Senior Account Manager - Bakery

Senior Account Manager - Bakery   Our story goes back more than 150 years, to the chilly southern coast of Scandinavia. From our early success in Sweden and Denmark, we’ve grown into the world’s leading specialist producer of plant-based oils, employing more than 4,000 people all across the globe. We work with our customers to make the products you love even better. The oils we produce go into making your chocolate extra-creamy or putting the crunch into your croissant. And it’s not just food — we work across industries to make products that are higher quality, healthier and better for the planet. Everything we do is about Making Better Happen™. AAK Louisville This position is fully remote, preferably located in the Midwest. About the role Drive new customer acquisition and profitable growth within AAK USA’s industrial bakery segment. This role is responsible for identifying high-potential bakery manufacturers, establishing strategic relationships with key decision makers, and converting opportunities into long-term commercial partnerships. This position will build and manage a structured growth pipeline, develop multi-year account strategies, and lead early-stage customer expansion until accounts are stable and positioned for long-term success. This role is critical to expanding AAK’s footprint in the U.S. bakery market and delivering sustainable volume and margin growth. Responsibilities Specific for the Bakery Segment: Identify and convert mid- to large-scale industrial bakery manufacturers into long-term commercial partnerships Maintain active visibility within the bakery industry through targeted events and associations to strengthen AAK’s position and uncover growth opportunities Develop multi-year volume and profitability plans for targeted accounts with structured forecasts for new wins with clear ramp assumptions Other Account Management Responsibilities: Establish, maintain and grow value-based customer relationships that will make AAK a trusted partner with its chosen customers to meet or exceed annual financial targets. Formulate pricing, negotiate contracts and supply agreements in partnership with Pricing and Sourcing & Trading. Work with AAK’s Sourcing & Trading group to provide raw material market information to customers. Working closely with customers to develop solutions for formulation challenges with an understanding of multiple customer functional areas, inclusive of Product Development/R&D and Procurement Prepare annual territory strategic plans to execute upon goals. Prepare & maintain Account Plans for all accounts. Provide technical and commercial feedback to customers as needed. Align AAK US or global technical resources with our customers’ technical groups on a select basis. Build and maintain a disciplined pipeline with defined stage gates, probabilities, and conversion timelines Engage with Customer Innovation/Technical, Customer Service, and Operations to ensure successful onboarding of new customers and handle the administrative work associated with onboarding customers (credit applications for example), Work with customer service and A/R on collections when needed and other tasks associated with account management.   About you BA/BS degree, preferably in a Scientific field/MBA 5–10 years of experience within the bakery or food ingredients industry, including exposure to sales, technical service, or commercial roles Exceptional “hunting” skills to uncover new business opportunities with a sense of urgency; strong business acumen Demonstrated strong customer relations skills with excellent presentation and communication skills Exceptional problem solving and relationship building skills (internal and external) Highly organized with structured pipeline discipline Entrepreneurial thinker and self-starter SalesForce Proficiency with Microsoft Office Applications In return AAK offer Career paths, training and development, e-learning and tuition reimbursement programs offer potential for you to progress your future career Comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental and vision) starting date of hire Health Savings Account with AAK annual contribution of $1,000-$1,500 We match 100% of the first 3% you contribute to your 401(k), and 50% of the next 3% Free Life and Disability insurance  Employee Assistance Program Supplemental Pet Insurance, Identity Theft Protection and Legal Insurance Plans Discounts on travel, amusement parks, concerts, movies, and more Celebrations, events, and activities on site and supporting our communities Recognition incentives for service and peer to peer recognition   About AAK Everything AAK does is about Making Better Happen™. We specialize in plant-based oils that are the value-adding ingredients in many of the products people love to consume. We make these products better tasting, healthier, and more sustainable. At the heart of AAK’s offer is Customer Co-Development, combining our desire to understand what better means for each customer, with the unique flexibility of our production assets, and a deep knowledge of many products and industries, including Chocolate & Confectionery, Bakery, Dairy, Plant-based Foods, Special Nutrition, Foodservice and Personal Care. Our 4,000 employees support our close collaboration with customers through 25 regional sales offices, 15 dedicated Customer Innovation Centers, and with the support of more than 20 production facilities. Listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and with our headquarters in Malmö, Sweden, AAK has been Making Better Happen™ for more than 150 years.   At AAK we strive to maintain a workplace that values diversity and inclusivity, to create an environment where our employees can unleash their true potential. We believe that a diverse team brings new perspectives and ideas to the table and motivates us to Make Better Happen in all our endeavors. Our leadership team, as well as everyone at AAK, prioritizes the health and safety of all who join our mission. We prohibit discrimination of any kind and foster a work environment that’s welcoming and accepting so that anyone who applies or joins AAK has equal access to opportunity. AAK prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, religion, veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under state or federal law in any aspect of the access to, admission, or treatment of students in its programs and activities, or in employment and application for employment.