Dir, Commercial/Sales Operations

Who We Are  

At JonnyPops, our team is empowered to make an impact at work every day from producing high-quality, innovative frozen novelties to spreading kindness one pop at a time. We look for bright and ambitious individuals who seek out challenges, thrive in fast-paced and high-growth environments, align with our core values, and get fulfilment from seeing their work transform the world around them.   

Based in Elk River, MN, JonnyPops develops, manufactures, distributes, and markets frozen novelties. Retailers from coast to coast including Target, Costco, Publix, Kroger, Cub, along with thousands of regional and local grocers make JonnyPops part of their assortment.   

Growing from a dorm room start-up in 2012, JonnyPop’ mission is to make "A Better Pop for a Better World!" JonnyPops leads the frozen novelties space in innovation and uses simple ingredients with no artificial dyes. Every pop stick includes a kind deed, spreading kindness every day.  

Joining JonnyPops is an exciting opportunity to be part of high-growth brand and have a direct impact on the company’s success. Join our team and help us make “A Better Pop, for a Better World!”  

Job Summary 

This role has the exciting opportunity to work directly with cross-functional leaders and CSuite developing plans to power JonnyPops Commercial Strategy. The (Sr) Director, Commercial Operations will lead and develop team of sales operations experts to support profitable, business growth primarily supporting Sales, Marketing, and Operations workstreams. Functional oversight includes Sales Forecasting and Planning, Trade Management and Optimization, Category Insights, Reporting, and Analytics, and Customer Setup and Development. Candidate must have strong CPG experience and desire to lead in a high dynamic, visible cross-functional role. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

Team Management: 

• Manage and develop team of sales operations experts to support sales and marketing ability to drive profitable, business growth which may include but not be limited to the following functions: 

• Sales Forecasting and Planning 

• Trade Management and Optimization 

• Category Insights, Reporting, and Analytics 

• Customer Setup and Development 

• Commercial Strategy Operations 

• Sales Tradeshows and Support 

• Develop, capture and share best practice sales tools, presentations, proposals, process & policies. 

• Develop sales training programs as needed on Commercial Operations initiatives. 

• Provide team functional leadership with Values-aligned actions. 

Commercial Planning and Forecasting: 

• Sales Forecasting Process Development: Lead team on ongoing volume planning and forecasting process. Including oversight of rollout of new technology vendor and process to streamline planning and forecasting, trade planning, and support change management of old to new process. 

• Leadership Voice: Provide sales leadership input and engage with cross-functional leaders for planning of annual company revenue, budget planning, pacing against, and opportunities based on planning and forecasting process. 

• Cross-Functional POC: Own plan reporting to cross-functional BUs (Operations, Finance, Supply Chain, Marketing, etc.) to power their planning processes, meeting with team members in advance to drive coordination. Define and develop new reports, views, and opportunities to streamline handoffs between teams that aid planning effectiveness and agility. 

• Base Forecast Assumptions: Own view of key levers for the plan that impact forecast, including but not limited to, pricing, base velocity trends, competitor trends, macro trends, innovation performance, and more. Ensure key levers are properly accounted for in forecasting models produced by team or vendors. 

• Trade and Promotional Optimization: Lead team on trade and promotional effectiveness analysis, opportunity and optimization identification, and inclusion into sales forecasting process. Identify and translate opportunities into customer plans. 

• Total Customer Investment (TCI) Development: Take Commercial Strategy and business goals, and develop customer-specific TCI guidance in partnership with Sales and Marketing leader(s) to drive profitable growth. Facilitate / Lead account/customer reviews, planner reviews, and assignments to maximize profitable growth across customers. 

Category Insights, Reporting, and Analytics:  

• Manage budgets and oversee work product deliverables from syndicated data providers (SPINS, Numerator, Nielson, IRI, etc