Account Representative

About the role

We are seeking individuals with experience in corrugated or folding carton manufacturing. Reporting to the Sales Director, the Account Representative will lead all direct sales activities within an assigned Midwest regional territory.

Responsibilities

• Provide insights to Marketing to support strategic planning initiatives; ensure account plans align with broader divisional strategies and market positioning.
• Implement, monitor, and refine account plans to maximize effectiveness, growth, and customer value.
• Develop and manage a territory sales funnel focused on new folding carton business opportunities.
• Establish and maintain multi-level customer relationships, ensuring regular engagement with decision-makers, influencers, and operational contacts.
• Conduct ongoing discovery to understand customer operations, challenges, and packaging needs—identifying what constitutes true value for each customer.
• Promote new product innovations, service offerings, and potential applications for our folding carton capabilities.
• Maintain a disciplined call plan and adjust based on market conditions, customer needs, and growth objectives.
• Monitor customer facilities for activity such as expansions, closures, equipment investments, business shifts, and volume changes.
• Maintain detailed customer profiles, including share of business, product specifications, pricing, competitor activity, and performance metrics.
• Identify prospective accounts and support acquisition-oriented discussions where appropriate.
• Maintain current information regarding gross margins, competitive pricing benchmarks, and cost drivers in the folding carton industry.
• Make informed pricing recommendations aligned with margin targets, value propositions, and competitive positioning.
• Leverage data to identify trends, refine strategies, and drive accountability within the sales cycle.
• Provide consistent, high-quality reporting on account activity, customer updates, and progress against account plans.
• Partner with internal teams—Operations, Customer Service, Engineering, and Marketing—to bring forward customer-driven solutions.
• Communicate critical account information to the organization to support operational readiness and strategic alignment.

Requirements

• A 4-year college degree.
• 3+ years of experience in folding carton manufacturing, corrugated packaging.
• Demonstrated success in sales prospecting, new business development, and territory growth.
• Proven ability to manage complex sales development cycles and multiple concurrent customer projects.
• Familiarity with folding carton design, converting processes, food service/CPG packaging requirements, and paperboard substrates.
• Strong discipline with CRM tools, sales reporting systems, and data analysis to support accurate forecasting and strategic planning.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and strategic thinking skills.

Qualifications

• Must be comfortable managing a remote territory and maintaining an in-person presence with customers across the Midwest region (Chicago, Indiana, Ohio ideal).

Skills

• Strong analytical skills.
• Effective communication and relationship-building skills.
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, including FSA and HSA options.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Comprehensive total rewards package, including competitive pay and benefits.

Pay

The annual base salary range for this role is as follows: Account Representative: $73,280 - $82,440, plus an annual target bonus of 12.5% of base salary.
Account Representative II: $99,360 - $111,780, plus an annual target bonus of 12.5% of base salary.
Senior Account Representative: $111,760 - $125,730, plus an annual target bonus of 12.5% of base salary.

Schedule

This role requires significant regional travel: approximately 3 nights per week.