Regional Sales Manager, Independent Accounts (National)

Solely Inc. is a high-growth, mission-driven food company that is redefining snacking through simplicity and integrity. They are seeking a Regional Sales Manager, Independent Accounts to lead the strategy and execution for independent retailers and distributors across the U.S., focusing on profitable growth and brand-building execution.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the company’s national strategy for independent accounts, including natural, specialty, gourmet, regional independent grocery, and other high-potential non-chain retail customers
• Build a clear account universe, segment opportunities, and prioritize resources against the highest-return customers, distributors, and markets
• Develop and execute annual and quarterly plans to deliver net sales, distribution, velocity, merchandising, and profitability goals
• Translate company priorities into actionable account and market plans that drive both immediate results and long-term channel health
• Own direct relationships with assigned buyers, distributors, and decision-makers across the independent channel
• Develop persuasive, data-based selling stories grounded in category trends, shopper insight, brand performance, incrementality, and market opportunity
• Drive new item authorization, assortment optimization, distribution gains, promotional support, display activity, and improved shelf positioning
• Prepare and lead line reviews, business reviews, and new business presentations with clarity, confidence, and commercial discipline
• Lead broker and distributor relationships with rigor and consistency
• Set clear KPIs and expectations across distribution, void closure, promotional execution, display placement, new item launches, pricing compliance, and speed of follow-through
• Conduct regular business reviews with brokers and distributors and hold partners accountable for measurable results
• Escalate issues quickly, solve proactively, and ensure external partners act with urgency and alignment
• Partner internally to recommend pricing, promotional, and assortment choices that support both growth and profitability
• Evaluate trade opportunities with a strong understanding of ROI, margin impact, post-event performance, and customer economics
• Help ensure trade funds are invested where they improve productive distribution, sustainable velocities, and account quality
• Work closely with field marketing, merchandising, and sales support resources to ensure execution matches strategy in market
• Monitor shelf conditions, price points, promotional compliance, display presence, and competitive activity through store walks, market visits, distributor ride-alongs, and broker check-ins
• Identify gaps quickly and drive corrective action
• Use syndicated data, shipment data, POS data, and internal analytics to identify trends, opportunities, risks, and priorities
• Turn data into recommendations on distribution, assortment, pricing, promotion, placement, and market sequencing
• Partner with Business Intelligence, Customer Success, Marketing, Operations, and Finance to ensure sound forecasting, clean execution, and aligned decision-making
• Serve as a strong internal connector across Sales, Marketing, Field Marketing, Customer Success, Supply Chain, Finance, and Leadership
• Ensure the independent channel has clear priorities, clean communication, and strong follow-through internally
• Provide grounded feedback from the market that improves innovation, packaging, promotions, and customer support
• Model high standards of ownership, professionalism, responsiveness, integrity, and follow-through
• Contribute to a high-performance culture built on transparency, urgency, teamwork, and mutual respect
• Operate with the maturity to represent Solely exceptionally well with customers, brokers, distributors, and internal stakeholders

Requirements:

• 7–10+ years of progressive sales experience in consumer packaged goods, preferably food and beverage
• Strong experience managing independent accounts, regional distributors, and broker networks
• Demonstrated success growing a brand in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial CPG environment
• Experience using syndicated data and market insights tools such as SPINS, NIQ/Nielsen, Circana/IRI, or equivalent
• Proven ability to sell strategically, not just administratively
• Strong experience with pricing, promotions, trade spending, and financial evaluation of opportunities
• Strong commercial judgment
• Excellent analytical ability
• Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Strong presentation and storytelling ability
• High accountability and follow-through
• Ability to influence without excessive hierarchy
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution
• Strong prioritization in a resource-constrained environment
• Bachelor's degree required, ideally in Business, Marketing, Finance, or a related field
• Experience in natural, organic, snack, or better-for-you categories
• Experience in both conventional and natural independent channels
• Experience working in a high-growth challenger brand environment
• Familiarity with distributor economics, route-to-market complexity, and regional market development
• MBA is a plus, but not required