Director of National Key Accounts - Royal Canin
Mars (External) Open · verified Sep 24, 2026 At a glance
Leadership Account Management role at Mars (External). CAN-Ontario-Guelph · full-time · CA$168,448–CA$221,088 base.
Growth Roles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Lead customer strategy, annual terms negotiations and cross-functional alignment for the largest customer relationships
- Manage four associates while building capability, engagement, development plans and sales training
- Oversee trade-spending controls and operating-plan rollout with Finance, SRM and Marketing
- Build relationships with customer decision-makers, expand penetration and support segment sales strategies
- Own demand S&OP inputs, customer forecasts and online strategy execution for Royal Canin brands
What you bring
- A business-related degree or diploma is required
- At least ten years in sales, ideally in CPG, pet or veterinary industries
- At least two years leading people directly and managing teams
- Strong spoken, written and interpersonal communication skills
Who this fits
This role suits a senior sales leader who has managed teams and can shape national customer strategy across functions. You’ll work in a hybrid Guelph, Ontario setup and travel about one-fifth of the time in Quebec. English and French fluency is an asset.
From the employer
Job Description:
The Director of National Key Accounts leads four associates to service relationships & deliver business results at our largest customers, accounting for 80% of annual topline sales. Responsible for creating a winning go-to-market customer strategy through partnership with Marketing, Finance & SRM functions that deliver on our business objectives.
The selected candidate will be a member of our Pet Specialty, Retail, and Omnichannel (PSRO) Leadership Team, crafting the ambition & culture of the division, and owner of our signature Step 2 (Demand) S&OP process working cross functionally to ensuring accurate demand projections.
What are we looking for?
- Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Business or a related field.
- Exceptional verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
- 10+ years of Sales experience, ideally within the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Pet or Vet Industries.
- 2+ years of direct people management and team leadership experience.
- Ability and willingness to travel approximately 20% of the time (Quebec).
- Bilingual proficiency in English and French is an asset.
What will be your key responsibilities?
Drive Business Strategy:
- Lead development and implementation of the customer strategy that transforms the entire business.
- Leads annual terms negotiations and cross-functional alignment.
- Effectively anticipates future consequences, trends and competitive landscape accurately.
Business Operations:
- Ensures that all financial control procedures are followed (i.e. Account Trade Spending budget) with a focus on and collaboration with Finance, SRM and Marketing.
- Ensures understanding and leads the deployment of the operating plan within the customer organization via development and application of best practices.
Talent Agenda:
- Build the functional capability and the engagement among local sales team.
- Provide thorough personal development plan objectives and reviews.
- Participate In MARS ONE talent conversation (FSLT member).
- Establish functional and leadership curriculum for each member of the team.
- Responsible for the planning and execution of the sales function training capabilities curriculum.
Business Development:
- Personally, increase customer penetration through the development of relationships with key decision-makers at customers to create alignment with Royal Canin objectives/strategies which enable Key Account Managers to achieve all business segment objectives.
- Active participation in industry associations and conferences.
- Helps develop and deliver business segment sales strategies and initiatives to key customers by working collaboratively cross functionally (Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, Corporate Affairs, Sci-comm, Digital), across region (NALT, US National Accounts peers) and across Mars segment (Veterinary Division, Mars Canada).
- Ensures that company policies and sales work processes are followed.
- Continually improves sales coverage, productivity, reporting and selling cost.
- Responsible for accelerating E-Commerce development of RC/EUK brands and implementing Royal Canin PSR online strategies.
Sales Forecasting:
- Delivers sales volume and sales strategic objectives by business and ensures linkage with other customers.
- Provides customer sales forecasting by business segment.
- Provides input to enhance business segment operating plan objectives through high contribution to DMR in the S&OP process.
What can you expect from Mars?
- Work with over 130,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
- Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
- Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
- An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.
The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between the below range CAD 168,448.00 - CAD 221,088.00. Please note: This job posting is for an existing vacancy. AI is used as a supporting tool in our recruitment process.
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