Key Account Manager

OUR STORY

Based in Wheeling, WV, the Ziegenfelder Company is part of the Armstrong Group.  The Armstrong Group is a private, family owned and operated collection of diverse companies. What began in 1946 as Armstrong County Line Construction, founded by Jud L. Sedwick in Kittanning, PA, has now grown into an organization that encompasses multiple industries and employs over 2,400 individuals nationwide. Our brands include Armstrong Utilities, Guardian Protection, Armstrong Development, 4Front Solutions, Twin Pops and Armstrong Comfort Solutions.

The Ziegenfelder Company is a frozen novelty manufacturer that focuses solely on producing the highest quality frozen ice novelties, commonly referred to as twin pops. We are the largest manufacturer of twin pops in the country with production facilities in Wheeling, WV; Chino, CA; and Denver, CO.  

The Ziegenfelder Company has averaged solid growth for the past 15 years while growing our tribe from 60 employees in one facility with three production lines to over 400 employees across three facilities and 13 production lines.  Core to our success has always been making the highest quality, best tasting products in the market and selling them to valued customers at the best possible price.  The Ziegenfelder Company owns and produces the brand Budget Saver, as well as, licensed and private labeled products for premiere retailers, such as Albertsons, Dollar General, Kroger, and Walmart.  24/7 operations in our three facilities, generates over 2.2 million pops per day.

Ziegenfelder’s growth and success is clearly due to our dedicated tribe.  We value integrity, creativity, and innovation, and are committed to positively impacting our workforce and the communities in which we live and work.

OUR VISION
Growing together, revolutionizing our company, and bringing smiles to every home in America.

OUR MISSION
Making people smile with really cool treats.

OUR STRATEGY
Growing Better Together.

ZIEGGY ESSENTIALS – T.W.I.N.S.
Think Tribe First

Win by Always doing the Right Thing

Inspire Each Other

Nurture our Zieggy Economy

Serve Others

POSTION
As our Key Account Manager, you will be front and center in representing the Ziegenfelder brand with our customers.  You will serve as the liaison between the Tribe members making our product and the consumers eating our product to help create millions of smiles!  Your role will be influential in growing our business, whether that’s through new accounts or new sales channels.  Your drive for building solid relationships while effectively positioning our products will ultimately contribute to the bottom line of the business and company growth. 

Come thrive at Ziegenfelder with your true passion for people, patient yet persistent approach, and your ability to embrace a fast-paced, changing environment. Bring leadership, inspiration & innovation to cultivate our remarkable workforce and deliver a positive business impact.

This position will be responsible for sales in the Eastern Region.  Calling on accounts from Maine to Florida.  The Key Account manager for the Eastern Region will help ensure we double our sales volume in this territory over the next 5 years.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
The Key Account Manager is responsible for:

• Serving as relationship manager for Ziegenfelder sales accounts as assigned.
• Utilizing your dynamic personality to build strong, lasting bonds with a wide array of personality types.
• Communicating in a way that will positively influence our customers and our tribe members, through all written and face-to-face interactions.
• Demonstrating strong emotional intelligence as you navigate the successes and challenges that are inherent with the sales process.
• Achieving sales volume and profit objectives on a quarterly and annual basis.
• Planning and pitching promotional strategies that benefit the consumer while still meeting volume & profit expectations.
• Conducting customer visits to help develop strategies to gain new distribution within existing and prospective customers.
• Developing and sharing an accurate volume and profit forecast.
• Prospecting for new business through cold calling, growing your base book of business, and other sales strategies.
• Staying abreast of market intelligence, competitor analysis and assisting with implementation of marketing strategy for key accounts.
• Ensuring in-store product displays are accurate and appealing, supporting all quality control initiatives among key accounts.
• Assisting with troubleshooting customer concerns and resolving customer complaints.
• Supporting key account negotiations and communicating pricing changes in a timely and professional manner.
• Successfully managing an assigned travel budget.
• Ability to complete accurate and timely expense settlement twice per month.

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
Leaders at all levels and in all roles at Ziegenfelder strive to demonstrate leadership competencies. As Key Account Manager, you will demonstrate:

• Integrity: Is direct and truthful, is ethical in making decisions and speaks candidly about tough issues. Is open-minded and listens to tribe members at all levels.  Is widely trusted by others and keeps confidences.
• Self-awareness: Has an accurate picture of strengths and weaknesses and is willing to improve.
• Accountability: Seeks to take responsibility before placing blame. Able to react when unexpected problems arise, and proactive in developing plans to prevent problems from reoccurring.  Admits mistakes, owns failures, and commits to deliver expectations and responsibilities.
• Credibility: Makes decisions and problem solves based on regulations, facts, data and science.   Clearly understands and communicates performance standards and expectations to others and is willing to hold self and others accountable to performance standards.
• Commitment: Contributes maximum effort to support company initiatives and is tenacious when problem solving for the good of the tribe and organization. Willing to go above and beyond to support success for others and the company.
• Teamwork: Focuses others’ energy on common goals, priorities, and problems. Seeks common ground in an effort to resolve conflicts. Works harmoniously with colleagues and departments.
• Initiative: Works to identify and seize opportunities when they arise. Demonstrates initiative and is motivated to drive improvement.  Skilled at original thought when evaluating problems and developing action plans.  Able to consult with peers and third parties when additional expertise may be needed.
• Values and gives feedback: Seeks out, responds to, shares, and uses feedback.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

• Bachelor’s Degree in business or equivalent experience required.
• 5+ years of sales experience, preferably in manufacturing or food/consumer products.
• Previous experience managing a portfolio of key accounts is required.
• History of calling on retailers and grocery distribution companies in the Northeast region.
• Excellent written, verbal and presentations skills.
• Self-starter and entrepreneurial with hands-on approach towards business.
• Must thrive in an independent work environment.
• Ability to travel throughout the year, with heavy travel during peak sales cycles. 
• Ability to work from your home office.
• You will ideally be in New England market, PA, MD, or West Virginia and/or closely located to an airport hub.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES

• Ability to remain in a stationary position while accomplishing daily tasks.
•  Visual acuity to perform activities such as viewing information on a computer screen, preparing, and analyzing data and figures.
• Ability to stand for an 8-hour period.
• Able to lift 25 – 50 lb. boxes of pops and equipped to handle cold freezer environments for short periods of time.