HEARTLAND ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

About the role

Cureate is a woman-owned, food-tech company dedicated to empowering local communities by creating a sustainable and inclusive supply chain. Through our proprietary farm and food business educational curricula, local procurement platform, and strategic counsel, Cureate has become a tested model of supply & demand match-making — connecting big & small business value chains that have been fragmented for too long. It takes a multi-stakeholder approach to truly effectuate change, and Cureate has been up to the challenge since 2014.

Job description

Heartland Account Executive (Cureator)

• Buyer Relationship Management & Sales
• Serve as the main point of contact for buyer accounts, new and existing; conduct regular site-visits and check-ins (virtual and in-person) to understand buyer needs, goals, and upcoming events.
• Drive revenue and growth for your territory through upselling of current and new vendor products, and growing week-over-week standing orders at all accounts.
• Present Cureate's products and service offerings to a room full of small producers and farmers and/or a room of corporate board members for large anchor institutions.
• Serve as the voice and face of Cureate for new buyer and vendor partnerships.
• Design and operationalize new programs and/or initiatives to increase Cureate’s sales in the region and meet the needs of buyers.
• Curate seasonal or thematic product collections to drive sales (e.g., holidays, awareness months).
• Collaborate with internal teams to identify opportunities for deeper buyer engagement and category growth based on trends you identify in the region.
• Coordinate activations like hot bar takeovers, pop-ups or tasting events with buyers and vendors.
• Vendor Relationship Management
• Build and maintain a strong, diverse network of regional food and beverage vendors.
• Provide mentorship, coaching and support to emerging small business owners.
• Conduct regular check-ins to gather feedback, assess capacity, and identify new products.
• Market Strategy & Community Engagement
• Stay attuned to local market trends, regional food systems, and anchor institution priorities.
• Attend networking events, tabling opportunities, farmers markets, and stakeholder meetings to represent Cureate and build relationships.
• Provide insights to HQ on territory-specific opportunities and challenges.
• Administrative & Reporting
• Track key activity (buyer meetings, vendor outreach, etc.) and maintain records in shared systems.
• Submit weekly reports summarizing wins, challenges, and emerging opportunities.
• Participate in internal team meetings and contribute to shared goals and learning.

What You’ll Do

• Buyer Relationship Management & Sales
• Vendor Relationship Management
• Market Strategy & Community Engagement
• Administrative & Reporting

What You Bring

• An Expert in food systems, hospitality, local procurement, or sales
• A Born Connector - You experience immense joy in engaging with new relationships and new connections
• Entrepreneurial-minded - You take responsibility for your territory like it is your own business. You think outside of the box to surprise and delight buyers and vendors.
• A Strategic Thinker – You can analyze data, identify trends, and recommend actionable next steps to drive buyer expansion.
• An Excellent Communicator – You’re comfortable engaging with stakeholders across different levels and industries. You are extremely comfortable and proficient with email, text and phone call communication.
• A Sense of Urgency – You’re proactive in your communication both internally and externally, maintaining momentum toward critical business goals
• Willing to Show Up In-person - You love to meet people in-person and know the value in in-person visits. Willing to travel locally for up to 70% of the time.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• 5+ years in food systems, hospitality, food service sales, local procurement, or food & beverage entrepreneurship.
• Prior experience with revenue-responsible and revenue-generating roles.
• Demonstrated ability to grow and retain accounts.
• Knowledge of local food systems, sustainable sourcing, or economic development.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to track trends and recommend growth strategies.
• Familiarity with CRM tools, Google Sheets, and Slack for team collaboration.
• Passion for supporting local businesses and fostering sustainable food systems.

Compensation

This position is salaried, $50,000 - $75,000.

Location

The job can be done remotely.