National Account Manager

ABOUT COMMONWEALTH JOE:   

Commonwealth Joe Coffee Roasters (CWJ) is a DMV-based coffee company delivering award-winning cold brew where people work, live, and play. We have a flagship cafe located in Arlington,VA, a roastery and brewery located in Beltsville, MD, and a remote corporate team. At Commonwealth Joe, we are committed to redefining the coffee experience by delivering award-winning cold brew coffee across the U.S. Our dedication to innovation and excellence drives us to continually explore new ways to serve our customers and communities.

At Commonwealth Joe, we believe in making amazing coffee approachable and accessible to all. We are a group of passionate coffee lovers with diverse backgrounds and interests. However, one thing we all share in common is our mission to live out Commonwealth Joe's company values in every interaction we have with each other, our customers, and our community. Learn more about our company values, here.

COMMONWEALTH JOE’S NITRO COLD BREW ON TAP PROGRAM:

Commonwealth Joe offers an all-inclusive, on-tap beverage service that delivers kegs of nitro cold brew, kombucha, tea, seltzer, and whole bean coffee directly to offices and wholesalers (e.g., cafes, bakeries, bars, restaurants, and more). Our customers receive regular keg deliveries, a kegerator (tap) rental, routine machine maintenance and line cleanings, and a dedicated customer success partner. CWJ’s on-tap beverage service is directly available in six geographies across the U.S. - the DMV, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and NYC Metro areas, New England, and Southern California - and is provided through resellers in 25+ other states with distribution growing rapidly.

JOIN OUR SALES TEAM:

The role of National Accounts Manager within our sales team is critical for landing new business and for executing our growth strategy in the U.S. market. We are seeking a sales professional who has experience in selling food & beverage to customers in the food service channel. The National Accounts Manager will be instrumental in driving Commonwealth Joe’s growth across major U.S. metro areas. This role combines strategic account management, innovative sales programming, and a deep understanding of the food service industry to expand our market presence, increase sales volumes, and strengthen key account relationships. The National Accounts Manager will focus on closing five-, six-, and seven-figure deals with new logos and existing accounts, offices and resellers, and direct customers and indirect customers in collaboration with our internal teams and with our U.S. foodservice partners. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Strategic Account Management: Develop and maintain strong relationships with key accounts and distribution partners including both national food service organizations and local office coffee service (OCS) companies, utilizing insights to tailor strategies that meet their unique needs and drive sales. Identify, develop, and manage an active pipeline of strategic national targets across channel partners. Land new clients and manage existing clients to retain, enhance brand awareness, and increase profitable sales by adding new locations, installations, and SKUs.
• Field and Market Development: Travel as needed to support customer and employer requirements, including weekend events and travel. Attend periodic growth meetings, Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) and trade shows with channel partners and drive follow-up action items.
• Pricing, Negotiation and Deal Closing: Providing new deal proposals, negotiating terms in collaboration with Commonwealth Joe leadership, and managing approvals of contracts. Track and coordinate new contract pricing and manage contract renewals.
• Innovative Programming: Design and implement account-specific programs, such as Limited Time Offers (LTOs) and staff incentives, that drive brand engagement and sales volume. Run pilots with new partners to create proof points for deeper collaboration.
• Execution Excellence: Ensure flawless execution of brand standards and initiatives across accounts, conducting regular audits and leveraging industry best practices to enhance performance. Work with clients and our internal team to develop programs suited to customer needs, including branding/marketing materials, equipment recommendations, and training guidelines and schedules. Work with clients on all branding/marketing elements.
• Collaboration and Communication: Work closely with marketing, sales, and distribution partners to create cohesive and effective sales strategies that align with Commonwealth Joe’s brand values and goals.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilize data and market insights to influence sales strategies, optimize resource allocation, and achieve business objectives.
• Beverage Equipment Expertise: Technical understanding of beverage equipment as well as how to work both internally with our team and with beverage equipment companies to develop and support customer equipment programs. Knowledge of beverage equipment manufacturers for cold brew, drip coffee, and espresso. Understand how to develop service and preventive maintenance programs.
• GTM and Distribution Acumen: Knowledge of distribution and distributor partners within the away-from-home division. Experience calling on national, multi-unit operators in the office, food service, hospitality, sports & entertainment, and travel/leisure channels. Existing relationships are a plus.
• Financial Acumen: Understand how to develop profitable programs to deliver a return on investment that meets Commonwealth Joe’s guidelines including a keen understanding of how to read a P&L.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY 

Initially, there are no supervisory responsibilities for this position. Based on performance and market needs, there is potential for supervisory responsibilities and growth within the organization.

COMPETENCIES

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following:

• Determined: Outbound sales can be challenging, but you rise to the challenge, learning from your mistakes, thinking creatively, and chasing down every new opportunity.
• Organized: Much of the role is managing a healthy sales funnel. This requires a high level of organization - setting clear timelines for leads and maintaining consistent follow-up with prospects.
• Excellent Communicator: It is the sales team’s responsibility to represent Commonwealth Joe to the general public. You should be able to consistently produce clear written and oral communication ensuring leads understand the intricacies and value of Commonwealth Joe’s’s on-tap beverage program.
• Self-Starter: You see the value in Commonwealth Joe’s service and are intrinsically motivated to help grow the business. You also have a great eye for opportunities and are ready to explore them as needed. You thrive in unstructured environments.
• Fast-Learner: Commonwealth Joe is a small company and we’re always adapting our strategies to ensure we maintain profitability. You should be flexible in your workflow and can learn new software and system processes when needed.
• Quality Assurance: You demonstrate accuracy and thoroughness. You look for ways to improve and promote quality. You apply feedback to improve performance. You monitor your work to ensure quality.   
• Written Communication: You write clearly and concisely, mindful of spelling and grammar. You vary your writing style to meet needs. You present numerical data effectively. You can read and interpret written information.   
• Professionalism: You tactfully approach others, react well under pressure, and treat others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position. You accept responsibility for your actions and follow through on your commitments.   
• Dependability: You follow instructions and respond to management direction. You take responsibility for your actions. You keep your commitments and can commit to driving things to completion on tight timelines when needed to reach goals. You complete tasks on time or notifiy the appropriate person with an alternate plan.   
• Initiative: You volunteer readily. You undertake self-development activities. You seek increased responsibilities. You take independent actions and calculated risks. You look for and take advantage of opportunities. You ask for and offer help when needed.  

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field, with 7+ years of relevant, progressive sales experience in the food & beverage industry (coffee experience is a plus). Solid knowledge of B2B sales and working experience using CRMs and office productivity software. 
• Proven track record of building strong relationships with key accounts, successfully implementing sales programs, and meeting/exceeding sales targets.
• Experience with national Food and Beverage distributors is highly preferred
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to use data and insights to drive decisions and strategies.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with fluency in English. Additional languages are a plus.
• Must be willing to travel 30-40% of the time to meet with clients and stakeholders.

PHYSICAL AND OTHER DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the physical demands of the employee may include moving, pushing, pulling, lifting, bending, twisting, standing or sitting for long periods, talking, listening, and screen time.

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.   The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.  This is a work-from-home and office, hybrid role. 

TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE