Sales Account Director - Ice Cream

General Purpose

Lead the planning and execution of successful sales strategies for accounts with significant annual sales revenues, strategically key customers or markets, broad or national geographic scope, etc. Establish short- and long-term account strategies. Lead selling efforts, margin management, and customer relationship management activities. Lead the cross-functional business processes, engaging cross-functional resources across multiple geographies to deliver against the annual volume and profit plan. Demonstrate complete understanding of the company's products, product lines, and/or services; existing customers and potential customer landscape; consumers; the sales cycle; and industry trends. Recognized as an expert in many areas.

 

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop, manage, and execute a successful sales cycle across the area of assigned responsibility
• Mine, hunt, and bring on new profitable business opportunities. Initiate action plans to increase share of market with existing and new accounts
• Directly lead one or more key customer relationships
• Lead the collaborative development of account business plans; deliver annual customer plan; conduct regularly scheduled customer business reviews
• Build business relationships with key decision makers and senior leaders. Lead collaboration with peers, cross functional staff, and senior management to drive new and existing business and execute business priorities
• Bring actionable ideas to the team based on capabilities and best practices found in other DFA businesses throughout the country
• Function as an integral member during a launch process, setting the go-to-market strategy and story development as well as leading the execution of the launch plan
• Establish position as a leading resource customer specific trends and insights, knowledge of dairy market, and industry trends to maximize profitability of transactions
• Lead and develop an effective sales strategy by targeting strategic goals, building customer relationships, and creating initiatives to drive profitability
• Utilize a “solutions selling” approach drawing from organizational strengths and capabilities:
  • Determine and/or anticipate customer needs, problems, insights, and strategy
  • Interpret business challenges and recommend best approach to improve and meet stated objectives
  • Identify, clearly outline, and present the opportunity details including short- and long-term value to DFA
  • Drive opportunities to commercialization internally, and most critically, “close” with the customer
• Proactively deliver innovative ideas to customers by understanding their brands, platforms, and strategies
• Prepare and deliver sales presentations, product demonstrations, and proposals on existing and new products and/or services. Educate clients on the benefits and features of the products and/or services
• Influence the cross-functional team to streamline processes and broaden capabilities by demonstrating the value through customer opportunities. Provide strategic and tactical direction from customer feedback and market intelligence
• Provide direct day-to-day account responsibility of assigned accounts. “Own” the performance of assigned accounts and take action on unique account challenges and opportunities while effectively balancing the needs of DFA and the customer
• Foster customer relationships at various levels across multiple functions (R&D, marketing, purchasing, quality assurance, operations) and facilitate the growth of customer counterpart relationships within DFA
• Execute full authority/opportunity to set and negotiate product/service terms, as directed by sales leadership, such as non-disclosure agreements, pricing, terms, contracts, and other items as necessary
• Secure customer support on national programs
• The requirements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employee, but is not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Other duties may be assigned as required

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Undergraduate degree in business, sales, marketing, or related curriculum (or equivalent combination of experience and education)
• 10 or more years of progressive sales, account management, or related experience that includes proven record of growing profitable sales results at a senior sales level
• Experience leading sales efforts, product or brand launches, or similar
• Experience in the retail, foodservice, dairy, consumer packaged goods/foods, or related industry
• Certification and/or License – may be required during course of employment

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Complete knowledge