Director, National Sales - Convenience Retail

Location: Des Moines, Kansas City, or another major Midwest city.

The Director, National Sales will serve as the primary Headquarters contact for a national convenience retail chain with a rapidly expanding domestic footprint. This role is a pivotal leadership position, responsible for driving innovation, shaping strategic direction, and delivering on our customer promise through a comprehensive suite of solutions anchored in the Coca-Cola value bundle.

The ideal candidate is a self-motivated leader with a proven track record in sales and customer management, adept at navigating complex relationships. This individual will lead with vision, foster collaboration, and drive growth by aligning customer needs with Coca-Cola’s strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute a multi-year business strategy that aligns with the customer’s growth objectives and supports their business goals.

• Commercial Strategy: Lead price package architecture, investment strategies, program development, and division sales alignment to achieve sustainable growth. Negotiate effectively with both customers and the Coca-Cola System to deliver mutually beneficial outcomes.

• Customer-Centric Solutions: Design and implement innovative, consumer-focused solutions that align with the customer’s brand identity and voice, driving beverage category growth and profitability.

• Relationship Management: Build and nurture strong, trust-based relationships at all levels within the customer’s organization and across Coca-Cola’s internal and external stakeholders. Conduct regular business reviews to align strategies with customer needs and ensure the delivery of measurable results.

• Collaboration with Franchise Bottlers: Partner with Coca-Cola franchise bottlers to execute market strategies and develop localized commercial plans that address specific consumer demands.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Leverage analytical expertise to assess key business drivers, such as sales trends, package mix, and sales margins, to identify and capitalize on growth opportunities.

• Continuous Improvement: Employ agile management practices to measure, evaluate, and refine initiatives, ensuring their effectiveness in achieving both short- and long-term objectives.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with internal teams, including marketing, finance, and operations, to deliver seamless and impactful business solutions.

Qualifications:

Experience: 5–10+ years of experience in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, with a strong background in customer management and marketing. Experience in CPG, brand management, agency roles, foodservice, Coca-Cola System, direct customer engagement, and people leadership is highly desirable.

Skills:

• Strong strategic thinking and leadership capabilities.

• Proven ability to manage and grow complex customer relationships.

• Expertise in data analysis and identifying growth opportunities.

• Exceptional negotiation and communication skills.

• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive collaboration.

• Experience in developing and executing innovative, customer-centric solutions.

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.

Travel Requirements: 25–35% travel required.