New England Area Bakery Business Manager (Food Broker)

Who We Are: Your Bridge to Success!

The Affinity Group is one of the fastest-growing food sales and marketing agencies, with a national presence throughout North America and Canada. We represent some of the most recognizable and well-regarded food brands in the industry. 

Supported by the corporate sales support team, you’ll be part of a team that drives brand awareness and increases market demand for our clients. Affinity Group brings decades of expertise and a consultative system that is tailored for a localized approach.

Position Summary:

We are looking for a Bakery Business Manager in New England. 

The key function of the Business Manager is to achieve the Affinity client/customer sales and merchandising objectives for the marketplace by providing expert strategic guidance, thoughtful and trustworthy client/brand partnership, and effective and efficient market activation at designated customers/retailers. Affinity Business Managers work collaboratively with many different team members (Leadership, Account Managers, Retail Merchandisers, Technical Specialists, CSS) and customer partners to effectively mobilize and align resources to support this effort.

Essential Functions:

• Represent Affinity Group in an ethical and professional manner.
• Establish and maintain an effective partnership with the Client to facilitate the development and execution of impactful sales, merchandising, and marketing initiatives

• Collaborate with Affinity leadership and account management in the development of account-specific sales, marketing and merchandising plans that fall within the client’s trade-funding parameters
• Work with Account management, effectively execute Client’s new product introductions and trade promotion strategy within funding parameters
• Compile and maintain timely sales volume histories
• Work with Administration, compile and maintain timely and accurate trade funding accounts, utilizing client-approved or designated accounting platform
• Work with Marketing Director and Sales Analyst to integrate fact-based-selling techniques into customer-directed initiatives
• Monitor Retail-customer promotional and merchandising activities for client and competitive brands
• Work with Account Management and Administration to expeditiously address and resolve financial administrative issues (deductions/pricing discrepancies, etc.)
• Work with Account Management, Marketing and Administration to manage the preparation and presentation of Affinity Client business reviews (both company reviews and customer-specific)
• Advise Affinity Leadership regarding client/customer issues and opportunities
• Other duties as assigned

Education and Experience:

• Experience in the retail or food service area is advantageous       
• Grocery store department operations, office, or sales experience preferred
• Bachelor’s degree beneficial

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Solid competency with MS Windows software suite (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Word)
• Solid understanding of syndicated sales data platforms (IRI and Nielsen) and category management principles
• Effective communication skills; comfortable and effective in presentation environments
• Effective collaborator and contributor functioning in a team environment
• Self-motivating, high-energy, high-capacity and results-oriented
• Attention to detail, accuracy, and timelines
• Professional appearance, winning attitude, and comfortable operating in a dynamic client services – customer activation environment

Physical Requirements / Working Conditions

• Reliable transportation for visits to stores, customers, clients, and other locatio