Director, Sales- Target & Meijer Food & Beverage, US Retail Sales

Director, Sales- Target & Meijer Food & Beverage, US Retail Sales

Location: Minneapolis, MN (Sales Office)

Work Arrangements: Hybrid – on-site a minimum of 9 days a month primarily during core weeks as determined by the Company; maybe more as business need requires

Reports To: Vice President, West Food & Beverage- US Retail Sales

About the Role:

As the Director of US Retail Sales, you will be at the forefront of driving profitable sales growth and building strategic partnerships. Your primary responsibilities will include:

Deliver the Business:

• Achieve profitable sales growth by developing and executing annual customer business plans for the Frozen Handheld, Spreads, and Coffee businesses.
• Develop strategic annual business plans and track progress to achieve or exceed net sales targets.
• Maintain omnichannel marketplace awareness and apply business insights effectively.
• Utilize syndicated and other customer data sources to inform strategic and tactical plans.
• Manage and provide visibility into KPIs and trade budgets.
• Ensure monthly and quarterly sales forecast accuracy and communicate business performance and needs both internally and externally.

Accelerate Team Performance:

• Responsible for recruiting, training & developing top talent managing team of sales business managers and sales support team members both in-office and remote, at varied skill levels.
• Inspire and lead direct reports and cross-functional field support teams to maximize effectiveness, in line with JMS resonant leadership expectations.
• Employ appropriate interpersonal styles and approaches to gain acceptance of ideas or plans and serve as an agent of change in leadership.
• Ensure training, tools, and processes are focused on delivering business aligned with JMS go-to-market strategies, working cross-functionally on customer activation.
• Possess sound knowledge of company financials, accounting procedures, trade financials, and personnel policies and procedures.

Strategic Partnerships:

• Drive strategic partnerships and maintain a long-term focus with all internal and external stakeholders.
• Manage Customer P&Ls, requiring a strong understanding of key metrics and business knowledge to provide direction on improving profitability.
• Lead the business planning process, working closely with cross-functional business partners.
• Empower teams to lead cross-functional initiatives, driving accountability and ownership.
• Champion customer needs through an in-depth understanding of their go-to-market strategy and data.
• Identify continuous improvement opportunities to enhance sales strategy and organizational/talent capabilities, making recommendations to leadership.

Customer Development:

• Build and maintain relationships with retail partners and all pertinent decision-makers.
• Develop strategies to drive category and JMS brand growth for the retailer.
• Manage JBP planning and goal alignment with key stakeholders and long-range vision.
• Manage broker supported retail support to deliver against JMS & customer expectations

What We Are Looking For:

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree.
• 10+ years of sales experience with a proven track record of meeting or exceeding targets, including at the HQ level; Target and/or Meijer experience included.
• 5+ years of large sales team management, people management experience, and a proven track record of inspiring a team to execute plans.
• Strong customer management skills, including the use of syndicated data sources such as Nielsen or IRI/Circana and customer data platform/systems.
• Understanding of P&L Management, Category Management, Trade Promotion Management, Pricing Structures, and Trade Terms.
• Previous cross-functional experience beyond sales preferred.
• Experience in food/beverage categories preferred.

Additional Skills and Experience

• Broker management experience.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to envision the future of sales teams, processes, and relationships.
• Leadership/Executive presence, leading through resonant engagement, demonstrating mindfulness, hope, and compassion to build an inclusive environment.
• Self-motivated with the ability to embrace change and deliver results while managing multiple/diverse priorities.
• Excellent communication skills, detail-oriented, and self-motivated.
• Ability to lead, communicate, present, and influence all levels of the organization, including executive and C-level.