Director of National Accounts

General Summary

The Director of National Accounts is responsible for driving profitable growth with national, regional, and multi-unit foodservice customers within the company’s west coast footprint. This role owns strategy, execution, and performance for west coast locations, ensuring strong customer partnerships, pricing discipline, and consistent operational excellence in operations.

The Director reports to and works closely with the President of Foodservice and the President of Wholesale to align account strategy and growth initiatives across both business units. Customers include national and regional multi-unit restaurant and healthcare foodservice accounts. 

• This position is based in the Greater Seattle/Tacoma area with ability to travel throughout the West Coast (25–50%) as well as travel nationally for conference, DMA events, and other entities requiring in-person attendance.

Compensation:  $140-165K DOE with generous executive bonus program

Benefits Summary: Benefits for Harbor Team Members include vacation, sick time, personal floating holiday, paid holidays, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with a generous employer match and some great Harbor perks.

The Director of National Account Sales is a dynamic and highly strategic position requiring key competencies:

• Strategic account leadership
• Financial and pricing discipline
• Relationship-based selling
• Cross-functional and cross-business influence with impeccable communication skills both written and verbal
• Operational execution with key understanding of multi-departmental synergies and needs
• Results-driven mindset

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

National & Regional Account Leadership

• Lead strategy and execution for national, regional, and multi-unit foodservice accounts across the West Coast.
• Primary liaison with DMA, our partner for national distribution solutions
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, and program terms consistent with national agreements and margin objectives.
• Serve as the senior point of contact for customer procurement and operations leadership.

Growth, Retention & Account Development

• Identify, pursue, and secure national and multi-unit accounts aligned with the organization’s culture and values.
• Retain and grow regional multi-unit foodservice accounts through partnership-driven account management.
• Drive profitable growth through new units, expanded categories, and increased share of wallet.
• Develop and execute annual account plans with clear revenue, margin, and growth objectives.

Customer Relationship Management

• Build and maintain executive-level relationships with customer stakeholders across procurement, operations, culinary, and finance.
• Act as a trusted advisor while ensuring high service levels and timely issue resolution.

Cross-Functional & Cross-Business Collaboration

• Work closely with Foodservice and Wholesale business units to ensure consistent strategy and execution.
• Partner with Category Management, Pricing, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing, and Finance to deliver seamless account execution.
• Coordinate with manufacturer partners and brokers to support programs, promotions, and growth initiatives.
• Represent the voice of the customer internally and translate needs into actionable plans.

Financial Performance & Analytics

• Own pricing integrity, margin performance, and rebate compliance for assigned accounts.
• Monitor account profitability and contract compliance, proactively addressing variances.
• Leverage data and analytics to inform pricing strategy, forecasting, and growth planning.

Strategic Planning & Scalability

• Participate in strategic planning related to facility capacity, network optimization, and potential acquisitions to support growth in multi-unit business.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to ensure infrastructure and capabilities align with customer growth plans.

Leadership & Influence

• Lead, coach, and develop National Account Managers or supporting sales team members as applicable.
• Establish performance expectations and accountability aligned with Foodservice and Wholesale objectives.
• Influence cross-functional teams to ensure consistent execution across West Coast operations

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Supply Chain, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 8–12+ years of progressive sales experience in foodservice distribution, including national or multi-unit account responsibility.
• Proven success negotiating and managing complex contracts, pricing structures, and rebate programs.
• Strong understanding of West Coast foodservice markets and distributor operations.
• Excellent executive presence, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Strong preference for experience supporting national chain customers with regional execution responsibility.
• Prior leadership or matrix leadership experience.
• Experience working with major manufacturers and broker partners.
• MBA or advanced business training highly preferred.
• Candidate must reside in the immediate Seattle/Tacoma area.

License and Certifications:

• Attainment of relevant certificates a plus.
• Peer networking via involvement in industry groups.