Enjoy a career, packaged with care, whilst helping protect food, people and the planet
We are a key global provider of sustainable packaging solutions. We’re on a mission to make all packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable. Every day, we ensure the hygiene and safety of food and drink for people around the world. We are Huhtamaki.
You could be part of our vision. Because it’s our talented people that make it happen. Our people on the shop floor producing innovative, sustainable products. Our people in our offices delivering excellence for our customers every day. It’s every one of us working together.
We offer a place where you can feel safe, be supported, and make an impact so we can all focus on the future together.
Position Overview
We are seeking a dedicated professional to drive profitable sales growth through both existing and new foodservice distributors and operators. This role involves client visits to assess their needs, boost brand awareness, and recommend suitable products, ensuring the effective execution of sales plans. Key responsibilities include responding to inquiries, negotiating sales, and finalizing sales orders.
Externally, the role requires interaction with purchasing, sales, marketing, and management teams at distributors and operators to expand product categories and maintain existing business. The position also involves processing pricing, deductions, and promotional activities with distributors to ensure compliance with business processes for optimal returns. Additionally, targeting, approaching, and closing deals with key regional accounts to drive incremental sales is essential.
Internally, collaboration with various departments such as Management, Product Management, Commercial Excellence, Customer Service, and other support functions (including pricing, deductions, marketing, accounts receivable, credit, graphics, quality control, and manufacturing) is necessary to secure the support needed for profitable business growth and service in the region.
Territory Coverage –
States:
Key Responsibilities
- Customer Relationship Management: Cultivate and manage customer relationships to drive growth and identify new customer opportunities through various channels including telephone, email, personal visits, trade shows, and professional organizations.
- Account Strategy Development: Develop and implement account strategies for each customer, ensuring alignment with the organization's objectives.
- Contract Negotiation: Create and negotiate customer contract proposals.
- Sales Targets: Meet annual sales and contribution margin targets.
- Commercialization Process Participation: Participate in the commercialization process for new products or changes to existing items, including packaging and graphics, in coordination with supply chain partners.
- Sales Tools and Processes Utilization: Utilize sales tools and processes (e.g., CRM, account management, negotiation, pipeline management, margin management).
- Liaison Role: Act as a liaison between customers and the corporate team (marketing, manufacturing, graphics, customer service, forecasting, and pricing/deductions).
Job Qualifications
Required
- Undergraduate degree in Business or an Analytical Field, or equivalent work experience.
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in foodservice distribution sales.
- Strong commitment to the company's values and ethical standards.
- Excellent verbal and written communication, listening, and presentation skills.
- Proficiency in analytical and negotiation skills, as well as in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; comfortable with quantitative analysis.
- Ability to collaborate and influence without formal authority, manage conflicts, and build commitment to goals.
- Demonstrated a sense of urgency and ability to work independently, organizing and directing own work to meet objectives.
- Proven experience in account management and business development.
- Strong track record of success, curiosity, coachability, intelligence, and work ethic.
Working Environment
- Preferred candidate location: Illinois.
- Hours may vary based on customer needs.
- Willingness to travel up to 60% for customer meetings, market visits, and training sessions.
- Willingness to relocate.
Join us. Help protect food, people and the planet.
Skills Required
- Undergraduate degree in Business or an Analytical Field, or equivalent work experience
- Minimum of 5 years' experience in foodservice distribution sales
- Excellent verbal and written communication, listening, and presentation skills
- Proficiency in analytical and negotiation skills, as well as in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Proven experience in account management and business development
Huhtamaki Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Huhtamaki and has not been reviewed or approved by Huhtamaki.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is described as comprehensive with dental and vision options, and employer contributions toward premiums are portrayed as generous. Feedback suggests this breadth makes the overall package feel competitive for many roles.
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Retirement Support — Retirement programs include a 401(k) with pre‑tax and Roth options, with certain groups also having access to a pension and even deferred compensation. Feedback suggests these features stand out positively in a manufacturing context.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off, paid holidays, and generous parental leave are emphasized alongside meaningful PTO accruals. Feedback suggests this leave structure strengthens perceived total rewards even where base pay is viewed as only fair.
Huhtamaki Insights
What We Do
Huhtamaki is a key global provider of sustainable packaging solutions for consumers around the world, enabling wellbeing and convenience. Our innovative products protect on-the-go and on-the-shelf food and beverages, ensuring hygiene and safety, and help prevent food waste. We embed sustainability in everything we do. We are committed to achieving carbon neutral production and designing all our products to be recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2030. We are a participant in the UN Global Compact and EcoVadis has awarded Huhtamaki with the Gold medal for performance in sustainability. To play our part in managing climate change, we have set science-based targets that have been approved and validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. With 100 years of history and a strong Nordic heritage we operate in 37 countries and 103 operating locations around the world. Our values Care Dare Deliver guide our decisions and help our team of around 18 000 employees make a difference where it matters. Our 2023 net sales totaled EUR 4.2 billion. Huhtamaki Group is headquartered in Espoo, Finland and our parent company, Huhtamäki Oyj, is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. Find out more about how we are protecting food, people and the planet on www.huhtamaki.com
