What are the responsibilities and job description for the National Accounts Manager - Target position at Heartland FPG?
National Account Manager – Target
Heartland Food Products Group is seeking a National Account Manager (NAM) to lead our business with Target and smaller regional accounts, some of Heartland’s most strategic retail partners. This role is ideal for a proven CPG sales leader with direct experience calling on these accounts, established relationships with merchandising teams, and a passion for building brands through strong retailer collaboration.
This position is based in Minneapolis, MN.
What You’ll Do
Own Strategic Customer Leadership
- Serve as the primary sales lead and relationship owner for Target
- Build and deepen partnerships with merchandising teams to drive mutual growth
- Represent Heartland’s brand portfolio with confidence, credibility, and a growth mindset
Drive Growth Across Heartland’s Brand Portfolio
- Develop and execute annual Joint Business Plans aligned to Heartland’s growth, profitability, and brand-building priorities
- Lead assortment, pricing, merchandising, and promotional strategies that expand distribution and household penetration
- Champion innovation and new item launches, ensuring strong customer alignment and flawless execution
Deliver Results Through Best-in-Class Execution
- Own volume, trade spend, and profitability targets for Target
- Lead promotional planning, display strategy, and in-store/online execution in partnership with merchandising teams
- Provide accurate forecasting and demand inputs to support high service levels and efficient inventory management
Leverage Insights to Win at Shelf
- Use syndicated data (Circana/IRI, Nielsen) and customer insights to identify category opportunities and support fact-based selling
- Partner with customer merchandising teams to improve shelf placement, promotional ROI, and execution quality
- Translate data into clear, compelling stories that support brand and category growth
Lead and Develop Talent
- Set clear priorities, provide ongoing feedback, and support professional development
- Lead with Heartland’s values and foster a high-performance, collaborative team culture
Collaborate Cross-Functionally
- Act as the voice of Target internally, aligning marketing, R&D, supply chain, finance, and operations
- Partner closely with marketing and category management to deliver customer-relevant brand strategies
What You Bring
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; MBA a plus
- 7 years of CPG sales or customer leadership experience
- Direct experience calling on Target required
- Established relationships with Target merchandising teams
- Strong understanding of grocery retail, trade management, and category management
- Proven track record of delivering profitable growth
- Prior people management experience or demonstrated readiness to lead
Preferred Experience
- Experience managing branded food or beverage portfolios
- Strong analytical and financial acumen
- Comfort working in a fast-paced, growth-oriented, matrixed organization