National Account Manager
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Regular travel across Canada required
Solina Canada is a national leader in the creation and production of custom culinary solutions, including spice blends, marinades, broths, sauces, and seasonings for the food industry.
With operations in Québec (Laval and Boisbriand) and Ontario (Toronto), Solina Canada builds on the strong expertise of two well-established Canadian companies: Berthelet, founded in Québec, and Lynch Foods, in Ontario. Now united under the Solina banner, these brands share a deep passion for taste, quality, and innovation.
Joining Solina Canada means being part of a growing, people-focused company where collaboration, creativity, and the joy of doing things right are part of everyday life. We value diversity, encourage initiative, and provide an environment where everyone can actively contribute to shaping the future of food in Canada.
Our Culture: The PACE Mindset
At Solina, the way we work is built around the PACE mindset, which guides our behaviours, decisions, and actions every day.
P – PUSH the boundaries, be bold and ambitious
We think bigger, challenge existing ways of working, and push ourselves to go further.
A – ACT and make it happen, be accountable for delivering
We take ownership, create clarity, move decisions forward, and deliver concrete results.
C – CREATE through curiosity, be solutions-oriented
We ask questions, seek to understand, explore new ideas, and focus on finding solutions.
E – EXCEL together, be Unique and United
We value different perspectives, collaborate across teams and boundaries, and work together toward what is best for Solina.
Joining Solina means working in an environment where everyone is encouraged to be curious, take initiative, collaborate, and make a meaningful contribution to our collective success.
Together, let’s make a difference with taste.
Your Next Challenge
We are looking for a National Account Manager to own and grow a strategic portfolio of major Canadian Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) and Full Service Restaurant (FSR) customers.
Reporting to the Director, QSR & National Accounts, you will be accountable for the strategy, profitable growth, retention, and long-term development of your assigned accounts across Canada.
This is a true national account management role, not a geographic territory or distributor-led sales position.
You will build relationships directly with key decision-makers within major Canadian restaurant organizations and act as the connection between their business needs and Solina’s cross-functional expertise across Sales, Culinary/R&D, Marketing, Commercialization, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Finance.
Your objective: understand our customers’ strategies, identify growth opportunities, and mobilize our teams to turn those opportunities into commercially viable and profitable culinary solutions.
Ready for the Challenge?
Here’s what you’ll be responsible for:
Develop and Grow National Accounts
- Develop and execute a multi-year strategy and annual business plan for each assigned account;
- Build strong and trusted relationships with key customer decision-makers across Procurement, Supply Chain, Culinary/R&D, Quality, Marketing, and Operations;
- Understand customers’ strategies, priorities, and challenges to identify new business opportunities;
- Protect and expand existing business by identifying growth opportunities, whitespace, and competitive risks;
- Develop and maintain a structured pipeline of qualified opportunities;
- Lead structured customer business reviews, translating commercial, operational, and financial information into clear decisions and action plans.
Own the Commercial Performance of Your Accounts
- Take ownership of account revenue, gross margin, pricing, and profitability;
- Lead negotiations related to pricing, contracts, renewals, requests for proposal, service expectations, and other commercial terms;
- Develop recommendations that support sustainable and profitable growth;
- Prepare and maintain accurate sales forecasts by customer and item;
- Communicate significant demand changes early and partner with S&OP to support supply continuity;
- Monitor contracts, deductions, rebates, claims, and customer-specific costs;
- Identify commercial, financial, or operational risks and ensure appropriate actions and escalations are taken.
Turn Customer Needs into Culinary Solutions
At Solina, national account management goes beyond selling an existing product. You will be directly involved in developing and commercializing solutions tailored to our customers’ needs.
You will:
- Understand customer strategies, menu trends, and evolving consumer expectations;
- Translate customer needs and opportunities into clear and commercially viable development briefs;
- Partner with our Culinary, R&D, Marketing, and Commercialization teams to develop customer-specific solutions;
- Lead customer projects from initial concept through approval and launch;
- Coordinate samples, specifications, pricing, volume forecasts, timelines, and launch readiness;
- Mobilize Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to ensure successful execution;
- Support the resolution of significant product or service issues, provide timely customer communication, and coordinate corrective actions.
Mobilize Teams Around Your Customers
- Act as the primary internal point of coordination for your assigned accounts;
- Lead structured internal account meetings with clear priorities, ownership, and follow-up;
- Influence and mobilize cross-functional teams without direct authority;
- Collaborate closely with Sales, Culinary/R&D, Marketing, Commercialization, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Finance;
- Maintain accurate account plans, contacts, opportunities, activities, risks, and forecasts in our CRM;
- Analyze customer, category, competitor, and market information to support better commercial decisions;
- Represent Solina Canada at customer meetings, customer locations, and industry events across Canada.
Do You Have What It Takes?
We are looking for someone who already understands the Canadian national QSR environment and the complexity of managing major national accounts within food manufacturing.
You bring:
- A minimum of 7 years of progressive B2B sales or account management experience with a food manufacturer;
- A minimum of 2 years of direct responsibility for major Canadian national QSR accounts – this experience is essential for the role;
- Demonstrated experience managing complex, high-value national accounts;
- Direct experience working with national QSR procurement teams and cross-functional customer stakeholders;
- A proven track record of retaining and growing existing business and converting new opportunities;
- Strong experience in commercial negotiations, pricing, contracts, RFPs, budgeting, forecasting, and margin analysis;
- Hands-on experience with customer-specific food product development and commercialization, from initial brief through launch;
- Strong understanding of Canadian QSR supply chains, including the role of distributors, product specifications, quality requirements, and national launch execution;
- Strong executive communication, presentation, influencing, negotiation, and relationship-management skills;
- Advanced working knowledge of Excel and PowerPoint and disciplined use of CRM and reporting tools;
- A bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field is preferred. An equivalent combination of education and relevant experience will be considered;
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. French is a strong asset;
- A valid driver’s licence and the ability to travel regularly across Canada, with occasional travel outside Canada as business needs require.
Please note: Distributor-only, broadline foodservice, or geographic territory sales experience without direct responsibility for national QSR accounts does not meet the core experience requirement for this position.
How Will You Know You’re Successful?
Success in this role will be measured through:
- Achievement of account revenue and gross-margin objectives;
- Customer retention and account growth;
- Development and conversion of qualified business opportunities;
- Forecast accuracy and timely communication of significant demand changes;
- On-time delivery of customer commitments and commercialization milestones;
- Successful execution of customer-specific launches;
- Quality of senior customer relationships, business reviews, and account plans;
- Strong contract, pricing, and CRM discipline.
Working Conditions
- Permanent, full-time position, Monday to Friday;
- Position based in Toronto, Ontario;
- Flexibility required to support customer and business needs;
- Regular travel to customer meetings, Solina facilities, and industry events across Canada;
- Occasional travel outside Canada may be required.
This position may also be based at our Laval, Québec location.
Accessibility and Accommodation
Solina Canada is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process.
Accommodation is available upon request for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment and selection process. If you require accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know, and we will work with you to meet your needs.
Use of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment
Solina Canada does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess, or select applicants for this position. Applications and candidate qualifications are reviewed by members of our recruitment team.
You understand the realities of Canadian national QSR accounts, enjoy building long-term customer partnerships, and know how to turn customer needs into concrete business opportunities?
