JOB FILLED - Sales Manager – Mid-West Natural and Specialty

Job Description: 

Purpose of role: To accelerate growth across 8-10 brands in the USA through distributor management (UNFI and KEHE) and customer engagement in the Natural and Specialty channels. To be recognized as the undisputed expert on KeHe and UNFI workings.

Dimensions of role: To galvanize a team of brokers and distributors towards achieving accelerated growth for client brands through growing points of distribution. To establish a strong sales driven relationship with KeHe and UNFI distributors.

Your Key Contributions and Tasks/Accountabilities: This is not an exhaustive list of task and is not intended to be over prescriptive – different people will have different approaches to their job and the emphasis should be on achieving the outcomes in the best way possible.

New Account Conversion: Winning new customers for our client partners through compellingly presenting our brands and commercial proposals. Diligent follow through with customers and brokers to ensure new item execution is flawless.

Building Buyer Relationships: Establishing and building relationships with buyers to be viewed as an expert across your accounts. Leveraging those relationships to build our brands.

Account and Business Plans: Create plans that achieve identified distribution sales growth in target customers. Negotiate agreement of a Joint Business Plan with the customer that delivers business objectives. Manage, measure and improve account sales performance.

Promotions: Negotiate and deliver an annual promotional program, ensuring that promotions are communicated, forecasted, delivered and evaluated. Seek client approval no less than 12 weeks out. Delivery within spend budget and promotional guidelines.

Pricing: Establish and maintain the appropriate invoice pricing structure, delivering cost increases as required. Ensure good housekeeping via efficient collection and filing of customer deals to support deductions and pricing.

Performance Reviews: Deliver monthly sales activities to internal team for client Governance Report.

Team Support:

  • Lead and motivate a network of brokers through clear communication and direction Contribute to team meetings
  • Work closely with partners, internal national account managers and support team (Operations, Finance)

Personal Development:

  • Identify and agreeing personal development needs
  • Take actions to address your personal development needs – being pro-active Keep up to date with product/service developments
  • Develop technical skills

Your Required Behaviors and Key Measures of Performance:
Behaviors

  • Pride in our food
  • Talk about food positively to our friends and family
  • Consider you actions in terms of how it will affect the meal on the consumer’s table
  • If you’ve not tried it then try it!
  • One team with one goal – we can all make the difference
  • Taking time to understand each other’s challenges
  • Look for opportunities to support other people in achieving their goals
  • Proactively sharing information and learning with others
  • Being accountable and empowered
  • Being wiling to contribute and having flexibility in terms of your approach, you don’t just say it’s not your job
  • Do what you say you will when you say you will

Person Specification Essential

  • Ability and desire to travel 60% of work week (full driving license) – this will evolve as the business climate mpost-pandemic changes
  • Working knowledge of KeHe and UNFI distributors
  • At least 2-4 years of sales experience
  • Passion for food and the product is essential
  • Excellent negotiation and communication skills
  • Good presentation skills
  • A self-starter, the ability to drive your own agenda

Desirable

  • Start-up, small business experience
Compensation/Salary: 
$65k - $75k
Category: 
Last Resume Date: 
Monday, May 17, 2021 - 8:07am