Key Account Manager
Location: Remote – Preferred, Greater Toronto Area
Reports to: VP of Sales
About the Hero Canada…
Founded by sisters, Jen Carlson & Jill Vos in 2005, Baby Gourmet, began with a simple mission: to help little ones develop a love for good food. They crafted their own recipes at home and sold them weekly at the Calgary Farmer’s Market.
Fast forward 20 years, Baby Gourmet has grown into a leading Baby & Toddler food brand, trusted by families nationwide. They offer a wide variety of products, from Fruit & Veggie Pouches and nutrient-rich Cereals to Meals and Snacks designed to satisfy growing appetites. Through its Simply Gourmet brand, they extend their commitment to Toddlers, offering delicious accessible snack options for little explorers.
Baby Gourmet is proudly part of The Hero Group and recently renamed to be Hero Canada! We are a private international company headquartered in Switzerland and continues to demonstrate a deep commitment to supporting families at every stage of their food journey.
Our work is organized around our mission To delight Consumers through honest goodness in every bite. We care deeply about others, the planet, and are empowered to make a difference. We expect, reward and celebrate strong performance.
Our Values…
Our ambition to grow is underpinned by our four core values Create wow, Everyone Hero, Nourish others, & Take Responsibility. Our values help us navigate the ever-changing environment in which we operate and ensure we innovate to meet customer needs.
Create wow ~ Everyone Hero ~ Nourish others ~ Take responsibility
About the Role…
The Key Account Manager is responsible for developing and driving sales, building strategy, effective joint business planning and using data to approach and understand opportunities. This Key Account Manager will report directly to the VP of sales, and will be primary contact for National Account(s) across Canada.
The successful candidate should demonstrate leadership, initiative, and an entrepreneurial mindset, serving as the link between our retail partners and the brand. They will independently manage their accounts, collaborate with key decision-makers, and drive business growth. This full-time position requires a balance of strategic thinking and hands-on account management.
What You’ll Do…
Primary Responsibilities:
- Manage all aspects of key account functions, including pricing, promotional plans, new product presentations, forecasting, and trade spend management.
- Develop customer business plans, forecasts, and budgets aligned with long-term strategies.
- Achieve or exceed organizational objectives, including Net Revenue, Gross Margin, and Operating Profits.
- Strengthen relationships with key retail accounts and conduct regular business reviews.
- Utilize data sources (Nielsen, Power BI, Retailer POS data, and store-level reports) to drive sales growth.
Replenishment & Trade Spend Management:
- Establish partnerships with external replenishment teams and conduct regular meetings.
- Deliver accurate forecasts as part of the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process.
- Identify process gaps or external issues impacting key metrics and implement solutions.
- Manage trade spend using TPM systems and ensure compliance with retailer agreements.
- Provide insights and recommendations for trade spend strategies.
Key Skills:
- Strong relationship-building skills with buyers, category managers, and marketing teams with the ability to operate in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to communicate the big picture and future strategies while identifying trends, opportunities and threats.
- Ability to develop annual budgets and trade spend strategies for key accounts.
- Proactive approach to identifying gaps, risks, and opportunities.
- Experience presenting new products and leading promotional initiatives, with strong public speaking skills to present to multiple audiences.
- Strong financial acumen to manage promotional budgets and optimize sales performance.
- Demonstrate strong analytical skills, capable of structuring and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data to draw insightful conclusions and adherence to deadlines.
- Expertise in resolving customer concerns and negotiating cost adjustments.
What You’ll Need…
- Minimum 5 years of sales experience in the CPG industry, with a focus on major Canadian grocery retailers.
3+ years of work experience with Nielsen Data
5+ years of work experience with Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG)
3+ years of Food and Beverage Manufacturing experience
- Post-secondary education in Business or Marketing, with a university degree preferred
- Sales experience in packaged foods and e-commerce.
- Proven track record of delivering strong sales results and launching new brands.
- Experience working with retailer portals to analyze trends and insights.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and data analysis tools (LIDIA).
- Professional, personable, detail-oriented, and results-driven
- Willingness to travel as needed for presentations and industry events.
- Ability to work effectively in a remote work setting.
- Authorized to work in Canada.
What We Offer:
- Competitive salary and performance-based bonus.
- Remote work environment (GTA-based preferred).
- Comprehensive Health & Dental benefits.
- A dynamic and collaborative team culture.
- Annual Flex Days.
- Inclusive workplace where all voices are valued.
- Global career growth opportunities with a well-established parent company - Hero Group.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing, mission-driven company that is making a difference in the organic baby food industry. If you are passionate about CPG sales and eager to drive growth with a recognized brand, we’d love to hear from you!