritization. Operating on West Coast hours, this role will align workload management with their supervisor and will require approximately 20% overnight travel. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field.
• 5+ years work experience as an account manager for an omni-channel retailer or experience as an omni-channel buyer or category manager.
• Ability to pivot, adapt, and reprioritize independently to a fast-paced working environment.
• Highly analytical, with the ability to read and understand performance data, develop actions based on data, and use the data to craft strategies and tactics to grow the business.
• Ability to interpret and utilize industry trend data and customer decision trees.
• Experience in handling inventory and logistics coordination between retailers and suppliers.
• Experience in creating impactful and easy-to-shop planograms via a virtual program.
• Proficient at creating mockups and design direction for marketing and visual assets
• Demonstrate cross-functional leadership to complete projects from start to finish and deliver on time.
• Computer literacy, including advanced working skills of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Suite and Adobe products. Experience with Bynder, Salsify, Asana and Canva are a plus.



Duties & Responsibilities

Account Management

• Act as primary contact and business lead for assigned accounts.
• Foster and manage growth for assigned accounts at all levels, while developing relationships that support the achievement of plans and objectives.
• Constantly seek out and win new opportunities to drive incremental business.
• Lead cross-functional projects for assigned accounts with internal business partners.
• Deliver projects and tasks on time while constantly adapting to changing priorities.
• Prepare and deliver effective presentations to internal and external stakeholders
• Attend designated trade shows and events as needed.
• Travel as required, up to 20% of the role.

Planning & Analysis

• Compile and review quantitative sales data and react to changing trends or new competitive threats and opportunities.
• Analyze all available data to include syndicated, customer portal and Weruva reporting to generate business-building customer insights and strategies.
• Responsible for preparing and delivering relevant reports, budgets, and sales forecasts and maintaining current reports.
• Develop and drive strategic annual plans to meet or exceed revenue goals. Highly engage with accounts to collaborate and partner during the planning process.
• Management of trade funds and budgets.

Merchandising

• Develop forward-thinking assortments and planograms for annual resets and secondary displays by using analytical data, trend insights, and customer decision trees.
• Adopt an omni-channel merchandising mindset in all customer-facing projects.
• Maintain brand, assets and product information on retailers’ e-commerce sites to ensure accuracy and deliver a best-in-class omni-channel experience.
• Clear understanding of SKU setup for brick & mortar and e-com, including basic logistical information, samples, e-com copy, and images.

Marketing

• Lead the coordination of all marketing projects for assigned accounts with the Weruva Design Team.
• Provide the design team with initial direction for assets needed while keeping the needs of the retailer and the end user at the forefront.
• Ensure project assets are correct and submitted on time.

Logistics & Inventory Management

• Coordinate communication between the assigned accounts and Weruva Logistics teams.
• Identify opportunities by analyzing inventory metrics and processes to drive sales.
• Maintain, research, and action compliance charges on a weekly basis.

Account Employee Training

• Utilize available outlets with assigned accounts to raise awareness of Weruva with store employees.
• Work with accounts on best practices or new methods to deliver messages.
• Create opportunities to make memorable experiences with store employees to drive loyalty and recommendations.

Sales Team Support

• Timely communication of retail activities, promotional plans, merchandising and new item listings with the Weruva Sales Team to ensure accurate retail execution.
• Provide account training, guidance, remedial training, prompt responses, and one-on-one support to members of the Sales and Customer Experience teams as assigned or invited.
• Annual in-person presentation to highlight account achievements and upcoming priorities.

Success Factors

• Customer focused
• Able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Adaptable to short timelines and changing priorities
• Detail orientated
• Highly analytical
• Results driven
• Clear and effective communication
• Can-do attitude
• Problem solving & analysis
• Honesty and integrity
• Dedication to continuous development

Physical Demands

Ability to lift 40 pounds up to shoulder level repeatedly and stand for extended periods while at retail locations or other client functions to complete set up of retail fixtures, displays, etc. on intermittent occasions

Working Conditions

This role is primarily based in a home office setting but also includes client-site work at their headquarters and retail locations, trade shows, and consumer event sites, all of which often include companion animals in the workspace. Limited overnight domestic and international travel is required to attend trade events, company meetings, field visits, or similar activity.

Performance Standards

All positions at Weruva begin with a 90-day probationary period and include a 30-day, 90-day and 6 month review session with their supervisor. While feedback and direction will be provided as needed on an ongoing basis, an annual performance appraisal provides the opportunity to measure progress and address opportunities.