Head of Strategic Customer Development and Sales Operations – US Foods Sales

Job Title: Head of Strategic Customer Development and Sales Operations – US Foods Sales

Location: Remote- USA

Terms & Conditions: Full time, International assignment is not available for this role and relocation for local and international candidates is not provided

ABOUT UNILEVER

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world.

At Unilever, your career will be a unique journey, grounded in our, collaborative, and flexible working environment. Our organizational ambition centers around creating workplaces that foster equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging across all aspects of our business. We don’t believe in the ‘one size fits all’ approach and instead we will equip you with the tools you need to shape your own future.

JOB PURPOSE

The Head of Strategic Customer Development and Sales Operations is a strategic leadership role responsible for championing the voice of the customer across US Foods’ internal functions—including Marketing, Category Strategy, Shopper Insights, Supply Chain, and Net Revenue Management (NRM). This role ensures that customer-facing strategies are deeply informed by external market dynamics and are executed with excellence.

This leader will bring forward critical customer and consumer insights to shape go-to-market strategies, align category plans with emerging trends, and drive cross-functional collaboration to deliver differentiated value to customers. The role is pivotal in translating market intelligence into actionable strategies that enhance customer satisfaction, drive growth, and strengthen US Foods’ competitive position.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

The Head of Strategic Customer Development and Sales Operations will lead the development and execution of a winning customer and channel strategy, aligning cross-functional resources to drive profitable double-digit growth. This role is responsible for directly managing the US Customer Operations and Business Development teams, while closely collaborating with Business Unit (BU) and Business Group (BG) Marketing and Innovation teams. The focus is on delivering retailer and shopper strategies that result in a compelling and competitive shelf presence.

In addition to partnering with CS&P, BU/BG Marketing, this role will guide field sales leadership on shelving strategies, category value drivers, and joint business plan execution. A key objective is to ensure Unilever remains the retailer’s partner of choice by delivering strategic, insight-led solutions that drive mutual growth.

Sales Operation Plan:

• Define and lead the long-term sales strategy in alignment with overall Foods Business Unit (BU) objectives.
• Drive the design and implementation of customer segmentation strategies to ensure optimal targeting of high-value, high-potential customers.
• Create and implement innovative sales strategies that drive growth, profitability, and market share.
• Lead the design of joint business planning processes with strategic customers. Ensuring internal and customer goals are mutually aligned to drive sustainable growth.
• Continuously assess the competitive landscape, industry trends, and market dynamics to refine and evolve customer strategies for market leadership.

Business Development & Execution:

• Oversee the execution of the sales strategy, ensuring clear alignment between Business Unit (BU) goals and field execution across all sales channels.
• Collaborate with Category Strategy & Planning (CS&P) to develop customer execution standards and clear picture of success.
• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) and performance metrics to monitor, measure, and optimize sales team effectiveness, driving consistent achievement of sales targets.
• Partner with sales leaders and the sales operations to drive flawless execution of category and brand strategies at the customer level.
• Lead the execution of Monthly and Quarterly Business Review (MBR/QBR) processes to ensure accountability, performance tracking, and strategic alignment.

Chief of Staff:

• Serve as strategic advisor to the SVP of sales, managing commu